Marketing’s role and impact will grow while international market diversity will take new forms Marketing’s role has been shifting greatly from domestic to global marketing over the past three decades.
This trend will gain speed in the decades to come, positioning marketing as a catalyst for change in the business enterprise.
As more and more companies define internationalization as a business imperative rather than a choice, the marketing function will surely play a crucial role in transforming the organization.
This, of course, is an opportunity for marketing to have a seat at the corporate table.
In the international setting, marketing activities will need to be leading in areas other than just market identification, customer contact, and sales and distribution.
Marketing will need to assist or take leadership in such functions as commercial diplomacy, business development, andcorporate social responsibility.
In addition, it needs to be primarily responsible for effective coupling or alignmentwiththeorganization’sexternalforces—customers, government, suppliers, etc. In an international setting, necessary adjustments must be made, since marketing tactics can be culturally dependent (Engelen and Brettel 2011).
If impactful in such a broader capacity, marketing can be the central driver in building coalitions in international markets.