AMA Professional Certified Marketer\u00ae\ufe0f<\/a>? This training is worth 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM\u00ae\ufe0f certification.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-beige-100-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-the-course\"><strong>About the Course<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Emotional intelligence (EI) is our ability to identify and control our emotions to achieve positive outcomes in our relationships. Managers with high EI are better equipped to deal with subordinates, colleagues, and company executives, and they can do a better job of handling and resolving conflicts. This course reviews the underlying concepts of emotional intelligence and explores how managers can improve and make use of their emotional intelligence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","post_title":"Emotional Intelligence for Managers","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"emotional-intelligence-for-managers","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-05-21 14:26:38","post_modified_gmt":"2025-05-21 19:26:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_courses&p=187409","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_courses","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":187326,"post_author":"168509","post_date":"2025-03-03 12:24:32","post_date_gmt":"2025-03-03 18:24:32","post_content":"\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business\"><strong>Certificate in Leadership for Women in Business<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This certificate explores both the social and psychological mechanisms that create challenges that professional women often face. Alongside commentary from women leaders, the material also provides concrete and data-driven recommendations for advancing in your career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Intermediate | Certificate Program | 23 hours<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>$529<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////catalog.mindedge.com//courses//suites//5066//certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get Started<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>Hosted by MindEdge. You will leave ama.org to make this purchase.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-course-overview\">Course Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nearly half of all working adults are women, and women now make up the majority of students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Despite these indications that they have the skills and education to be leaders in the workforce, women are still underrepresented in many areas, and the persistent wage gap demonstrates that their work is often undervalued. This certificate explores both the social and psychological mechanisms that create challenges that professional women often face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside commentary from women leaders, the material also provides concrete and data-driven recommendations for advancing in your career. The courses in the certificate introduce key concepts and practices that all successful business people should be familiar with, thereby serving as a general introduction to topics like leadership, management, communication, work-life balance, networking, negotiation, and body language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\" id=\"h-learning-format\">Learning Format<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">This self-paced certificate program utilizes games, videos, interactive exercises, quizzes, real-world case studies and other engaging content to ensure rapid mastery of the content and direct application.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////catalog.mindedge.com//courses//suites//5066//certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enroll today<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-courses-included-in-this-nbsp-certificate\">Courses Included in This Certificate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>By understanding the impact of body language, leaders can learn how to communicate in a way that builds and sustains positive relationships with employees, clients, and business partners. This course will help women business leaders learn how to read body language cues and use them to exude both strength and warmth. It considers the role and impact of gender stereotypes in nonverbal communication and explains how facial expressions, hand gestures, body movements, and eye contact can be used in various business situations like negotiations. The course also addresses cross-cultural body language and explores the role of body language in virtual communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>This general awareness course will assess the representation of women in various domains, including sports, politics, education, STEM fields, pink-collar jobs, and managerial positions. We will also review challenges that many working women face, as well as strategies for addressing those challenges both as an individual and from an organizational perspective. The course concludes with a brief review of milestones in the history of women in the workplace and an assessment of some ways that better representation of women can benefit businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Leaders are people who can change the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of the people around them. Successful organizations must have leaders who take them in the right direction. While not all leaders are managers or even occupy positions of authority, managers are often leaders for the employees who report to them. While companies with more women in leadership positions tend to see benefits to their bottom line, gender stereotypes and biases can make it difficult for women to become recognized as leaders and to advance into managerial or executive positions at work. This course reviews various qualities of leaders and styles of leadership and management. It also reviews common managerial challenges and introduces techniques, strategies, and best practices to overcome those obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The course will provide a general overview for effective communication at work. Learners will review tips and strategies for communicating with small and large groups, being heard in meetings, projecting confidence, and more\u2014especially as these concepts apply to women. This course also considers communication in the context of public speaking, and discusses the importance of understanding the audience, preparing for a presentation, using visual aids appropriately, and more. Learners will be able to identify criticisms of, and biases toward, women speakers, and the course introduces strategies for how to counteract them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone finds that their life is unbalanced from time to time. If left unaddressed, that lack of balance can cause stress, decreased productivity, and even health problems. Stereotypes and expectations about what matters to women can exacerbate work-life balance challenges. This course explores the importance of prioritizing things that matter to you, both at work and at home, and introduces techniques that can help individuals and organizations make work-life balance possible.iases toward, women