An exploratory study into the marketing competencies needed for a South African Organization

Abstract

The objective of this exploratory research is to develop an understanding of those areas of specialisation or competencies required by the marketing divisions of South African corporations. The study further seeks to explore the types of marketing activities organisations prefer to outsource to other specialised firms such as advertising agencies. The study draws from the need to develop an understanding of how organisations remain competent in the highly competitive market driven by globalisation and technological advancement where consumers are disposed to a myriad of products. The research methodology was two-pronged: (1) literature review drawn from both domestic and international literature which provided an insight of how marketing divisions operate and skills required for the marketing profession, albeit lack of consensus. (2) The case study focused on a single pharmaceutical company (referred to as The Group in this study) which provided an insight on how companies diversified their marketing strategies. Twenty five respondents participated in the study, all of whom are employees of The Group. About ten (10) respondents are current brand managers and 15, are former brand managers (employed by The Group). The respondents answered to a questionnaire which sought to understand key competencies in the three areas of focus: marketing strategy, marketing initiative, and marketing implementation. This research established that marketing implementation was key area which organisations were most likely to outsource. Lessons from this case study which is limited to understanding the outsourcing aspect will provide an insight to South African companies and organisations about areas that are best suited for outsourcing. The limitation of the study leaves room for future research by recommending that research should be directed towards understanding reasons for outsourcing those specific services.