COMPUTER-TECHNOLOGY AND THE MARKETING ORGANIZATION - AN EMPIRICAL-INVESTIGATION

The utilization of computers in competitive organizations has long been believed to provide significant benefits. However, the sources and impacts of these advantages remain generally unsubstantiated. In order to examine these sources and impacts, this study investigates the utilization of computers by managers in marketing. The study's specific focus is how computer systems improve and integrate marketing operations, effective decisions, and marketing strategies through improving organization communications and the productivity of work. Responses by 176 marketing managers and executives to a national mail survey provide the data for the empirical study. The results indicate that the responding managers perceptually have two different sets of managerial responsibilities-operational and strategic. Additionally, these results imply that computer use is a force for integration of these different managerial responsibilities thereby providing a common thread between operations and strategies.