مقاله انگلیسی رایگان در مورد هم راستایی عملکردهای بازاریابی (الزویر)

One of the main problems of operational research is the concept of alignment between the functional units of the firm. The concept of alignment itself is problematic, as it is often poorly defined or inconsistent and can be difficult to operationalize (Gerow 2011). In general, alignment between the firm’s functional units can be defined as the coordination or fit of strategic goals, structures, and tactics of different units of the firm with each other (Nadler & Tushman 1983; Palmer 2007; Rosemann & vom Brocke 2015). However, alignment can be viewed in different ways, including as a strategic problem (Nadler & Tushman 1983; Henderson & Venkatraman 1999; Ullah & Lai 2013), a process problem (Rosemann & vom Brocke 2015) or a capability utilization problem (Taxén 2010). This has created a situation where there is no single dominant framework of organizational alignment. This research follows the definition of Nadler and Tushman (1983), arguing that organizational alignment can be defined as the extent to which the strategies, processes, and capabilities of one functional unit within an organization are consistent with the strategies, processes and capabilities of one or more other functional units, in order to enable the firm to act consistently and fully utilize its available resources. Organizational alignment can be a critical competitive advantage for the firm, allowing the firm to be more responsive to changing conditions and utilize resources more effectively (Huang et al. 2010; Powell 1992)It has also been shown to result in improved financial performance (Wu, Straub & Liang 2015). The purpose of this research is to consolidate existing knowledge and theories on organizational alignment and to propose a theoretical background for this organizational alignment interface. Alignment (or coordination) between the marketing and operational functional units of the firm has been the subject of multiple studies on organizational alignment and coordination (both horizontal and vertical) (Calantone, et al., 2002; Eliashberg & Steinberg, 1987; Eliashberg & Steinberg, 1993; Hausman & Montgomery, 1993; Hayes & Wheelwright, 1979; Karmarkar, 1996; Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967; Lee & Kim, 1993; Malhotra & Sharma, 2002; Piercy Rich, 2004; Shapiro, 1977; Skinner, 1974). However, there is still considerable weakness in empirical evidence for functional unit coordination or alignment (Dixon et al. 2014; Marques et al. 2014). This weakness is exacerbated by lack of a single, clear conceptualization of relationships between functional units (Piercy, 2007; Piercy, 2010). The research gap that has been identified shows that while there is a discussion on a variety of topics in marketing and operations, there is a lack of research which shows how the two highly important aspects of business are linked. Operations management and marketing are still considered in silos in academic research. This research is expected to provide theoretical grounding that businesses can use in aligning their core functions of operations and marketing. While there has been a lot of discussion on how academic research has not been able to serve a practical purpose in the business field, research indicating how operations and marketing can be aligned can prove to be useful. Marketing strategies can be effective only when the company has resources that can match the promises that companies make to customers through their marketing campaigns (Bennis & O’Toole 2005). When the back-end of the company is connected with the front-end, a company will be able to deliver on its promises (Christopher 2016). In order for this connectivity to happen goals and objective of the two aspects of business need to be aligned (Calantone, Dröge & Vickery 2002). The research gap, which is present due to the lack of research on how marketing and operations are linked, when identified and fulfilled here can enable the gap in academia and business to be decreased, and this is where the paper will serve its purpose of adding value to current research. It will add to practice by identifying how important alignment of operations and marketing is, and will propose recommendations that can prove to be helpful to industry and management.