Prior research defines brand orientation as an approach in which the processes of the organization revolve around the creation, development and protection of brand identity in an ongoing interaction with target customers with the aim of achieving lasting competitive advantages in the form of brands (Urde, 1999). This research paper examines how marketing managers perceive corporate brand orientation with a Financial services company, namely Standard Bank Group Limited (Standard Bank) and what influence cross-functional integration has in enhancing the level of brand orientation. The study design was non-experimental and convenience sampling used. The data was collected within the Group and South African marketing functions of Standard Bank both of which are located within South Africa. The survey was delivered to 131 respondents across 30 marketing functions with the unit of analysis being each employee within their respective teams. The research results indicate that cross-functional integration variables of compensation, multifunctional training and cross-functional teams have a positive influence on brand orientation. The findings from this research can contribute to the body of knowledge within the domain of building corporate brand orientation within the financial services industry, specifically with regards to implications for marketing leadership in terms of improving the performance of the marketing department. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

AbstractTitle: How Marknadsdata information AB works with relationship marketingLevel: Final Thesis for bachelor degree in Business AdministrationAuthor: Randip ChoudhurySupervisor: Dr. Aihie OsarenkhoePurpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine how Marknadsdata information AB workswith their relationship marketing, and examine possible gaps between their strategy andimplementation of their relationship marketing. This study aims to provide insights on thecore components of CRM and the implementation of CRM strategy.Methodology: I have used primary data for this study by doing, interviews with ChristerJönsson at Marknadsdata AB to get his insight view of how the company operates to be ableto answer the purpose of this thesis which is to find out if there are any gaps in the way howMarknadsdata AB operates its business and how it resembles or differs with Donaldson’smodel. The secondary data I have used for this research is mainly from the Internet, articlesand literatureFindings: Marknadsdata information AB will not be successful on their market if they don’twork with their relationship marketing strategy. They have to keep in touch with customers,respond to the trends in the market and, in particular, to the changing demands of customers.For Marknadsdata information AB it’s important with relationship marketing both internallyand externally. Internal service quality for the company is about employee satisfaction whichultimately effects externally to customer satisfaction. By creating value to employees they cancreate value to customers.Research conclusions: Companies will not be successful on the market until they developtheir relationship marketing strategy. Companies need to keep in touch with customers,respond to the trends in the market and, in particular, to the changing demands of customers.Practical implications: By working with research and evaluating customers’ needs, which Ifound will reflect their future business. I think it’s also important that the management at thecompany works with employee’s on a regular basis. If the company doesn’t work with marketresearch and other customer generating mechanisms I think that the company is going to havedifficulties with their relationship work and to be able to make business at their market area.Value: The study shows customer relationship marketing strategy as a key to operate businessand implementing it in the organization. This thesis contributes a deeper understanding in thesubject relationship marketing.Keywords: Customer relations, Customer service management, Relationship marketing,Cross-functional integration, Management strategy

Today's competitive and changing market, places high demands on companies ability to develop new products and is considered crucial for their survival. 40% of all new products are estimated to fail at launch and only one out of 7-10 products have a successful sale. The product development process includes all different activities that gradually transform a product, from idea to launch. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges in the product development process is to control these functions and integrate them with each other. Through integrated product development, collaboration between different functions can be improved and they can be involved at an earlier stage in the process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the importance of a more integrated work between the different functions in the product development process at a major manufacturing company. This work has been performed through a case study at a larger manufacturing company that has a complex product development process with many activities and several functions involved. To collect the empirical material, qualitative data collection methods in the form of semi-structured interviews and document collection have been used. The empirical material together with previous research in the subject has formed the study's analysis and discussion. Furthermore, the conclusion was based on the result of the discussion and analysis. The study's empirical evidence shows that the functions of the case company are in various degrees involved in the product development process and that some functions are given priority. This lead, among other things, to delayed projects, not fully utilized competence and a lack of holistic view. Furthermore, the different functions within the company have a lack of understanding of each other's work. The company needs to improve