speakers, and the course introduces strategies for how to counteract them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Making meaningful connections can be critical to professional success. Although many find networking to be difficult, it is a learned skill that can improve with technique and practice. This course introduces techniques and strategies for networking, finding mentors, and attracting sponsors, as well as common anxieties and obstacles that people face when trying to expand their professional connections. It highlights the ways that networking can be both particularly difficult and especially important for women in business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>This course defines negotiation and reviews the importance of advocating for yourself and your interests. Because negotiation tends to be characterized in a stereotypically masculine way, this course considers some of the challenges that women tend to face when negotiating. The course reviews key negotiation concepts such as BATNA and ZOPA as well as common negotiation mistakes and the five stages of the negotiation process. The course-takers will also engage in negotiation scenarios for opportunities to prepare for common situations they may encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-beige-100-background-color has-background\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Prove your skills! When you finish this course, you'll get a <strong>certificate of completion<\/strong> to show your current boss and future employers your commitment to keeping your knowledge up-to-date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2025//03//23-CEUs.png/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-207977\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Are you an <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////ama.org//pcm/">AMA Professional Certified Marketer\u00ae\ufe0f<\/a>? This training is worth 23 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM\u00ae\ufe0f certification.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","post_title":"Certificate in Leadership for Women in Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-12-03 10:49:59","post_modified_gmt":"2025-12-03 16:49:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_courses&p=187326","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_courses","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":135459,"post_author":"109914","post_date":"2022-01-24 10:52:00","post_date_gmt":"2022-01-24 16:52:00","post_content":"\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-managing-stakeholders-through-listening\">Managing Stakeholders Through Listening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Implement the different levels of listening and experience the value of \u201cflipping the script\u201d with the key stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Beginner | 2 Hours | 9 Modules<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-access-your-course\">Access Your Course<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you for purchasing our Managing Stakeholders Through Listening on-demand training. Just click below to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//lms//managing-stakeholders-through-listening///">Go to Course<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What You\u2019ll Learn<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gain insights into the strengths and challenges of building and using listening skills<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn the four core competencies for listening to Customers & Stakeholders<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-blue-900-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color\"><strong>This course is no longer available for purchase. View other\u00a0<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//on-demand///">on-demand courses<\/a>.<br><\/strong><br><strong>Past registrants will maintain access for 90 days from their original purchase date.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2023//02//AMA-PCM-2-CEU-Badge.png?w=350\%22 alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-115977\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Are you an <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////ama.org//pcm/">AMA Professional Certified Marketer\u00ae\ufe0f<\/a>? This training is worth 2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM\u00ae\ufe0f certification. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-beige-100-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-the-course\"><strong>About the Course<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As marketers, our world revolves around people - understanding the customer, user, prospects, employee and internal stakeholder experiences. Not only does each audience group look at things differently, but each person within that audience is unique. So, how can we truly understand this wide array of perspectives and effectively communicate what is most important to them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter the art of Listening. Listening is a multifaceted skill with various layers designed to comprehensively gauge and appreciate a customer's needs and their ultimate objectives. This course will take you on a journey to understand how to implement the different levels of listening and experience the value of \u201cflipping the script\u201d with the key stakeholders you engage with as a marketer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Skill Level: Beginner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-default\" id=\"h-9-modules\">9 Modules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Start the course off by learning a little about the instructor and setting the stage for what you will learn in the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Get in the right mindset for the course by thinking about your own experiences and why listening should be at the forefront in managing relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Reframe your perspective of who your customer is and what that means in building and developing relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Consider how you listen while gaining a high-level understanding of the 4 different competencies of listening before going deeper into each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to listen with your whole body and demonstrate that you are engaged and present in the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to listen to understand your client's perspective and the context of the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to listen for structure and the elements of the conversation to help you better frame the conversation and your responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Learn the 3 steps of having an adaptive conversation to listen at the deepest level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Complete the course by taking an ungraded Knowledge Check and reviewing additional opportunities to continue learning.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-meet-your-instructor-s\"><strong>Meet Your Instructor<\/strong>s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2022//11//Mark-L.