The Unobserved Signaling Ability of Marketing Accountability: Can Suppliers’ Marketing Accountability Enhance Business Customers’ Value Perceptions?

Author(s)
Maja Arslanagic-Kalajdzic, Vesna Zabkar, Adamantios Diamantopoulos
Abstract

Purpose
Marketing accountability is currently receiving increased attention from scholars and practitioners alike, with its usage mostly being linked to the improved position of marketing within the firm and to better firm performance. The purpose of this study is to assess whether a supplier’s marketing accountability also has an unobserved signaling effect on customer perceived value.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on a survey of advertising agency-client dyads, the authors develop and test a multilevel model that assesses the relationship between the supplier’s marketing accountability and perceived value of the client.

Findings
Empirical results indicate that marketing accountability of the agency is positively related to client-firm perceived value, that is marketing accountability also has a positive signaling effect on customers’ value perceptions.

Originality/value
This study provides novel insights on how perceptions of customer value are created in business relationships. More specifically, it highlights that marketing accountability of a supplier positively contributes to shaping clients’ value perceptions. Implications for marketing theory and practice, focused on the need for building, improving and sustaining marketing accountability within the firm and its relevance for value, are discussed and future research directions are identified.

Organisation(s)
Department of Accounting, Innovation and Strategy
External organisation(s)
University of Sarajevo, University of Ljubljana
Journal
Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing
Volume
34
Pages
166-175
No. of pages
10
ISSN
0885-8624
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-05-2018-0156
Publication date
10-2018
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
502052 Business administration, 502019 Marketing
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Marketing, Business and International Management
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/22fa9030-77c5-4c59-9e6d-5dcbb693eb99