Development of market-oriented strategies through cross-functional integration in the context of the food and beverage industry

Abstract

PurposeThe objective of this study is to analyze how cross-functional integration contributes to the development of market-oriented strategies in the context of food and beverage manufacturers in Latin America.Design/methodology/approachA multi-case study was conducted in two multinational companies in Costa Rica and Brazil. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were carried out with managers, leaders and supervisors.FindingsThe results showed four market-oriented processes: product launch, product delivery, customer complaints solution and improvement and innovation projects. Within these processes, 12 integration factors that impact market orientation were characterized. They also indicate that the concepts of market orientation and cross-functional integration should be integrated in the organizational culture to facilitate the understanding of the different needs and levels of urgency.Originality/valueThe studied literature does not emphasize the way integration is operationalized to allow organizations to be market oriented. According to our findings, responsive strategies depend on the integration of various internal functions to generate market intelligence. Managers must realize that when the workers are motivated and informed, they become more willing to take on a group vision and commit to organizational goals. This paper presents seven propositions on the operationalization of market orientation through cross-functional integration.

Revisiting the contingency theory: dissection of entrepreneurial orientation elements in retail franchisee performance

“…Organizations that are focused on being responsive to customer needs and market conditions exchange market information between different departments. This creates value for the customer and, at the same time, differentiates the organization from its competitors (Murillo Oviedo et al, 2020). For instance, hotel management requires flexibility and customer responsiveness to deal with increasingly demanding customers and competitiveness of the market (Nazarian et al, 2017).…”

“…Organizations that are focused on being responsive to customer needs and market conditions exchange market information between different departments. This creates value for the customer and, at the same time, differentiates the organization from its competitors (Murillo Oviedo et al, 2020).…”

Influencia de la colaboración entre las áreas de ventas y marketing en los resultados de las empresas en un entorno de orientación al mercado

“…El fundamento esencial sobre el que se debe asentar la orientación al mercado es la coordinación interfuncional, pues esta filosofía empresarial no debe concernir sólo al departamento de marketing, sino a toda la empresa en su conjunto, respondiendo cada departamento con consistencia, de forma que sea posible su integración en la cultura organizacional, facilitando así la comprensión de las diferentes necesidades y niveles de urgencia (Homburg y Pflesser, 2000;Slater y Narver, 2000;Gallo-Mendoza, 2017;Murillo-Oviedo et al, 2021). Por otra parte, la orientación al mercado es un enfoque organizativo que sitúa a los clientes en el centro de las operaciones de la empresa, con el compromiso de generar para ellos una continua creación de valor bajo las premisas de la comprensión de sus posiciones y la búsqueda de un aumento de su satisfacción y lealtad, lo cual contribuirá a la generación de ventajas competitivas a través de la diferenciación del producto, la calidad y unos precios competitivos (Day, 1990;Slater y Narver, 1994;Khan y Ghouri, 2018;Sánchez-Jiménez et al, 2018;Puspaningrum, 2020).…”