SME marketing management competencies

International Business Review, Volume 9, Issue 3, June 2000, Pages 363-382

David Carson, Audrey Gilmore

Abstract

The nature and scope of marketing and managerial competencies in the context of
growth SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) are discussed. This is illustrated
using a conceptual framework of how SME owner-managers develop experiential
learning built upon existing knowledge, experience, communication and judgement and
through experiential learning in their own SME work environment. The key issues are
relevant to all SMEs in developed economies. The emphasis of the empirical study is on
understanding and applying the conceptual framework, hence a qualitative methodology
has been employed for gathering and interpreting findings from a study of 60 SME
owner-managers.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Scope of management competencies
3. Management competencies for SMEs
4. Development of competencies for marketing in SMEs
5. Decision-making and technical competency model
6. Empirical methodology
7. Criteria for analysis
8. SME experiential learning: criteria for analysis and some empirical findings
Buzz marketing for movies
Business Horizons, Volume 50, Issue 5, September-October 2007, Pages 395-403
Iris Mohr

Abstract

In today's dynamic entertainment environment, movies are struggling to stay afloat and
remain profitable. Challenges such as piracy, digital theft, competition, overlapping
movie campaigns, media fragmentation, and audience saturation are forcing marketers to
stretch their film budgets and make every dollar as effective as possible. With more and
more entertainment options crowding peoples' lives, marketers must search for innovative
ways to reach movie audiences. By breaking through the daily clutter and noise, and
capturing peoples' attention to the point that talking about a movie becomes an enjoyable
experience to share, buzz marketing is one such promotional posture that drives
audiences to theaters. In order to achieve success with buzz marketing, however,
marketers must recognize the role it plays in the context of movie differentiation
strategies to support the company's overall approach. To that end, this article analyzes
buzz marketing as it pertains to six movie differentiation strategies (differentiation with
cosmetic movie features, differentiation to reach market segments, growing a movie
segment, positioning to support the movie image, positioning to extend the movie image,
and differentiation via non-traditional channels) and offers steps for its successful
implementation.

Article Outline

1. The marketing challenge

2. Buzz marketing encompasses word of mouth and viral marketing
2.1. Word of mouth communications
2.2. Viral marketing
2.3. Buzz marketing
3. The literature on buzz marketing
4. The advantages of buzz
Diagnosing and treating operational and implementation barriers in synoptic
marketing planning
Industrial Marketing Management, Volume 37, Issue 5, July 2008, Pages 539-553
Sally Dibb, Lyndon Simkin, David Wilson

Abstract

Strategic marketing planning is now widely adopted by business-to-business

organizations. While marketing planning principles are well established, practitioners
attempting to implement the process often find their progress impeded by a variety of
barriers. These barriers are explored through a review of published evidence and case
study analysis of several organizations. This analysis exposes three levels of barriers to
effective business-to-business marketing planning, relating to (i) organizational
infrastructure, (ii) the planning process and (iii) implementation. These barriers reflect
the synoptic nature of planning in many organizations. The findings lead to the
development of a practitioner-oriented diagnostic and treatment tool which guides
managers through the marketing planning process. Although this diagnostic deals
specifically with issues which are relevant to the marketing planner, its wider
implications for strategic planning are also explored.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Marketing planning barriers
3. Analysis of case studies
3.1. Case 1: the IT services corporation
3.1.1. Background
3.1.2. Agreed marketing planning objectives and the adopted process
3.1.3. Problems and solutions
3.1.3.1. Infrastructure barriers
3.1.3.2. Process issues
3.1.3.3. Implementation blockers
The Impact of Internet Use on Business-to-Business Marketing: Examples from
American and European Companies
Industrial Marketing Management, Volume 29, Issue 5, September 2000, Pages 441-459
George J. Avlonitis, Despina A. Karayanni

Abstract

The Internet has been the favorable theme for numerous studies and reports, during the
last decade. Yet, there is a lack of systematic empirical evidence regarding the
marketing activities that are affected by the use of the Internet, and their consequent
performance outcomes. In this article, we document the role of the Internet in business-
to-business marketing and identify market-oriented activities that are affected by the use
intensity of the Internet. Using a sample of 130 industrial businesses, we found a
substantial positive effect of the use of the Internet on sales management activities,
market-oriented product management activities, and sales performance and efficiency.
The results of this study also stress the central role of the sales force in the successful
implementation of the Internet marketing strategies within organizations.