-Vincent-Headshot.jpg?resize=255,300\%22 alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109588\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;width:250px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mark-l-vincent\">Mark L. Vincent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark facilitates Maestro-level leaders, teaches introductory and core competencies courses for those seeking a professional credential and authored the book: Listening Helping Learning: Core Competencies of Process Consulting. His accumulated experience includes more than thirty-five years of pioneering various approaches to leadership and organizational capacity-building, entrepreneurship, interim executive leadership, CEO peer-based advising, and professional development and credentialing. His focus on a process approach to helping organizations and leaders live their mission has led to successful adaptive change initiatives with more than 800 clients across varied domestic and international marketplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2022//11//Jennifer-Miller-Headshot.jpg?resize=300,200\%22 alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-109587\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;width:250px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-jennifer-miller\">Jennifer Miller<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chief Marketing Officer and Owner of Strategically Connected<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jennifer is a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer and Owner of Strategically Connected. She has managed and built both sales and marketing teams from the ground up and believes that people are the core of driving change and growth in organizations and processes. Her passion for supporting companies to build scalable processes has impacted many organizations over the years, one of which received the honor of the #1 Fastest-Growing Technology company in Austin and #86 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list. In addition, the range of experience Jennifer holds in both small startup and Fortune 100 companies have given her both scalable and strategic insight into how to build an organization\u2019s brand. Jennifer believes that every problem is \u201cfigureoutable\u201d and she strives to help bring simplicity to complex situations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","post_title":"Managing Stakeholders Through Listening","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"managing-stakeholders-through-listening","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-03-27 13:49:36","post_modified_gmt":"2026-03-27 18:49:36","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_courses&p=135459","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_courses","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":231362,"post_author":"29478","post_date":"2026-04-07 09:59:49","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-07 14:59:49","post_content":"\n<p>Decades of increasing import competition have put immense pressure on U.S. firms. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251319310/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A <em>Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a> finds that strong marketing leadership, strategic differentiation, and robust customer relationships are keys to sustaining revenue growth amid global trade challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our research team analyzed how firms responded to the \u201cChina Shock,\u201d a surge of imports that disrupted many U.S. industries between 2000 and 2019. We discovered that firms with influential marketing departments and well-established market-based assets\u2014like differentiation and customer capital\u2014were better able to weather these competitive pressures. Specifically, we found that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-marketing-leadership-is-crucial\">1. Marketing Leadership is Crucial<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Firms where marketing had a strong voice in strategic decisions outperformed their peers. By aligning cross-functional teams and advocating for customer-driven innovation, these firms launched initiatives that enhanced brand loyalty, improved product innovation, and strengthened competitive positioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-strategic-differentiation-matters\">2. Strategic Differentiation Matters<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Differentiation also proved to be a powerful tool. Firms that emphasized unique product features, higher quality, or sustainability outperformed those competing solely on price. For example, branding efforts like \u201cMade in America\u201d or customization helped firms justify premium pricing and retain customers, even when faced with cheaper imports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-customer-relationships-drive-resilience\">3. Customer Relationships Drive Resilience<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer relationship capital rounded out the trio of success factors. Firms that invested in building long-term trust and loyalty with their customers faced less risk of losing market share. Strong customer ties created switching costs, making it harder for competitors to lure away buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-does-this-mean-for-the-c-suite\">What Does this Mean for the C-Suite?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These insights have significant implications for executives. Many firms respond to financial pressures by cutting marketing budgets or sidelining marketing leaders from strategic discussions. However, our findings highlight the need to elevate marketing as a core function. Boards and CEOs can support marketing by increasing its decision-making authority and ensuring it is involved in board-level discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Policymakers also have a role to play. While trade policies and tariffs are commonly used to protect domestic industries, our research suggests that empowering firms with marketing resources can offer a market-driven alternative to counter import competition. Public\u2013private partnerships focused on branding, differentiation, and customer engagement could strengthen the competitiveness of domestic firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The need for marketing-driven strategies will only grow. Experts warn of a potential \u201cChina Shock 2.0,\u201d which could flood global markets with low-cost imports in sectors like electric vehicles and solar panels. Firms must proactively strengthen their marketing leadership and differentiation efforts to withstand future competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For firms navigating a volatile global trade landscape, strong marketing capabilities can make the difference between thriving and folding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> Nandini Ramani, \u201c<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251319310/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Can Marketing Enable Firms to Counter Import Competition? Evidence from the China Shock<\/a>,\u201d <em><em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/em>, 89 (5), 47\u201365.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to the\u00a0<em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Struggling to Navigate Global Trade? Rely on the Power of Marketing","post_excerpt":"This Journal of Marketing study shows how firms can address import pressures through marketing leadership, strategic differentiation, and robust customer relationships.