Search results

Based on both quantitative and qualitative analyses, this study revisits public relations (PR) and marketing practitioners' perceptions of PR function and its relationship with marketing function in the digital context.

An online survey targeting 234 PR and marketing practitioners was first conducted, followed by a total of 27 in-depth interviews with PR and marketing practitioners.

Results from the two phases of analysis show that both PR and marketing practitioners perceive market functions as sales-oriented, whereas media relations is interpreted as more of a PR function. Content marketing and influencer marketing via digital communication channels help to enhance the convergence of PR and marketing functions. PR and marketing practitioners believe that PR and marketing functions are integrative, and they are willing to work flexibly for both functions within workplaces.

This study presents a continuum of PR and marketing functions in the digital era that illustrates the role of digital communication in the convergence of PR and marketing functions. The results help to advance the theoretical discussion on both the functional (excellent PR practices and relationship management) and critical (the social role of PR in the participatory culture) approaches of PR in the digital context. Managerial implications are also discussed in addition to the theoretical contributions.

Previous research suggests that most of the applications of marketing information systems (MkIS) appear to support marketing routine function rather than marketing strategic function. By conducting a survey of 55 UK marketing managers in computer and financial industries, this study examines the current practice of the strategic function of marketing, and the application of information systems in supporting the strategic function. Reveals that the strategic function of marketing has been perceived important by marketing managers, and many companies perform some of the strategic functions, such as market segmentation/targeting, competition and market analysis. Yet, the application of MkIS does not keep abreast with the current practice of marketing strategic function. Suggests that a knowledge‐enriched, strategic oriented MkIS with an emphasis on environmental scanning, competition mapping, market positioning, and SWOT analysis needs to be developed through advanced computing technology.

The Nature of Business Policy Business policy — or general management — is concerned with the following six major functions:

During the past 15 years, a body of research has explored the implementation of the marketing concept in terms of the integration of marketing functions under the control of a Chief Marketing Executive (CME), and the position of the CME within the organisation. Relatively little attention has been focused on the organisation of the marketing function within professional services industries. We report a cross‐sectional study examining the characteristics of the marketing function and responsibilities of the CME in a major New Zealand professional services sector, financial services. Our findings suggest a high level of formal organisation structure for marketing within the New Zealand financial services industry. However, while the CME continues to be central to the organisation of the marketing function, there remains considerable variation in the corporate positioning of the marketing function and responsibilities of the CME within this professional services industry.

Contends that economic activities constitute a fundamental field of activity of human society. States that polarity between economy and society means these extremes cannot be realized because new syntheses – generally accepted for a shorter or longer – period have to be found again and again. Differentiates between areas of utilisation as part of life and the economy as a supply system ending with the withdrawal of objects, does not exclude the fact that it draws on desires, experiences, and users' problems of good direction. Confirms that economy as a field of human activity is organised as a combine of individual economic subjects/optional organisational formed by these subjects regarding preparation of means and supply of objects. Draws on the use of figures using matrixes to explain various functions in major and partial functions and discusses related terms in depth, with regard to marketing. Chronicles that results were more complicated than could be expected from the topic, but that it remains to be clarified where the specialization marketing has a functional‐systematic place.

The purpose of this paper is to examine high-tech small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) supply chain partnerships. Partnerships are considered at the level of business function rather than the entire organisation. Second, the drivers of SMEs to engage in partnerships are assessed to see whether functions engage in partnerships for different reasons. Third, performance per function is assessed to see the differential effect of partnerships on the function’s performance.

In this study, the relationship between the drivers of SMEs to engage in partnerships, four types of partnerships (marketing and sales, research and development (R&D), purchasing and logistics, and production) and four types of functional performances of firms (marketing and sales, R&D, purchasing and logistics, and production) are examined. The data have been collected from 279 SMEs. The proposed hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling.

The results indicate that there are considerable differences between business functions in terms of the degree of involvement in partnerships and the effect of partnerships on the performance of these functions. This paper contributes to research by explaining the contradictory results of partnerships on SMEs performance.

