Abstract
M.Comm.
The subject of the study is the way in which the coordinated marketing-logistics interface through the fourteen coordination techniques creates a sustainable competitive advantage. The investigation is limited to the passenger car manufactures in South Africa (SA).
The literature has acknowledged that marketing and logistics are inseparable and managers from these functions have been working on the relationship in order to use it as a competitive advantage strategy. The fourteen marketing-logistics interface coordination techniques were identified in order to assist these managers to improve the interface and increase the level of cooperation with the intention of achieving a sustainable competitive through the interface. The use of fourteen marketing-logistics interface was not tested during the identification process of such techniques and it is important to find out if they are used in the passenger car industry in SA.
Each of the fourteen coordination techniques differs on the basis of the level of use in the passenger car manufacturing organisations. Some techniques are mostly used in organisations than others. For example, top management support and information sharing are mostly used in these organisations while unified department and third-party intervention are not used and there is no plan to use them. There are techniques that have very high- to-high impact on the interface. It is important for the organisations to focus on those techniques that have very high and high impact on the interface since this can assist in improving cooperation between marketing and logistics and create the interface that can serve as a way to a sustainable competitive advantage.
The level of cooperation between marketing and logistics functions in the manufacturing organisations in the passenger car industry was measured followed by questions relating to the use, the impact and the importance of the fourteen marketing-logistics interface coordination techniques in order to build and improve the cooperation and create a sustainable competitive advantage through the interface. Other techniques, except the predetermined fourteen techniques were identified however most respondents stated that organisations use the fourteen existing techniques. Some techniques such as a top management support, joint outings and information sharing were mostly used by organisations. It is interesting to note that mostly used does not imply that the technique has a high to very high impact on the interface. Although joint outing is mostly used it was found to have a moderate impact on the marketing-logistics interface.
Recommendations provided should be applied in order to identify the difference in cooperation between marketing and logistics before and after the study. The marketing-logistics interface coordination can be a strategic tool for creating a sustainable competitive advantage if there is high level of cooperation between marketing and logistics through the use of coordination techniques.