Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the sales and marketing interface and to identify some of the elements that may influence collaboration between sales and marketing and provide a framework demonstrating how these elements may interrelate.
Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores the sales and marketing relationship through qualitative research using one‐to‐one, tripartite interviews with senior executives and sales and marketing managers of three, UK‐based business‐to‐business organizations.
Findings: The paper indicates that there are two types of factor that affect collaboration between sales and marketing. Those that are out of the control of sales and marketing staff – management attitudes to coordination, interdepartmental culture and structure and orientation, and four that are internal to the interface – inter‐functional conflict, communications, market intelligence and learning. The paper also identifies that senior managers play a critical role in influencing this interface.
Research limitations/implications: Improving collaboration in the sales and marketing interface should be a focus for senior managers. The paper is limited by the number of cases.
Practical implications: The factors identified may be used by organizations to improve collaboration between sales and marketing.
Originality/value: The identification of factors that may improve collaboration between sales and marketing, and provide a conceptual framework for further study. The paper increases the understanding of the sales and marketing interface by identifying two additional factors that may influence the interface – learning and market intelligence, and demonstrates how the various factors may interrelate to create improved collaboration.
Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores the sales and marketing relationship through qualitative research using one‐to‐one, tripartite interviews with senior executives and sales and marketing managers of three, UK‐based business‐to‐business organizations.
Findings: The paper indicates that there are two types of factor that affect collaboration between sales and marketing. Those that are out of the control of sales and marketing staff – management attitudes to coordination, interdepartmental culture and structure and orientation, and four that are internal to the interface – inter‐functional conflict, communications, market intelligence and learning. The paper also identifies that senior managers play a critical role in influencing this interface.
Research limitations/implications: Improving collaboration in the sales and marketing interface should be a focus for senior managers. The paper is limited by the number of cases.
Practical implications: The factors identified may be used by organizations to improve collaboration between sales and marketing.
Originality/value: The identification of factors that may improve collaboration between sales and marketing, and provide a conceptual framework for further study. The paper increases the understanding of the sales and marketing interface by identifying two additional factors that may influence the interface – learning and market intelligence, and demonstrates how the various factors may interrelate to create improved collaboration.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 287-305 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | European Business Review |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |