Authors: Bjorn Ivens; Catherine Pardo; Kevin Wilson
As Key account management (KAM) programs do not appear in a vacuum but are developed in “pre-existing” organizations, the question of how to align such “systems” with the host organizations is a central one. Different types of alignment exist – functional, operational, internal, external, vertical horizontal… In this work we are specifically dealing with the organizational internal alignment of a key account management entity (whether it is a department, a direction, or even a function) within a supplier company. We propose to use Lawrence and Lorsch’s (1964) integration concept to assess how much a KAM entity is aligned (or not). We then present the concept of “frame alignment” inspired by the work of Goffman (1974) and propose to use it to analyse possible aligning processes that could help improving the internal alignment of a KAM entity within a company. A case study will provide an illustration of how these theoretical frameworks can help to conceptualize the “internal challenge” of key account management.
Journal: n.a. (n.a. – n.a.)
Web Address: n.a.
Publish Year: 2012
Conference: Rome, Italy (2012)