communication internally since handover in the product development process often fails. Mail has become a major part of the communication and collocation has improved the function's interaction. The company wants to standardize the activities in the product development process to create a more uniform way of working in the organization. The results of this study indicate that integrated work between the functions has a positive effect on the product development process. However, there are factors that make the integrated work more difficult. By working more integrated within the process, this study suggests that the holistic approach for functions would be improved, priorities would be better and that understanding of others' work would increase. Furthermore, a more integrated way of working would help to minimize time from idea to launch. / Dagens konkurrenskraftiga och föränderliga marknad ställer höga krav på företags förmåga att ta fram nya produkter och det anses vara avgörande för deras överlevnad. Vid lansering uppskattas 40 % av alla nya produkter misslyckas och endast en av 7-10 produkter får en framgångsrik försäljning (Cooper, 2019). Produktutvecklingsprocessen innefattar alla de olika aktiviteter som stegvis omvandlar en produkt, från idé till lansering. En utmaning som större tillverkande företag står inför är att styra och integrera involverade funktioner med varandra i produktutvecklingen. Genom att arbeta med integrerad produktutveckling kan samverkan mellan funktioner förbättras och funktioner kan involveras i ett tidigare skede i produktutvecklingsprocessen. Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka betydelsen av ett mer integrerat arbete mellan ett större tillverkande företags funktioner i produktutvecklingsprocessen. Det här arbetet har utförts genom en fallstudie på ett större tillverkande företag som har en komplex produktutvecklingsprocess med många aktiviteter och flera funktioner. För att samla in det empiriska materialet har kvalitativa datainsamlingsmetoder i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer och dokumentinsamling använts. Fortsatt har det empiriska materialet tillsammans med tidigare forskning inom ämnet bildat studiens analys och diskussion. Vidare togs slutsatsen fram efter avslutad diskussion och analys. I studiens empiri framgår det att fallföretagets funktioner är olika mycket involverade i produktutvecklingsprocessen och att en del funktioner nedprioriteras. Detta leder bland annat till försenade projekt, att kompetens inte tas tillvara och att helhetssynen blir sämre. Vidare har personer från fallföretagets olika funktioner en bristande förståelse för varandras arbete. Företaget behöver bli bättre på att kommunicera internt eftersom överlämningarna i produktutvecklingsprocessen ofta brister. Mail har försvårat den interna kommunikationen medan samlokalisering har förbättrat funktionernas samverkan. Fortsatt vill företaget standardisera aktiviteterna i produktutvecklingsprocessen för att skapa mer enhetlighet i organisationen. Den här studiens resultat påvisar att ett mer integrerat arbete mellan funktionerna har en positiv effekt för arbetet inom produktutvecklingen. Däremot finns det faktorer som försvårar det integrerade arbetet. Genom att arbeta mer integrerat inom processen tyder den här studien på att helhetssynen för funktioner skulle förbättras, prioriteringar skulle bli bättre samt att förståelsen för andras arbeten skulle öka. Ett mer integrerat arbete skulle även kunna minimera fallföretags tid från idé till lansering.

This study develops an original theoretical model of critical managerially controllable factors that have high potential for achieving significant improvements in the (intermediate and ultimate) outcome(s) of product innovation efforts. To this end, the author draws on the relevant empirical literature and integrates four complementary theoretical perspectives, namely; the critical success factors (CSFs) approach, the resource-based view (RBV), the input-process-output (IPO) model, and the system(s) approach. The model (hereafter CFEMOs) aims to explicate the simultaneous direct and indirect/mediated interrelationships among the product innovation’s critical firm-based enablers (new-product fit-to-firm’s skills and resources, internal cross-functional integration, and top-management support), process execution proficiency, and performance outcomes (operation-level performance, product-level performance, and firm-level performance). Additionally, it aims to predict the variations of the process execution proficiency and the performance outcomes. The CFEMOs model was empirically tested using an online survey that was completed by 386 U.S. restaurants owners/senior executives on their recently innovated new menu-items. By utilising a partial least squares structural equation modelling, the statistical analysis substantiated that, compared to the models of the extant relevant empirical studies, the CFEMOs model has a broader scope and a superior predictive power. It simultaneously explains 72% of the process execution proficiency, 67% of the new menu-item superiority (quality, speed-to-market, and cost-efficiency), 76% of new menu-item performance (customer satisfaction, sales, and profits), and 75% of the new menu-item contribution to the overall restaurant performance (sales, profits, and market share). Furthermore, this study established that those restaurateurs who concurrently succeed in enhancing their internal cross-functional integration, top-management support, and new-product fit-to-firm’s skills and resources, descendingly ranked, would achieve high process execution proficiency, which subsequently would grant them superior operation-level performance, product-level performance, and firm-level performance. This thesis concludes by providing several key original contributions and crucial implications to product innovation research and practice, as well as offering several promising avenues for future research.

