Strategic integration in UK manufacturing companies

This paper discusses the results of two pieces of empirical work which inve stigated strategic integration in a sample of UK manufacturing companies. A lthough there have been calls for improved links between marketing and manu facturing, the results show that, in practice, the strategic link between t hese two functions is still weak. However, this problem is considered by co mpanies as primarily an infrastructural one, with cross-functional teams, b i-directional communication and the sharing of common goals viewed as key e lements of functional integration.