Marketing as an engine of business growth: a cross-functional perspective

While the development of rigorous business disciplines has created deep insights, frameworks and powerful tools, this disciplinary focus also creates blinders that limit creativity in developing holistic solutions to business problems. The author discusses neuroscience research that shows how mental models, such as those implicit in specific disciplines, shape and limit insight and action. He notes that in a rapidly changing world, these models are more likely to be out of synch with the environment. As an example of the potential for applying a cross-functional perspective, he examines opportunities to use marketing insights across the organization to drive growth, including creating a market-driven vision and value proposition, using market insights to drive innovation, leveraging technology and marketing to create convergence, and rethinking the customer experience and relationships. To support these shifts in perspective, he identifies several enablers of interdisciplinary approaches, such as models and dashboards, organizational architecture, and integrative processes. Finally, he examines implications for practice, research, and education.