Article Outline

• Introduction
• The study
• Conceptual framework and hypothesized relationships
• Key constructs
• Use Intensity of the Internet
• The Use of the Internet Tools
• The Internet Budget
• Marketing Activities
• Product Management Activities
Review : An overview of marketing strategy and planning
International Journal of Research in Marketing, Volume 11, Issue 3, June 1994, Pages
185-218
George M. Zinkhan, Arun Pereira

Abstract

The notion of “marketing strategy” has the potential to serve as an organizing or

synthesizing theme to understand all of marketing thought. Here, we offer an overview
of the current state of knowledge about strategic market planning. To accomplish this
objective, we first place strategic thinking within the context of the history of marketing
thought, with an emphasis on identifying those concepts which remain relevant tor
strategic thinking in the 21st century. Next, we review some of the current literature
pertaining to certain functional areas of marketing (e.g., product decisions) and identify
key issues (e.g. brand equity) relevant to strategic planning. We discuss alternative
theories of the firm, which provide a basis for placing marketing activities within the
broader context of corporate strategy. Finally, we discuss some emerging trends and areas
of inquiry that will be relevant to marketing strategy in the future.

Article Outline

• References
Stealth marketing as a strategy
Business Horizons, Volume 53, Issue 1, January-February 2010, Pages 69-79
Abhijit Roy, Satya P. Chattopadhyay

Abstract

Stealth marketing has gained increasing attention as a strategy during the past few years.
We begin by providing a brief historical review to provide some perspective on how this
strategy has been practiced in a myriad of ways in various parts of the world, and how it
has consequently evolved in the emerging new marketplace. A more inclusive definition
of stealth marketing is then proposed to conceptually understand its use in various
contexts. Specifically, we propose a new typology of stealth marketing strategies based
on whether businesses or competitors are aware of them, and whether they are visible to
the targeted customers. We further provide suggestions of how firms can counter the
stealth marketing strategies used by their competitors. Contrary to conventional wisdom,
evidence is also provided about how such strategies can be used for “doing good” for
society. Finally, the assessment of efficiency and effectiveness of stealth marketing
strategies, and their related ethical implications, are discussed.

Article Outline

1. Responding to challenges
2. What is stealth marketing?
3. Stealth marketing as a contemporary strategy
4. A proposed typology of stealth marketing strategies
4.1. Invisible to customers, yet competitors are aware
4.1.1. Sub-branding using stealth parentage
4.1.2. Re-christening damaged brands
4.1.3. Flogs
4.2. Visible to target customers, yet competitors are unaware
4.2.1. Database marketing
4.2.2. Marketing through associations and affinity groups
The impact of information technology on product marketing: a case study of a
multinational company in Nigeria
Technovation, Volume 19, Issue 11, November 1999, Pages 691-699
J. O. Adetayo, S. A. Sanni, M. O. Ilori

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of information technology (IT) on the marketing of a
product of a multinational company in Nigeria by interviewing the brand manager and
three marketing officers of the product. A questionnaire was also administered to 60
randomly selected literate retailers, wholesalers and consumers of the product, both in
Lagos and Ibadan, to assess the impact of IT on some marketing variables.

