Framing the problematic relationship between the marketing and operations functions

Abstract

Marketing and operations as functional areas constitute the key value adding areas of the business organisation. It is these areas that are responsible for specifying what is produced, how it is produced and actually delivering goods and services to customers. Close collaboration between marketing and operations is vital to ensure effective fulfilment of organisational aims. In practice, the relationship between these two areas has been marked by fighting and hostility rather than co‐operation or partnership. In this paper, the literature that has examined this relationship is analysed. From this, six key issues are proposed that have resulted in the poor working relations seen in practice. These are: conflicting reward systems, different backgrounds and philosophies, functional separation, politics and resource allocation, management failure and academic failure. Implications for marketing practice and future research directions are then identified.