Fundamental changes in marketing organization: The movement toward a customer-focused organizational structure

There has been growing interest in the future of marketing and changes in m arketing's organization and role within the firm. However there has not bee n research that holistically explores key changes in marketing organization . The authors draw on qualitative interviews with 50 managers in the United States and Germany and argue that changes in marketing organization that h ave been discussed in isolation are part of a more general shift toward cus tomer-focused organizational structures. They initially discuss two specifi c changes related to the overall shift: changes concerning primary marketin g coordinators and increasing dispersion of marketing activities. They then introduce the concept of a customer-focused organizational structure that uses groups of customers as the primary basis for structuring the organizat ion. They identify typical organizational transitions as firms move toward a customer-focused organizational structure and discuss the challenges firm s face in making this transition. They conclude with implications for acade mic research, managerial practice, and business school curriculum.