The results showed that there were savings in time and a reduction in error rate resulting
from the use of electronic spreadsheets, decision support systems and computer-graphic
aids. An unanticipated effect of the better understanding of sales trends and distribution
planning resulted from the use of electronic spreadsheets and decision support systems,
respectively. Sales were boosted as a result of optimization of activities. Labour resource
savings were also achieved through the use of computer graphics. The use of e-mail
increased the amount of data available for use. The impact of radio, television and
telephone was also significant on some marketing variables such as product popularity,
promotion/advertisement, distribution and sales. However, improper planning of jobs
could lead to time-wasting with electronic spreadsheets and decision support systems.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Basic concepts in information technology
3. Some available telecommunication and information technologies
3.1.1. Bulletin board services
3.1.2. Computer conferencing
3.1.3. Computer output on microfilm
Integrated multichannel communication strategies: Evaluating the return on
marketing objectives––the case of the 2004 Ford F-150 launch
Journal of Interactive Marketing, Volume 19, Issue 3, 2005, Pages 81-90
Rex Briggs, R. Krishnan, Norm Borin
Abstract |
Companies have made major improvements in improving the ROI in areas such as
production, logistics, and services. However, examining the productivity of marketing
has long been ignored and has led many companies to view it as an expenditure that can
be cut in difficult economic times. Calculating ROI for marketing expenditures such as
media can help marketers defend their decisions, allocate limited resources the most
profitably, and perhaps obtain larger budgets. In the study presented here, we perform a
cross media analysis to compare interactive and traditional media.The Ford F-150 is used
as a case example to illustrate how effectively comparing media results can improve
resource allocation and maximize productivity from media expenditures.
ERP Marketing and Italian SMEs
European Management Journal, Volume 23, Issue 5, October 2005, Pages 590-598
Vicenzo Morabito, Stefano Pace, Pietro Previtali
Abstract
The growing relevance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has raised much attention
in the academic literature, business practice and media. Current literature and thought are
primarily focused on two aspects of this phenomenon: the economic and organizational
impact of the adoption of ERPs inside a firm, and the best way to manage that adoption.
While these research questions are certainly critical, our aim stands upstream: to explore
the marketing activities of ERP vendors, checking if the marketing tenets for BtoB
selling are followed or not. The study of suppliers’ marketing approach – rather than
adopter’s practices – may explain a good part of success/failure of ERPs diffusion and
adoption.

We conducted a survey on nearly 150 installations of ERP in Italian SMEs. The results
showed that the marketing competencies of vendors are not extensively developed or, if
anything, are not fully leveraged. In particular, often vendors are too focused on selling
ERP solutions to existing and known customers, refraining from searching for new
clients, and therefore failing to explore the extension of the potential market to its fullest.
The marketing tenet of relationship is here myopically applied, keeping suppliers too
tied to their current customers. A further finding is that few suppliers are willing to
involve network partners in the sales stage, preferring to deal with customers by
themselves. This is contrary to the dictates of literature that see each BtoB relationship
embedded in a network.

The implications of our research are that part of ERPs diffusion and success is
determined by the marketing abilities of suppliers, rather than low demand or failure in
adoption processes by clients. Marketing competencies of suppliers-resellers should be
fostered in order to allow ERP producers to really reach their market.

Article Outline
Communicating customer references on industrial companies' Web sites
Industrial Marketing Management, Volume 38, Issue 7, October 2009, Pages 825-837
Anne Jalkala, Risto T. Salminen

Abstract

Customer references are important marketing tools for companies operating in industrial
markets. This paper reports on an exploratory case study examining how six industrial
companies communicate about their customer references on their Web sites, by using
qualitative content and discourse analysis as methods for analyzing the data. The existing
research on customer reference utilization and concepts related to it, such as word-of-
mouth behavior and referrals in industrial markets are reviewed and the specific features
of Web-based reference utilization are discussed. The empirical data consists of 165
reference descriptions gathered from the case companies' Web sites. The findings show
that the case companies' reference descriptions tend to focus on describing individual
product/project deliveries, and a certain structure and repetitive themes can be identified
in the descriptions. Three discourses that the case companies use to present their
customer references were identified: Discourse of Benefits, Discourse of Relationship
Commitment, and Discourse of Technological Expertise. Implications of the findings for
practitioners and for theory development are discussed.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Customer references and related concepts
2.1. Utilization of customer references in industrial marketing
2.2. Characteristics of web-based reference communication
3. Research setting and methodology
3.1. Case company selection and data of the study
3.2. Analytical methods
3.3. Process of data analysis and interpretation
4.Results