Interpersonal practice in project marketing: how institutional logics condition and change them

Abstract

Purpose

Project marketing is the specific activity of companies selling projects-to-order. Interpersonal practice is known to be important in this type of marketing. While this interpersonal practice has been little studied, some previous research suggests that changes in the institutional macro environment have affected it. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to study today’s interpersonal practice in project business and how the institutional environment conditions it.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with marketing managers at project-based firms in different business sectors in France and Sweden. Data collection and analysis was informed by grounded theory.

Findings

The paper identifies three types of interpersonal practice in project marketing, referred to as the transactional, the work-based and the socializing. Changes in these are explained in relation to the three institutional logics identified in the data: the market institutional logic of business ethics, the corporate institutional logic of rationalization and the family institutional logic of gender equality.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies can continue and broaden this work as it regards how the institutional conditioning of interpersonal practice varies with context.

Practical implications

By clearly categorizing the three types of interpersonal practice and their relative role today, companies can orient the activities of salespeople, business developers and other project marketers.

Social implications

The paper highlights how business ethics and gender equality have changed interpersonal practices in project marketing.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the current debate on project marketing by identifying three types of interpersonal practice and by illustrating how institutional logics condition and change these. The paper shows that extra-business activities are needed less than previous research has argued with regard to maintaining customer relationships in-between projects.

Citation

Cova, B., Skålén, P. and Pace, S. (2019), "Interpersonal practice in project marketing: how institutional logics condition and change them", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 723-734. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-03-2018-0116