Marketing/Logistics Relationships: Influence on Capabilities and Performance

Abstract

Working relationships between functional areas are critical to firm performance. Most business initiatives require the active participation of an array of functional areas; consider the team effort involved in successful product launches or the complex organizational coordination needed to open a new retail store. Priorities must be aligned across various functional areas and operations coordinated to gain the greatest benefit and exploit opportunities. While the interdependence involved would seem to mandate working together (Hutt 1995), functional silos and isolationism often create significant barriers. Thus, many firms face a substantial challenge as they struggle with internal misalignment (van Hoek and Mitchell 2006). Ideally, internal relationships should help focus individual and organizational efforts to encourage cooperation and achieve objectives.The current research was undertaken to examine the influence of internal relationships on firms' logistics performance. More specifically, the research centers on relationship effectiveness between marketing and logistics and how it influences the development of capabilities (information capabilities and firm-wide integration) and ultimately-logistics performance. It is our contention that effective marketing/logistics relationships can help to create, develop, and maintain critical capabilities to support long-term firm success. Coordination within a firm is generally considered a prerequisite to supply chain coordination extending across companies (Mentzer 2004). Effective relationships can serve as a coordination mechanism.The following sections briefly review the theory base for the research and introduce a conceptual model. Relevant literature is presented and synthesized to support research hypotheses. Then research methodology and analysis/results are detailed. Finally, managerial implications along with limitations and suggestions for future research are detailed.

Developing and Managing Cross-Functional Teams: A Multi-Case Study of Brazilian Manufacturing Companies

“…In such a landscape, companies must innovate their products and processes in order to be effective in the global market competition. One managerial perspective that can help to develop an innovative culture, within these companies, may be the concept of cross-functional integration, widely studied in the Supply Chain Management literature (Daspit, Tillman, Boud, and Mckee, 2013;Daugherty, Chen, Mattioda, and Grawe, 2009;Kahn, 1996).…”

Characteristics of a Logistics-Based Business Model

“…This has previously been discussed in terms of the need for a strategic fit between logistics activities and the market (Stonebraker & Liao, 2006;Daugherty et al, 2009). This wider functional scope enables new approaches when it comes to lean and agile strategies in the supply chain (Christopher, 2000;, which is an important cornerstone for logistics-based business models.…”

Estrutura organizacional, capacidade dos serviços e impacto sobre o desempenho de fornecedores logísticos no contexto B2B

“…The guided scope for innovation has also contributed to boost the supply of new and differentiated logistics services (Hult, 2002;Wang & Lalwani, 2007;Daugherty et al, 2009). The hypotheses related to competence attributes of logistics service providers to serve clients are: H4a: The higher the logistics competence, the greater the satisfaction of logistics service providers with the relationship with the customer.…”