Leveraging Knowledge in Global Key Account Management. Findings from a benchlearning group project in the industry

von Martin P. Arnold Kategorie: Key Account ISBN: 3908545609 Kommentar abgeben

Der Autor über sein Buch Global account management is bound to fail without comprehensive knowledge about customers on a worldwide and local level. When ABB, a US$ 20 billion Swiss-Swedish supplier of power systems and automation technology installed its global account management in 1997, the global key account executives faced the challenge of coordinating across more than 1000 business units worldwide. Although being fully accountable for customer profitability, the global account managers had to pursue their objectives by the power of persuasion instead of a chain of command. Leadership qualities of global account managers are based on superior information and knowledge about their customers rather than on direct orders. Presenting the cases of four industrial companies, this report highlights how knowledge can be managed to enhance relationships with global customers successfully and which opportunities and challenges are involved in the process. The example of technological leader Hewlett-Packard, a pioneer both in global account management as well as knowledge management, serves as a benchmark.

Über den Autor Dipl. Wi. Ing. Martin P. Arnold is research assistant and doctoral candidate at the Institute of Marketing and Retailing.