How do sales and marketing produce business to business value propositions?

Abstract

In my thesis I set out to provide an explanation of how sales and marketing works together to produce business-to-business (B2B) value propositions. My thesis is grounded in the discipline of marketing and draws substantively on Sales and Marketing Interface (SMI) and Value Proposition literature.I deployed a novel research methodology in which an Engaged Scholarship approach was combined with a Critical Realist philosophy and an individual actor focus. Twenty-One B2B sales and marketing practitioners were interviewed and a thematic analysis of interview transcripts was undertaken. Analysis was informed by extant SMI and value proposition literature and outwith literature from fields such as theology and anthropology.I found that value proposition production at the SMI is a much more dynamic process than depicted in extant literature. I found a much more fragmented and tribal view of sales and marketing identity in contrast to the holistic, monolithic entities portrayed in extant literature. Enablers and barriers to SMI value proposition production were found to be 'below the surface' issues related to identity, contextualisation, and actor thought worlds.My thesis provides a unique view of value proposition production at the SMI. I have moved the conversation forward from a functional level dyadic view of SMI interactions to a much more dynamic depiction of how fragmented marketing and sales actors work to produce value propositions.I provide models for depicting non-normative causal mechanisms for SMI value proposition production moving the discussion forward from the normative factors that dominate extant literature.3

Cooperation or Conflict? The Nature of the Collaboration of Marketing and Sales Organizational Units

“…How companies and customers get in touch with each other and whether and how they communicate and react (the so-called sensemaking) can be the cause of dysfunctions and turbulence (Malshe et al, 2016). The roots of conflict are located in normative and affective differences in the sales and marketing interface, and its contribution to value creation (Kelly, 2017). In the context of the former, "normative" refers to the diverse aims, opportunities, and experiences of operating and results, whereas "affective" pertains to the variety of insights, views, and opinions.…”

“…On the basis of this model, we inquired of professionals using expert focus groups about potentially problematic areas and the points at which the knowledge of other departments should be integrated. This research problem is commonly referred to and has been the subject of many doctoral dissertations, such as those of Micevski (2015), Kelly (2017), and Watson (2017).…”

Value creation in category management relationships in the UK grocery market

“…This ensures that the thesis is of value for practice and has academic rigour, both necessary for a doctoral level DBA study (Hodgkinson and Rousseau, 2009). Corley and Giola (2011); and endorsed by Kelly (2017) have provided a framework to show contribution to knowledge and practice. The framework demonstrates how contribution to knowledge should reflect what is happening in practice with a view to closing the gap between the two perspectives.…”

“…The thesis itself has strong practical and academic contributions; however, as only part of the data from the interviews was used, additional data is available for further manuscripts. Kelly (2017); Corley and Gioia (2011) stated that to be practically useful means that the research needs to be directly applicable to problems facing practising managers, from the position of a real-life phenomenon rather than from the position of a scholar. The next section will examine the researcher's motivation for the study.…”