Business Process Management in an International Sales and Marketing Organization

Companies are increasingly becoming active on an international level. Accordingly, their approaches towards penetrating international markets needs to be adapted. Based on the Practical Oriented Theory and the New Institutional Economics the authors develop a framework for an international sales and marketing organization. This framework consists of six elements that need to be covered when setting up a new approach towards international markets: • Clear Marketing Strategy • Clear Organizational Structure • Clear Organizational Culture • Clear Sales and Marketing Processes • Clear People Management • Adequate Technological Support The Case Study of BASF Fine Chemicals Europe gives an example how all these elements can be successfully combined and implemented to increase sustainable profitability. The business unit had to face the challenge of a turnaround situation in 2001. The strategic elements that BASF Fine Chemicals Europe implemented therefore are: • Developing Regional Marketing Strategies and Customer Concepts • Establishing International Sales and Supply Centers • Optimizing Information Management • Introducing E-Commerce Solutions • Establishing a value adding distributor management • Developing Value Cards • Establishing a Process Management to drive improvements The authors show that these elements fully cover the theoretic framework and are, therefore, founded in research. All elements together are like a jigsaw puzzle, which is built out of differently shaped pieces to form the complete picture. Within this jigsaw puzzle process management plays a major role because it supports all the other elements and keeps them together. The authors describe the innovative approach BASF Fine Chemicals Europe developed in order to track and to optimize its business processes strategically. This work comes to a “how-to”-level and gives companies an example for managing their international business processes.