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"struggling-to-navigate-global-trade-rely-on-the-power-of-marketing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-07 10:49:33","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-07 15:49:33","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=231362","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":230966,"post_author":"231942","post_date":"2026-04-01 10:34:17","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-01 15:34:17","post_content":"\n\n\n<p>In recent years, marketing scholars and practitioners have expressed growing concern about the diminishing influence of marketing departments. Against this backdrop, a <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241272180/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Journal of Marketing Research <\/em>study<\/a> examines how governance networks may determine marketing department power (MDP). Drawing on data from over 6,000 publicly traded firms from 2007 to 2021, the researchers show that directors\u2019 exposure through board service at other firms (i.e., board interlocks) affects MDP in the firms on whose boards they also serve (i.e., focal firms). More importantly, the strength of this effect hinges on three interlocking dimensions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the reach of a firm\u2019s board network,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the richness of marketing information within that network, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the firm\u2019s receptivity to information furnished by the board interlock network.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This work shifts the lens to upstream factors that shape MDP, suggesting that marketing\u2019s influence is not built solely internally\u2014it is also transmitted through board interlocks, making the board not only a governance body but also a conduit for influencing a firm\u2019s MDP. For scholars of marketing\u2019s organizational role, functional power, and network diffusion effects, this study offers a fresh vantage point and a reminder that if marketing wants to increase its power in firms, the conversation must extend beyond the CMO\u2019s office into the boardroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For marketers, the core takeaway is clear: the board matters. Firms whose directors are connected to companies where marketing holds greater influence are more likely to elevate marketing\u2019s importance within their own organization. These networks shape how leaders think about growth, which is a key priority for every board. While firms often call on marketers when facing serious challenges or major opportunities, marketing should not be reserved for exceptional circumstances. A key priority for marketers and CMOs is to educate their boards on how and why marketing drives firm growth, a shared goal across virtually all boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>A key priority for marketers and CMOs is to educate their boards on how and why marketing drives firm growth, a shared goal across virtually all boards.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, governance structures are not just background context; they are powerful levers that can strengthen or diminish marketing\u2019s strategic voice in the firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We recently had the opportunity to meet with all three authors of this research, who kindly offered additional insights into their motivations, managerial implications, and prospective avenues for future research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Q: Your research shows that boards of directors, often overlooked in marketing, can shape marketing\u2019s strategic importance. What led you to recognize the board as a missing piece in the marketing power puzzle, and how did this idea develop into the published study?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> The idea grew from our <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1509//jm.14.0244/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">earlier work on Chief Marketing Officers<\/a>, where we found that firms that employ CMOs tend to perform better. But we also noticed that the presence of marketers on top management teams and the overall influence of marketing within firms has declined over time. That pattern made us think about what other forces might shape marketing\u2019s standing in firms, beyond what happens inside the organization. The board of directors emerged as a natural next place to look, because directors serve on multiple boards and can bring with them ideas about what marketing should look like. When the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative released a call for projects offering access to large-scale data on board linkages, it gave us a perfect opportunity to test this idea. That combination of prior research, the open question around marketing\u2019s declining power, and the new data on board interlocks ultimately came together in this study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Q: Do firms need a formal \u201cMarketing Department\u201d to have influence at the top, or is it enough to possess strong marketing capabilities and a deep understanding of what marketing brings to the organization?<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> That\u2019s more of a philosophical question. While marketing today is highly cross-functional, a formal marketing function still matters. Having a defined department or leadership structure gives marketing visibility and accountability at the top. Without it, the customer perspective can easily get lost amid competing priorities. As we often say, \u201cwhen something is everybody\u2019s responsibility, it ends up being nobody\u2019s responsibility.\u201d A clear advocate, like a marketing department, helps ensure that the customer\u2019s voice is represented in key decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, the role of marketing looks very different across industries. In consumer goods and retail, marketing tends to have comprehensive control and plays a central strategic role. In banking, it often has a narrower focus on promotions or communications. In professional services like accounting, marketing is more standardized and peripheral. Unlike functions such as accounting, which look similar across most firms, marketing differs widely in scope, influence, and integration. That diversity makes it distinctive: its impact depends on how the organization chooses to empower it. Companies with a more comprehensive marketing approach tend to outperform those with limited marketing responsibilities. Ultimately, marketing power depends on balancing formal structure with shared responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Q: You show that marketing department power can diffuse across firms through board interlocks. In other areas, firms also learn through executive mobility, strategic alliances, shared consultants, or even investor influence. How does the kind of knowledge transfer you uncover through board ties differ from these other diffusion channels, and what kinds of marketing knowledge travels across boards?