This study helps firms understand which type of partnership should be established based on the firm’s drivers to engage in supply chain partnership; and which partnership has a significant effect on which type of business performance of the firm.

The originality of this study is to investigate the relationship between different drivers to engage in supply chain partnership and different types of partnerships and different functional performance of firm in a single model.

In the era of digital evolution, companies are increasingly deploying digital platforms to optimize operational efficiencies and to connect with customers more directly. However, little is known about whether and how companies can leverage digital platforms to enhance their brand prestige. Integrating insights from the resource-based view of the firm into the branding literature, this study aims to compare and distinguish the effects of the two digital platform functions, technical and social functions, on a company’s brand prestige. This study also assesses the moderating roles of two institutional factors, market uncertainty and brand imitation.

This study estimates a moderated regression model using a survey of 240 companies in China that deploy digital platforms. This study uses SPSS 24.0 to perform regression analysis.

The study finds that technical functions positively, whereas social functions negatively affect brand prestige. Moreover, the technical functions of digital platforms are more beneficial for companies to build their brand prestige when the market is turbulent and the extent of brand imitation is high, whereas, under the same conditions, social functions lead to lower brand prestige.

There are several limitations of this study that offer future research opportunities. First, due to the difficulties of data collection, measures were taken from the same source for which common method bias could be a potential concern. Second, this study considered two institutional boundary conditions in these models. Future research should consider mediators as well as other potential moderators to understand the underlying mechanisms of how digital platforms affect brand prestige. Third, future studies may develop better constructs to manifest these two types of digital platform functions. Finally, this sample was limited to companies in China.

This study provides important implications for companies leveraging digital platforms to build brands. First, companies must distinguish between the different functions of digital platforms. The findings reveal that companies that leverage digital platforms to build brand prestige are suggested to make greater use of technical functions yet should be cautious in developing social functions. Second, this research suggests although market uncertainty and brand imitation are not conducive to enhancing brand prestige, it is possible for companies to take advantage of these unfavorable environments to better serve niche customers.

Prior marketing studies emphasize the benefits of digital platforms and largely overlook the double-edged sword effect of digital platforms on companies’ brand building. This study contributes to the marketing literature by revealing the benefits of technical function and the challenges of social function in driving brand prestige in complex institutional settings.

To achieve a full understanding of the role of marketing from plan to profit requires a knowledge of the basic building blocks. This textbook introduces the key concepts in the art or science of marketing to practising managers. Understanding your customers and consumers, the 4 Ps (Product, Place, Price and Promotion) provides the basic tools for effective marketing. Deploying your resources and informing your managerial decision making is dealt with in Unit VII introducing marketing intelligence, competition, budgeting and organisational issues. The logical conclusion of this effort is achieving sales and the particular techniques involved are explored in the final section.

This study explores the individual and joint effects of operations, marketing, and logistics functions on the level of business performance. The main purpose is to test whether the business performance achieved when logistics function is in complete coordination with operations and marketing functions is superior to the performance when the functions operate in a less coordinated manner.

Study hypotheses regarding the links between coordinated and non‐coordinated performances and overall business performance are evaluated through a survey of automobile manufacturers in northwest Turkey. Separate regression analyses are conducted to test the hypotheses.

It is shown that overall business performance achieved when there exists an effective coordination between the functions can be well above the performance achieved when the tasks are performed individually. Specifically, results from regression analyses performed to test the validations of study hypotheses indicate two important implications: coordination between operations and logistics functions in the specific sample is the most prominent issue for achievement of high performance; and logistics function carries an important role in linking the two most important functions of a company namely, operations and marketing.

This study adds some value to the current literature such that it empirically shows the links between coordinated and non‐coordinated functional performances and overall business performance, and eventually raises the importance of logistics function in a manufacturing‐oriented business environment.

The relationship between functional participation and several measures of channel member financial performance are evaluated. Channel theory suggests that greater participation in channel functions should be positively associated with channel member compensation. Support for the theory was found for gross margins and total operating expenses. However, return on assets were not found to be positively related to channel function participation.