Marketing Management Support Systems and Their Implications for Marketing Research

Abstract

arketing decision makers are responsible for the design and execution of marketing programs for products or brands. They operate under different names, such as product manager, brand manager, marketing manager, marketing director, or commercial director. They choose the target markets and segments for their products and services and develop and implement marketing mixes. Because of the proliferation of products and brands, the fragmentation of markets in an ever growing number of different segments, the fierceness of competition, and the overall acceleration of change, marketing decisions are becoming increasingly complex. Furthermore, decisions have to be made under increasing time pressure. Product life cycles are getting shorter, and competition occurs not only within countries but also increasingly at an international and even global level. New markets are rapidly opening up, existing markets are 646

Understanding the Marketing Department's Influence within the Firm

“…The following is one example item: “The activities of the marketing department are considered more important than other activities.” Top management respect focuses on the perceived respect for the marketing department among the top management and board of the firm. We adapt items from top management support scales (e.g., Van Bruggen and Wierenga 2005); for example, “Top management acknowledges the strategic importance of the marketing department.” We measure decision influence using the method originally applied by Homburg, Workman, and Krohmer (1999). Each respondent divides 100 points among four departments (marketing, sales, finance, and R&D/production) for seven marketing decisions (i.e., pricing; advertising; segmentation, targeting, and positioning; customer satisfaction measurement and management; customer service; relationship and loyalty programs; and distribution) and five nonmarketing decisions (i.e., general business strategy, information technology investments, partner choice, new product development, and expansion to foreign markets).…”