Skip to main content
Log in

Stakeholders Management Systems: Empirical Insights from Relationship Marketing and Market Orientation Perspectives

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper explores the managerial aspects of the relationship with stakeholders, under the assumption that transfer of knowledge is being made from relationship marketing and market orientation perspectives. These marketing tools may prove useful to manage the relationship with other stakeholders, as has been the case with customers. This study focuses on a sample of Spanish companies representing 43% of listed companies with the largest market capitalization. Given that this is the first time that corporate relationship with stakeholders is analyzed in Spain, a qualitative technique (case analysis) was used. The main conclusion of the study is that most of the participant companies have a reactive position vis-à-vis stakeholders management systems. This attitude is reflected in their concern exclusively about ethical indexes managers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achrol R. S. (1997) Changes in the Theory of Interorganizational Relations in Marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 25(1): 56–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Andaleeb S. S. (1992) The Trust Concept: Research Issues for Channel of Distribution. Research in Marketing 11: 1–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson E. W., Weitz B. (1992) The Use of Pledges to Build and Sustain Commitment in Distribution Channels. Journal of Marketing Research 29(1): 18–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avlonitis G. J., Gounaris S. P. (1997) Marketing Orientation and Company Performance: Industrial Versus Consumer Goods Companies. Industrial Marketing Management 26(5): 385–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll A. B. (1999) Corporate Social Responsibility. Evolution of a Definitional Construct. Business and Society Review 38(3): 268–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A. B. and Buchholtz, A. K.: 2003, Business and Society. Ethics and Stakeholders Management, Thomson, Mason (Ohio), 5th edition

  • Coviello N. E., Brodie R. J., Danaher P. J., Johnson W. J. (2002) How Firms Relate to Their Markets: An Empirical Examination of Contemporary Marketing Practices. Journal of Marketing 66(3): 33–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuervo García A. (1989) Bases para el diseño organizativo de la empresa [“Establishing The Basis For The Organization Design of the Firm”]. Papeles de Economía Española 39: 88–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuesta, de la M., C. Valor, S. Sanmartin, and M. Botija: 2002, La responsabilidad social corporativa: una aplicación al caso de España [Corporate Social Responsbility of Spanish Listed Companies], Madrid, UNED– FESF.

  • Day G. S. (1994) The Capabilities of Market-driven Organizations. Journal of Marketing 58(4): 37–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drucker P. (1954) The Practice of Management. Harper & Row Publishers Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt K. M. (1989) Building Theories from Case Study Research. Academy of Management Review 14(4): 532–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etzioni A. (1990) The Moral Dimension Toward a New Economics. The Free Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission: 2001, Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility, http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/ employment_social/soc-dial/csr/greenpaper_en.pdf

  • Fernández Fernández, J.L.: 1994, Etica para empresarios y directivos [Business Ethics for entrepeneurs and managers], ESIC Editorial. Madrid

  • Freeman R. E. (1984) Strategic Management. A Stakeholder Approach. Pitman Publishing, Mershfield

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao S. S., Zhang J. J. (2001) A Comparative Study of Stakeholder Engagement in Social Auditing. In: Andriof J., McIntosh M. (eds) Perspectives of Corporate Citizenship. Greenlaf Publishing, Sheffield, pp 238–278

    Google Scholar 

  • García de Madariaga, J. and C.Valor: 2004, “Analysis of the Sustainable Business Model among Spanish MNCs”, Conference Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing, Virtue in Marketing, Cheltenham, (CD – ROM)

  • Glazer R. (1991) Marketing in an Information-Intensive Environment: Strategic Implications of Knowledge as an Asset. Journal of Marketing 55(4): 1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodijk R. (2003) Partnership at Corporate Level: The Meaning of the Stakeholder Model. Journal of Change Management 3(3): 225–241

    Google Scholar 

  • Grönroos C. (1989) Defining Marketing. A Market-Oriented Approach. European Journal of Marketing 23(1): 52–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grunig, J. E., Hunt, T.: 2000: Dirección de RRPP [Public Relations Management], Gestión 2000, Barcelona.

  • Gummerson E. (1987) The New Marketing: Developing Long Term Interactive Relationships. Long Range Planning 20: 10–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison J. S., Freeman R. E. (1999) Stakeholders, Social Responsibility, and Performance: Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Perspectives. Academy of Management Journal 42(5): 479–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helfert G., Ritter T., Walter A. (2002) Redefining Market Orientation from a Relationship Perspective: Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Results. European Journal of Marketing 36(9/10): 1119–1139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson P. (2003) Serving Stakeholders. Ca Magazine 136(2): 34–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakson C., Bundgard T. (2002) Achieving Quality in social reporting: The role of surveys in Stakeholders consultation. Business Ethics: A European Review 11(3):253–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaworski B. J., Kohli A. K. (1993). Market Orientation: Antecedents and Consequences. Journal of Marketing 57(3):53–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelada J. N. (1999) Stakeholders Management: A Total Quality approach, Quality Congress, ASQC Annual Quality Congress Proceedings, Milwaukee, pp. 448–461

