Although there is increasing interest in topics related to the organiz
ation of the marketing function, there is relatively little research t
hat relates marketing organization to a business unit's environment. T
his article, based on interviews in U.S. and German firms, explores ho
w the organization and role of marketing vary across business contexts
. After reviewing prior research and describing their methodology, the
authors present a conceptual framework that relates aspects of market
ing organization to the business environment. The authors then draw on
field observations and prior research to describe variations and deve
lop illustrative propositions for three organizational dimensions: (1)
the structural location of marketing and sales groups, (2) the cross-
functional dispersion of marketing activities, and (3) the relative po
wer of the marketing subunit. The authors conclude with theoretical an
d managerial implications.