Boundary Spanning Marketing
DESCRIPTION
Effort within an organization that involves activity aimed at bridging one or more recognized organizational boundaries to facilitate the flow of information across such boundaries.
Effort within an organization that involves activity aimed at bridging one or more recognized organizational boundaries to facilitate the flow of information across such boundaries.
KEY INSIGHTS
Boundary spanning within an organization seeks to facilitate information transfer, frequently but not limited to information from outside the organization to inside the organization. The aim of such activity is to enhance communication and strategic decision-making effectiveness within the firm as a result of employees and managers being able to access and draw upon cross-boundary information that is both relevant and increasingly timely.
Boundary spanning within an organization seeks to facilitate information transfer, frequently but not limited to information from outside the organization to inside the organization. The aim of such activity is to enhance communication and strategic decision-making effectiveness within the firm as a result of employees and managers being able to access and draw upon cross-boundary information that is both relevant and increasingly timely.
KEYWORDS Information transfer, organizational communication
IMPLICATIONS
Marketing managers and strategists should seek to recognize the benefits of organizational boundary spanning activity as a means of supporting effective strategic decision making. Given that such activity relies critically on the actions of key individuals who are routinely in a position to access information across organization boundaries, marketing managers should seek to ensure that systems and processes are in place to encourage and support sustained boundary spanning activity that frequently begins with information access by such individuals.
Marketing managers and strategists should seek to recognize the benefits of organizational boundary spanning activity as a means of supporting effective strategic decision making. Given that such activity relies critically on the actions of key individuals who are routinely in a position to access information across organization boundaries, marketing managers should seek to ensure that systems and processes are in place to encourage and support sustained boundary spanning activity that frequently begins with information access by such individuals.
APPLICATION AREAS AND FURTHER READINGS
Marketing Strategy
Dollinger, Marc J. (1984). ‘Environmental Boundary Spanning and Information Processing Effects on Organizational Performance,’ Academy of Management Journal, 27(2), June, 351–368.
Dollinger, Marc J. (1984). ‘Environmental Boundary Spanning and Information Processing Effects on Organizational Performance,’ Academy of Management Journal, 27(2), June, 351–368.
Marketing Management
Tushman, Michael L., and Scanlan, Thomas J. (1981). ‘Boundary Spanning Individuals: Their Role in Information Transfer and their Antecedents,’ Academy of Management Journal, 24(2), June, 289–305.
Tushman, Michael L., and Scanlan, Thomas J. (1981). ‘Boundary Spanning Individuals: Their Role in Information Transfer and their Antecedents,’ Academy of Management Journal, 24(2), June, 289–305.
Singh, Jagdip (1998). ‘Striking a Balance in Boundary-Spanning Positions: An Investigation of some Unconventional Influences of Role Stressors and Job Characteristics on Job Outcomes of Salespeople,’ Journal of Marketing, 62(3), July, 69–86.
Services Marketing
Singh, Jagdip, Goolsby, Jerry R., and Rhoads, Gary K. (1994). ‘Behavioral and Psychological Consequences of Boundary Spanning Burnout for Customer Service Representatives,’ Journal of Marketing Research, 31(4), November, 558–569.
Singh, Jagdip, Goolsby, Jerry R., and Rhoads, Gary K. (1994). ‘Behavioral and Psychological Consequences of Boundary Spanning Burnout for Customer Service Representatives,’ Journal of Marketing Research, 31(4), November, 558–569.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rosenkopf, L., and Nerkar, A. (2001). ‘Beyond Local Search: Boundary-Spanning, Exploration, and Impact in the Optical Disc Industry,’ Strategic Management Journal, 22(4), 287–306.
Rosenkopf, L., and Nerkar, A. (2001). ‘Beyond Local Search: Boundary-Spanning, Exploration, and Impact in the Optical Disc Industry,’ Strategic Management Journal, 22(4), 287–306.