Lone wolf or social monkey? The role of marketing outsourcing in the development of second-order marketing competences

• Published in: Industrial marketing management 2020-04, Vol.86, p.191-200
• Main Authors: Florea, Dorian Laurențiu, Munteanu, Claudiu Cătălin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorptive capacity; Dynamic capabilities; First-order marketing competences; Organizational learning; Outsourcing; Second-order marketing competences
• ISSN: 0019-8501; 1873-2062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.11.017

Marketing outsourcing has been increasing for decades due to its well-known benefits, even though the development of dynamic marketing capabilities can be severely damaged as a result. This study focuses on the conditions under which marketing outsourcing favors organizational learning. We found that the relationship between marketing outsourcing and second-order marketing competences resembles an inverted U curve. The first-order marketing competences and absorptive capacity positively moderate this relationship both individually and jointly, by shifting the U-curve to the right. Thus, any firm has an optimum level of beneficial outsourcing that depends on how skilled it is in the outsourced marketing function and its ability to assimilate and apply new knowledge. Our findings provide learning-related criteria for the outsourcing decision. Firms that will consider them can develop a knowledge-based competitive advantage while still enjoying the benefits of outsourcing. Against the common wisdom, we show that the development of new marketing capabilities is an equally challenging task for marketing functions with both low and high knowledge intensity. •The relationship between marketing outsourcing and second-order marketing competences resembles an inverted U curve.•First-order marketing competences and absorptive capacity moderate this relationship both individually and jointly.•Developing new marketing capabilities in outsourcing conditions is equally challenging irrespective of the knowledge intensity.•Marketing outsourcing is a source of organizational learning when the outsourcing degree is optimally set.•Firms with excellent marketing capabilities and absorptive capacity can learn with only minimal in-house activities.