هماهنگی متقابل کارکرد و پیامدهای آن برای سازگاری بازاریابی  The antecedents of cross-functional coordination and their implications for marketing adaptiveness

1. Introduction Businesses operating in highly uncertain business environments are characterized by short product life cycles, fast changing technologies, rapid changes in the marketplace and uncertain economic and political situations. Such conditions require firms to develop effective crossfunctional coordination (CFC) among interdependent functions in an organization particularly in enhancing marketing adaptiveness. From a capability perspective, dynamic capabilities imply marketing adaptiveness in terms of the ability of a firm to change its resource allocation and operational routines to match the changing environment (Vakratsas & Ma, 2009). While functional specialization generates certain benefits, an organization with silos hinders the cross-functional dialogue needed to create adaptive capabilities (Day, 2011). Marketing adaptiveness recognizes the importance of communications and flexibility in intra-firm coordination to identify necessary resources and match environmental demands and opportunities such as in the context of personal selling (Weitz, Sujan, & Sujan, 1986) and adaptive decision-making (Bauer, Schmitt, Morwitz, & Winer, 2013). New product development studies highlight the importance of cross-functional coordination for new product success (Ernst, Hoyer, & Rübsaamen, 2010; Kuen-Hung, Chi-Tsun, & Mu-Lin, 2013; Lee & Wong, 2012; Troy, Hirunyawipada, & Paswan, 2008). The development of successful market-oriented firms relies on inter-functional coordination as a key component that is critical to market responsiveness and marketing performance (Kohli & Jaworski, 1990; Narver & Slater, 1990; Slater & Narver, 1995). Thus, marketing adaptiveness can be influenced by the conditions supporting a firm’s cross-functional coordination to respond to uncontrollable external environments and to consolidate its internal environment to fit within and adapt to the external environment (De Luca & Atuahene-Gima, 2007; Tsai & Hsu, 2014). Despite the benefits of efficient cross-functional coordination in terms of improved ability to handle complexity and enhanced responsiveness (Holland, Gaston, & Gomes, 2000), cross-functional coordination can encounter obstacles simultaneously from different functions such as con- flicting organizational goals and lack of cooperation (Wall & Lepsinger, 1994). In this instance, cross-functional coordination can be both difficult and inefficient (Galbraith, 1994; Kahn & Mentzer, 1998), which may negatively impact on efficient decision-making, and increase new product development failures and conflict over resources (Cuijpers, Guenter, & Hussinger, 2011; Troy et al., 2008). For example, the rapid flow of information from various functional units may affect the ability of firms to make decisions, process information and prioritize tasks (Eppler & Mengis, 2004; Klingberg, 2009). Prior research has advanced different integrating mechanisms to enhance cross-functional coordination; these range from redesigning compensation systems to changing workplace architecture (see Griffin & Hauser, 1996 for a review). Although some studies empirically examine and provide useful insights into the efforts to improve cross-functional relations (e.g., Griffin & Hauser, 1996; Pinto, Pinto, & Prescott, 1993), the conditions influencing the efforts of cross functional coordination are under-explored particularly for firms operating in uncertain business environments. As such, research about the conditions in which firms enhance cross-functional coordination can help managers to better coordinate resources across functions and respond in a timely fashion to changes (De Luca & Atuahene-Gima, 2007; Tsai & Hsu, 2014). The present study draws on the motivation–ability–opportunity (MAO) framework (Maclnnis, Moorman, & Jaworski, 1991) as an encompassing framework to capture the relative effectiveness of the various cross-functional mechanisms in terms of a firm’s motivation, ability and opportunity to enhance cross-functional coordination and marketing adaptiveness. First, the focus on motivation recognizes the importance of enlisting support throughout the organization from leadership, interdependency and reward systems (Olson, Walker, & Ruekert, 1995). Second, the ability of different functional units to coordinate re- flects optimal integration and use of a firm’s resources, skills and capabilities across functions (Tsai & Hsu, 2014). Third, the MAO framework examines the opportunity for cross-functional coordination such as in new product development and new challenges of operating in uncertain business environments (Ruekert & Walker, 1987a).