Under de senaste åren har företag försökt utforma sina kontorsmiljöer till en som uppmanar till mer kommunikation både inom och mellan olika funktioner i produktutvecklingsprocessen. Då produktutvecklingsprocessen omvandlar en produkt från idé till lansering anses en stor utmaning vara att integrera de involverade funktionerna med varandra. Därav har många företag implementerat aktivitetsbaserat kontor. Genom att implementera detta förväntar sig företagen att kommunikationen ökar och i sin tur, påverkar produktutvecklingsprocessen positivt. Däremot är forskningen omstridd angående hur aktivitetsbaserat faktiskt påverkar processen. Syftet med den här studien är att studera hur kommunikationen ser ut på aktivitetsbaserade kontor och hur samarbetet påverkas inom team och mellan funktioner under produktutvecklingsprocessen. Studien har utförts genom att inledningsvis genomföra en litteraturstudie för att få en ökad förståelse inom området. Därefter utfördes en kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervjuundersökning med fyra respondenter från två olika företag. Båda företagen hade implementerat aktivitetsbaserat kontor och arbetar med produktutvecklingsprocesser. Studien visar att vid implementering av aktivitetsbaserat kontor har de informella mötena ökat i frekvens och samverkan mellan funktioner har förbättrats. Inom team har dock det fysiska avståndet ökat vilket har resulterat i att interaktionen ansikte mot ansikte har minskat och mer kommunikation sker med digitala verktyg. När man inom teamet inte är samlokaliserade krävs mer struktur i arbetet vilket varit en positiv utveckling. Produktutvecklingsprocessen genomförs mer tvärfunktionellt mellan funktionerna vid implementering av aktivitetsbaserat kontor, ABW. / In recent years, companies have tried to design their office environments into one that calls for more communication both within and between different functions in the product development process. As the product development process transforms a product from idea to launch, it is considered a significant challenge to integrate the functions involved with each other. As a result, many companies have implemented activity-based offices. By applying this, companies expect communication to increase and, in turn, have a positive impact on the product development process. However, research is controversial as to how activity-based affects the process. The purpose of this study is to study how communication looks at activity-based offices and how collaboration is affected between functions during the product development process. The study was carried out by initially conducting a literature study to gain an increased understanding of the field. Subsequently, a qualitative semi-structured interview survey was conducted with four respondents from two different companies. Both companies have implemented activity-based offices and are working on product development processes. The study shows that in the implementation of activity-based offices, informal meetings have increased in frequency and collaboration between functions. The physical distance between team members has increased, which has led to less face-to-face interaction and more use of digital tools. When the team is not co-located, more structure is required, which has been a positive development. The product development process is worked more cross-functionally between the functions when implementing an activity-based workplace, ABW

Purpose - This research contributes to the new product development conversation by investigating different firms’ new product development processes in volatile contexts, to better understand the way Cross-Functional Integration impacts internal efficiency. Method - We conducted a qualitative study and interviewed product managers and product owners responsible for the development of digital products.  Findings - Our main contribution lies in examining different structures and their viability in volatile contexts. Our findings bring nuances to prior research that indicate appropriate ways of implementing cross-functional integration. We found that the team structure could be determined by the availability of resources and the size of the firm, and not solely depend on the nature of the context.  Originality - The study provides a different view on internal efficiency where the managers emphasize product superiority and development time as priority and factors for increased new product development performance. Consequently, development cost is not as prioritized as indicated in previous research and seems to be left out as an objective, which we conclude may stem from the digital nature of the product.

