Karin Tollin

Marketing Logics for Competitive Advantage

Purpose – This paper aims to address two issues facing marketing management: firstly, the need to make marketing a more central function of the firm; and secondly to explore ways in which marketing can be more innovative.Design/methodology/approach – The logic of marketing management as practised by corporate marketing executives (CMEs) is investigated. Logics describe the sensemaking activities of managers which help explain the disparate ways in which marketing managers approach similar marketing problems. The paper develops a framework for analysing managerial decision making. The research applies a grounded theory technique and 15 personal in‐depth interviews are carried out with top managers in marketing (CMEs) in three financial services companies, three telecommunications and IT companies, and nine pharmaceutical companies.Findings – The results suggest four main logics, i.e. performance, communication, stakeholder and innovation. These are then defined in terms of management and marketing capabili...

Sustainability in business from a marketing perspective

Why have the majority of companies not yet begun to integrate sustainability on a larger scale into their business strategies? In dealing with this question, we have developed and tested a theoretical model that combines a cognitive frame view with a capability perspective on company behaviour. Our analyses show that top management plays a conclusive role, provided they practise a transformational leadership style. Furthermore, the analyses show that marketing can act as a driver for the companys engagement in product responsibility and social issues. The potential for marketing to further strengthen its role in driving corporate sustainability is made apparent. The following courses are suggested: encompassing ideas and values that express a transformational perspective on leadership; integrating corporate brand management into marketings portfolio of core capabilities; becoming further engaged in accomplishing an ambidextrous innovation strategy; and ensuring that marketing is practised on the basis of a compound marketing logic.

Marketing’s contribution from the perspective of marketing executives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the impact that chief marketing executives’ (CMEs) mindsets about important marketing capabilities have on company performance. Design/methodology/approach – The authors propose a structural model for analysing specialised, cross-functional and dynamic capabilities at the functional level of marketing. The model is tested by using a quantitative survey among CMEs. Additionally the authors conducted a cluster analysis with the purpose of identifying differences in CMEs’ mindsets about important marketing capabilities and the impact of these differences on company performance. Findings – The study identified four categories of mindset about important capabilities. An investigation into the company performance profile of each mindset shows that integration and rejuvenation are central qualities of CMEs’ mindsets and important drivers for company performance. Hence, companies that have a CME who prioritises both brand management, product development and cust...