Pros and Cons of Teamwork
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Marketing action in networks
Stefanos Mouzas
School of Management, University of Bath, Bath, UK
Marketing action in networks
1271
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to describe and explain how organizations develop and implement marketing action within their surrounding business networks. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is an empirical case study research that covered periods 1993 to 1998 and 2002 to 2003 in manufacturer-retailer networks in Germany. A conceptual model is developed and its applicability is illustrated. Findings – The paper finds that marketing action is seen as an inventive stream of finding and doing what is possible for each organization in its respective network. Whilst organizations react to events as they unfold, marketing action in networks takes the form of creating and exercising a number of options that best reflect organizations’ strengths and their capacities derived from network membership. Research limitations/implications – Although based on marketing episodes related to the development and introduction of new products in a manufacturer-retailer network, the proposed model has far wider managerial implications. The efficiency of the model is achieved through the reduction into three generative stages of the complexity of marketing action in networks. Practical implications – The model is explained in some depth, and its practical implications explained via the case study. Originality/value – The development of a model of marketing action in networks based upon a network/option view of business-to-business marketing. Keywords Business-to-business marketing, Marketing, Product development, Networking, Germany Paper type Research paper
Received March 2005 Revised September 2005 Accepted November 2005
By focusing on marketing activities within the context of new product development, this paper
Marketing action in networks
Stefanos Mouzas
School of Management, University of Bath, Bath, UK
Marketing action in networks
1271
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to describe and explain how organizations develop and implement marketing action within their surrounding business networks. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is an empirical case study research that covered periods 1993 to 1998 and 2002 to 2003 in manufacturer-retailer networks in Germany. A conceptual model is developed and its applicability is illustrated. Findings – The paper finds that marketing action is seen as an inventive stream of finding and doing what is possible for each organization in its respective network. Whilst organizations react to events as they unfold, marketing action in networks takes the form of creating and exercising a number of options that best reflect organizations’ strengths and their capacities derived from network membership. Research limitations/implications – Although based on marketing episodes related to the development and introduction of new products in a manufacturer-retailer network, the proposed model has far wider managerial implications. The efficiency of the model is achieved through the reduction into three generative stages of the complexity of marketing action in networks. Practical implications – The model is explained in some depth, and its practical implications explained via the case study. Originality/value – The development of a model of marketing action in networks based upon a network/option view of business-to-business marketing. Keywords Business-to-business marketing, Marketing, Product development, Networking, Germany Paper type Research paper
Received March 2005 Revised September 2005 Accepted November 2005
By focusing on marketing activities within the context of new product development, this paper