A Orientação para o Mercado é uma perspectiva estratégica que preza a geração e a disseminação de conhecimento sobre o entorno para satisfazer as necessidades do mercado. Essa satisfação de necessidades de mercado deve ser buscada por meio de estratégias responsivas, que envolvam a participação de diversas funções e níveis organizacionais para geração da inteligência de mercado. Desta forma, a Orientação para o Mercado acontece por uma série de processos interfuncionais que buscam atender às necessidades do mercado, a partir de informações geradas por seus atores: clientes, concorrentes, consumidores, compradores, fornecedores. A Integração Interfuncional, por sua parte, são os esforços e trabalhos nos quais há participação ativa de várias funções ou departamentos de uma organização, buscando gerar melhores resultados a partir da união de percepções, por meio de fatores formais e informais. A literatura apresenta a Integração Interfuncional como um antecedente da Orientação para o Mercado, e uma lista de nove fatores de integração orientados para o mercado. Não obstante, esses estudos não mostram a forma como a Integração Interfuncional é operacionalizada para que as organizações consigam ser orientadas para o mercado. Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar como o processo de integração interfuncional contribui para que as organizações consigam adotar estratégias de Orientação para o Mercado no contexto industrial de alimentos Latino Americano. Para isto, um estudo multicaso foi realizado na Costa Rica e no Brasil, com duas organizações orientadas para o mercado do setor de alimentos e bebidas. Entre junho e outubro de 2016, foram realizadas 24 entrevistas semiestruturadas com gerentes, líderes e supervisores dos departamentos de: marketing, comercial, logística, produção, planejamento, finanças, compras, recursos humanos. Além disso, com o intuito de triangular os dados, foi utilizada uma escala quantitativa para medir o nível de integração interfuncional nos processos estudados de cada organização. Os resultados mostraram que nas organizações são realizados processos de integração orientados para o mercado, isto é, pontos de contato que envolvem mais de duas ou três departamentos na organização com o intuito de melhorar a resposta que a organização oferece ao mercado. Estes processos são: Entrega de produtos e serviço, Lançamento de inovações, Solução de reclamações e projetos de inovação e melhoria interna para o fortalecimento da Orientação para o Mercado. Estes processos precisam de fatores de integração que facilitam o alcance de resultados relacionados à orientação para o mercado, como: responsividade, disseminação de conhecimento de mercado e satisfação do cliente. São apresentadas sete proposições teóricas geradas a partir desta pesquisa, com o intuito de acrescentar elementos ao conhecimento da operacionalização da Orientação para o Mercado dentro das organizações, por meio da Integração Interfuncional. / Market orientation is a strategic perspective looking for knowledge generation and dissemination about context, to satisfy market needs. This market needs satisfaction must be searched through responsive strategies, involving the participation of several functions and hierarchical levels for the generation of market intelligence. Hence, market orientation occurs through interfunctional processes looking for attending market needs through information obtained from: competitors, consumers, customers, shoppers and suppliers. On the other hand interfunctional integration is about the efforts and tasks with active participation of many functions or departments of an organization, looking for the generations of improving results through perceptions union with formal and informal integration factors. Literature shows interfunctional integration as an antecedent for market orientation, and a list of nine market oriented integration factors. Nevertheless, these studies do not show how interfunctional integration is operationalized in the organizations in order to achieve market orientation. This research has the objective of analyzing how interfunctional integration process helps organizations to adopt market orientation strategies, on the Latin American Foods Industrial Sector. To do this, a Multi-Case study was conducted in Costa Rica and Brazil, with two market oriented firms. A total of 24 in depth interviews were realized between June and October 2016, with managers and supervisors from diverse departments such as marketing, commercial, logistics, finance and human resources. Moreover, for triangulation, integration level of the organizations was evaluated though a quantitative scale. Results show that both organizations have market oriented integration processes, as contact points involving more than three departments, to improve responsiveness. These processes are: innovation launch, products and service delivery, claims solution and innovation and improvements projects for a stronger market orientation. These processes require integration factors to help the achievement of results related to market orientation: responsiveness, market intelligence dissemination and customer satisfaction. Seven theoretical propositions are presented, with the aim of increasing elements to the knowledge of the operationalization of market orientation on organizations, through interfunctional integration. / Dissertação (Mestrado)