How can you spot a marketing orientated business? n Customer orientation n Competitor Awareness n Interfuctional Coordination Narver and Slater (1990)

Why is this an advantage? n Outward looking n Responsive to change n Efficient targeting of resources and actions n Avoids marketing myopia

Characteristic activities n systematic analysis of the market (research, MIS) n forward planning (strategy, business plan) n regular updating (product development) n clear communication (brand image, IMC strategy) n delivering expectations ( customer care, quality assurance) n monitoring the effectiveness of these activities Morgan p292-3

So why doesn’t it happen? Barriers to Marketing Orientation Jobber (1995) n Saying rather than doing n too expensive? unquantifiable benefits n personal ambitions - empire building n reward systems reward sales or savings, not satisfaction Product, Sales or Operations orientation

Marketing in the organisation Marketing is too important to leave to the marketing department Drucker n Internal marketing –develop, train and motivate front-line staff Gronroos –win support for marketing policies from other functions supporters, neutrals, opposers Jobber

How to organise the Marketing Department n Aims to allocate responsibility to define lines of communication to ensure supervision and control to retain staff by giving them the opportunity of promotion n to ensure responsiveness

Functional structure

Other structures n Product/Brand –Short Sea, Western Channel, Irish Sea –inclusive holidays n Customer type –agency sales, coach and tour operators, freight n Geographic –area sales managers

Special cases: Can SMEs be marketing-orientated? n Personal enthusiasm é Product orientation n Niche market é ‘no need for research’ n Shortage of resources –time, money expertise è suspicious of high cost solutions

Special cases: public sector n Complex/conflicting objectives n Political influence –lack of support –spending constraints –interference n Lack of control over the whole product –e.g. destination marketing

Destination Marketing How do you market a product you don’t own? n Theming and branding n Quality control and assurance training, advice and research n Facilitation of exchanges (Middleton) –between elements of the industry n Joint marketing campaigns n Enquiries and reservations n flagship projects n Bournemouth - Britain's Best Resort