An investigation into the antecedents and consequences of collaboration between sales and marketing

Abstract

This thesis explores the antecedents and consequences of collaboration between sales and marketing. The results suggest that collaborative sales and marketing functions have benefits for the organisation in terms of improved business performance. In addition, improvements in collaboration between sales and marketing will positively affect marketing orientation and leading to superior marketing quality. The research began with an exploration of the interface between sales and marketing through the available literature. The existing research conceptualises the relationship between sales and marketing and highlights the benefits of interfunctional collaborative behaviour. Therefore, a study was designed to not only identify the antecedents of collaboration between sales and marketing so that the relationship between sales and marketing can be assessed and improved to the benefit of the organisation, but also to establish that business performance can be directly influenced by improvements in collaboration between sales and marketing. The research was undertaken through a mixed methodology, utilising exploratory case studies, a large-scale quantitative survey and confirmatory interviews. The data analysis involved four distinct analytical methods: within-case analysis, crosscase analysis, statistical analysis and confirmatory interviews. The large-scale survey was undertaken through a questionnaire that was sent to the Managing Directors/Chief Executives of large, UK-based organisations operating in the business-to-business arena. Through the findings from the survey five antecedents to collaboration between sales and marketing were identified - management attitudes towards co-ordination, conflict of interests, communications, market intelligence and organisational learning - and a revised conceptual framework was developed. The correlation and multiple regression analysis confirmed the weighting of each of the independent variables upon collaboration between sales and marketing and established a number of other relationships between the variables. The second part of the research focused on the consequences of improved collaboration between sales and marketing. It was found through the survey that collaboration between sales and marketing may have a positive effect upon business performance. The research also established that marketing orientation was not an antecedent to collaboration between sales and marketing, but that collaboration between sales and marketing may have a positive influence on marketing orientation. In addition, it was established that collaboration between sales and marketing has a positive effect on business performance. This research identifies some of the antecedents of collaboration between sales and marketing and clarifies the benefits of collaboration between sales and marketing to the organisation