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Other knowledge transfer channels certainly exist, such as executive mobility or strategic alliances, and with the appropriate data, they could be modeled in a similar framework. Our study focuses specifically on board interlocks, and because we do not observe boardroom conversations directly, we can capture them only through proxies. Similar mechanisms may operate through other channels, but we cannot directly test them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A key idea here is that boards prioritize growth. When a director sees marketing contributing to growth in one firm, that perspective may diffuse through the interlock to another board. What travels may be high-level mental models about how marketing contributes to performance, or, in some cases, even specific examples shared by directors. Still, the exact mechanism remains a conjecture because we do not observe the discussions themselves; we only observe their downstream effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Operationally, even though we cannot measure every variable directly, our use of instrumental-variable methods helps mitigate omitted-variable concerns in this observational setting. We also know from broader research that top management buy-in is essential. That is what makes boards distinctive: because the CEO reports directly to them, any shift in board-level thinking carries disproportionate weight. These mechanisms remain hypotheses that could be examined in more depth when richer data become available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Q: When boards are interlocked within the same industry, marketing power may spread more easily across firms. Could that connectivity also create unintended consequences? For example, could firms converge on similar, potentially less differentiated strategies?<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> As board members generally cannot serve on the boards of direct competitors, true competitor\u2010to\u2010competitor interlocks are uncommon. However, if firms are not direct competitors but are in related industries, shared information could lead them to become more similar, potentially reducing differentiation and creating herding effects. This relates to some of the network measures we used, such as degree and brokerage. Degree centrality suggests that more connections may lead firms to behave more similarly. In contrast, in brokerage, a board member links otherwise unconnected parts of the network and can introduce more diverse and innovative ideas. So, the risk depends on the structure of the interlock network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Technically speaking, more substantial board interlock effects may mean that firms are more likely to follow their existing connections. If boards increasingly form interlocks with boards they are already connected to, then the likelihood of convergence increases. Studying this convergence would require looking at network dynamics, how these connections form and evolve over time, presenting an interesting future direction. So, the risk depends on whether board networks become more tightly clustered. If that clustering does occur, the risk of strategic convergence increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Q: As marketing becomes linked to broader corporate priorities like DEI and ESG initiatives, does this interconnectedness strengthen marketing\u2019s strategic influence or risk diluting its focus?<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Any initiative that customers value is worth pursuing, whether it\u2019s DEI, ESG, or something else. If diversity, equity, and inclusion lead to broader thinking and help the company better serve customers, they naturally add to both customer and corporate value. The key is to have a clear understanding of how these initiatives benefit customers. For example, <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.unilever.com//news//news-search//2024//harnessing-the-potential-of-indias-growing-workforce///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Unilever\u2019s Project Shakti in India<\/a> empowered women entrepreneurs while also expanding distribution in rural markets. This is an example where a social initiative directly supported business goals. If firms can articulate how these priorities connect to customer value, then marketing\u2019s role becomes more pronounced. But if the link isn\u2019t clear, there\u2019s a risk that marketing\u2019s focus becomes scattered. Many companies still treat DEI and ESG as compliance initiatives rather than customer-driven ones, so marketing often isn\u2019t leading those efforts. If marketing leads them and grounds them in what matters to customers, that can actually elevate marketing\u2019s strategic influence rather than diluting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Q: If you were to extend this research further, which context or mechanism would you most like to explore to deepen our understanding of how governance structures shape marketing\u2019s strategic importance?<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> From a technical perspective, an important next step would be to examine how board connections form and evolve. Some drivers are endogenous; for example, boards that share indirect connections are more likely to become directly connected, much like \u201cfriends of friends\u201d becoming friends. Understanding those processes would be valuable, particularly when marketing-affiliated directors drive the connection. If a marketing-driven tie disappears and later reappears, is it due to a marketing-affiliated person? Examining these processes could deepen our understanding of marketing\u2019s strategic influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More broadly, another valuable direction is to examine marketing\u2019s organizational role and influence within firms. Some work, including <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.nim.org//en//publications//nim-marketing-intelligence-review//detail-issue//beyond-the-4-ps/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this practitioner-oriented special issue<\/a>, builds on the idea that marketing\u2019s influence within firms has been declining and thus asks: how can marketers regain strategic influence? As the focus increasingly shifts to marketing activities and the creation of customer value, not merely the marketing department, future research should prioritize these value-creating functions rather than focusing solely on the department. In addition, management research suggests that board interlock effects have been weakening or disappearing. We do not see that in our data; the effect remains stable over time. That leads to an interesting question about what\u2019s actually happening: is the board interlock effect still active?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-references\"><strong>References<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Frank Germann (2025), \"Beyond the 4 Ps: Marketing's Strategic Comeback [Special issue], NIM Marketing Intelligence Review, <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.nim.org//en//publications//nim-marketing-intelligence-review//detail-issue//beyond-the-4-ps/">https:////www.nim.org//en//publications//nim-marketing-intelligence-review//detail-issue//beyond-the-4-ps./n

Leadership

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