Research* has identified a number of barriers to the adoption of a market orientation by organisations. MLA South East’s marketing initiatives address three of these barriers.
The key barriers to adopting a marketing approach are:
- Informational barriers
- Cognitive barriers
- Organisational barriers
1. The informational barrier is where organisations lack the data and information required to deliver a marketing approach.
Arts Index MLA South East, piloting ongoing customer data capture, development of MLA South East’s website and publicising access to Area Profile Reports are examples of how the informational barrier to adopting a marketing approach has been addressed.
2. The cognitive barrier is where a workforce lacks the skills and knowledge to deliver a marketing approach.
The De-Mystifying Marketing training delivered to public library authorities addressed this barrier. MLA South East funded a pilot project to develop marketing training for public library service staff in 2004. MLA South East worked with the Society of Chief Librarians South East (SCL-SE) to roll this out to other authorities across the South East.
The Sharing Skills scheme seeks to transfer and develop marketing skills within the museums workforce. The scheme is funded by Renaissance in the Regions. This service delivers a regional Skills Bank, listing people and organisations across the South East willing to share their marketing skills.
3. The organisational barrier is where organisations fail to integrate marketing planning with wider business planning. This commonly attests to cultural barriers to adopting a marketing approach.
The After Value activity designed to develop best practice will address the integration of marketing planning with wider business planning and will seek to consolidate and embellish existing organisational change within the sector.
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*McDonald, Malcolm H. B Ten Barriers to Marketing Planning The Journal of Consumer Marketing Vol. 8 No.2 Spring 1991
