Redefining the marketing tasks?

New research project on marketing and the way it works

Research shows that marketing activities are often first in line when cutbacks are made in times of recession. This trend has puzzled CBS researchers Anne Martensen and Jan Mouritsen as it has been scientifically and practically proved that the market-oriented businesses achieve the best financial results.

Roles and tasks are scrutinised

"Rethinking the Marketing Function" is a new research project at CBS, which is to examine the way marketing works today and try to predict future trends. The goal is to give the marketing managers the tools to yield better results. An English governing council has drawn up eight roles or ways to carry out marketing tasks. The researchers are going to examine the way in which the Danish businesses take on these roles, how market-oriented they are and the influence it has on the financial results of the businesses.

How to achieve better results

- Our hypothesis is that different industries have to focus on different roles in order to perform optimally. Hopefully, we will be able to say which roles marketing is to adopt in order for the business to be marketing-oriented. The businesses will get tangible and practical knowledge about how to change their marketing efforts in order to achieve better results and improve their competitiveness, says Associate Professor Anne Martensen from the Department of Marketing.

The 8 roles of marketing

- To secure marketing and client intelligence

- To ensure that marketing is represented in the business strategy

- To create value for clients through innovation

- To develop and manage the business' marketing communication

- To measure and supervise the effects of marketing efforts

- To handle advertising campaigns and programmes

- To cooperate with other functions internally or externally

- To manage and develop teams and individuals