  • Kim S., Lee J. (1991) Contingent Analysis Of The Relationship Between is Implementation Strategies And Is Success. Information Processing and Management 27(1): 111–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohli A. K., Jaworsky B. J. (1990). Market Orientation: the construct, research propositions, and managerial implications. Journal of Marketing 54(2):1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohli A. K., Jaworski B. J., Kumar A. (1993) MARKOR: A Measure of Market Orientation. Journal of Marketing Research 30(4): 467–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohli A. K., Jaworsky B. J. (1990) Market Orientation: The Construct, Research Propositions, and Managerial Implications. Journal of Marketing 54(2): 1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotler P. (1971) The Elements of Social Action. The American Behavioral 14(5): 691–717

    Google Scholar 

  • Locke K. (2001) Grounded Theory in Management Research. Sage publications, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Lozano J. M. (1999) Etica y Empresa [Business Ethics]. Trotta, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Mélé, D.: 2004, Corporate Social Responsibility in Spain: an Overview, Working Paper No. 543, IESE Business School

  • Mitchell R. K., Agle B. A., Wood D. J. (1997) Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. Academy of Management Review 22(4): 853–886

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitroff I. I. (1983) Stakeholders Of The Organizational Mind. Joey Bass Publishers, Ohio

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan R. M., Hunt S. D. (1994) The Commitment-trust Theory of Relationship Marketing. Journal of Marketing 58(3): 20–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narver J. C., Slater S. F. (1990) The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability. Journal of Marketing 54(4): 20–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neuman W. L. (1994) Social Research Methods. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Allyn and Bacon, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Noble C. H., Sinha R. K., Kumar A. (2002) Market Orientation and Alternative Strategic Orientations: A Longitudinal Assessment of Performance Implications, an Empirical Examination of Contemporary Marketing Practices. Journal of Marketing 66(3): 33–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omran M., Atrill P., Pointon J. (2002). Shareholders versus stakeholders: Corporate mission statements and investor returns. Business Ethics: A European Review 11(34):318–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piercy N., Morgan N. (1990) Internal Marketing: Making Marketing Happen. Marketing Intelligence and Planning 8(1): 4–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PriceWaterhouseCoopers: 2003, “Responsabilidad social de la empresa: tendencias empresariales en España” [“Corporate Social Responsibility in Spain: Trends among Companies], PWC, http://www.pwc.com/es/esp/ins-sol/spec-int/index.html#rsc

  • Sarantakos S. (1998) Social Research. McMillan Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy M. J. (2002) Measuring Corporate Performance by Building on the Stakeholders Model of Business Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 35(3): 143–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slater S. F., Narver J. C. (1995) Market Orientation and the Learning Organization. Journal of Marketing 59(3): 63–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takala T., Uusitalo O. (1996) An Alternative View of Relationship Marketing: A Framework for Ethical Analysis. European Journal of Marketing 30(2): 45–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veloutsou C., Saren M., Tzokas N. (2002) Relationship Marketing: What If...? European Journal of Marketing 36(4): 433–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vermillion L. J., Lassar W. M., Winsor R. D. (2002) The Hunt-Vitell General Theory of Marketing Ethics: Can it Enhance Our Understanding of Principal-agent Relationships in Channels of Distribution? Journal of Business Ethics 41(3): 267–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson D. T. (1995) An Integrated Model of Buyer-Seller Relationships. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 23(4): 335–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Winn M. I., Keller L. R. (2001) A Modeling Methodology for Multiobjective Multistakeholder Decisions: Implications for Research. Journal of Management Inquiry 10(2): 166–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin R. K. (1994) Case Study Research. Design and Methods. Sage, Newbury Park

    Google Scholar 

  • Zinkhan G. M. (2002) Relationship Marketing: Theory and Implementation. Journal of Market – Focused Management 5(2): 83–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions that helped to improve the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Valor.

Additional information

J. García de Madariaga Assistant Professor, Marketing Department, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Ph.D. in Marketing and B.A. in Advertising, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. His work has been published in refereed international journals and also in Spanish journals. He has also published numerous refereed articles in the proceedings of major national and international conferences. He is also an active marketing and marketing research consultant.

Carmen Valor Ph.D. (Marketing) at Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain), MBA (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain). Currently, Visiting Teacher at Universidad Pontificia de Comillas-ICADE. She is also an active Research Member at Economistas Sin Fronteras Foundation and GEIES (Universidad San Pablo-CEU). Her work focuses on several issues related to corporate social responsibility and consumer behaviour. Her research has been published, inter alia, in the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business and Society, Business and Society Review, or Investigación y Marketing.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

de Madariaga, J.G., Valor, C. Stakeholders Management Systems: Empirical Insights from Relationship Marketing and Market Orientation Perspectives. J Bus Ethics 71, 425–439 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9149-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9149-7

Keywords

Navigation