Based on the literature gap and the need for increased understanding of the GA manager’s role identified before, the following research questions will be analyzed in this paper:
•What are the theoretical constituents (competencies) and determinants of a GA manager’s role?
•How are these constituents and determinants perceived in practice, and what is the status quo of management development tools and processes for GAM?
•What are the critical success factors for human resources management when creating an environment that is conducive to the development of the GA manager’s role?
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY
1.2 CONTRIBUTION TO THEORY AND PRACTICE
1.3 METHODOLOGY
1.3.1 Research Strategy
1.3.2 Quantitative Data Collection: GAM Survey
1.3.3 Qualitative Data Collection: Expert Interviews
1.3.4 Layout of this Study
1.3.5 Limitations
2 THEORETICAL FOUNDATION
2.1 DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
2.2 BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
2.3 EVOLVING GAM PROGRAM
2.4 ORGANIZATIONAL FORMS OF GAM PROGRAMS
2.5 CHALLENGES OF THE GA MANAGER POSITION
2.6 COMPETENCY MODEL OF A GA MANAGER
2.7 DIFFERENT ROLES – A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
2.8 EVOLVING ROLES DEPENDING ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
2.9 EVOLVING ROLES DEPENDING ON THE ACCOUNT RELATIONSHIP STAGE
2.10 EVOLVING ROLES DEPENDING ON THE INDUSTRY SECTOR
3 STATUS QUO IN PRACTICE
3.1 THE GA MANAGER PROFILE
3.2 GA MANAGER PROFILE AND PERFORMANCE
3.3 GA MANAGER TRAINING
3.4 GA MANAGER CAREER DEVELOPMENT
4 DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
4.1 PROFILING THE GA MANAGER
4.1.1 Role Determinants and Blurred Boundaries
4.1.2 Linking Competencies to Performance
4.1.3 Impact of Gender
4.1.4 Possible Future GA Manager Competencies and Roles
4.2 HOLISTIC HRM FRAMEWORK FOR GAM
4.3 RECRUITMENT
4.3.1 Developing a GA Manager Job Profile
4.3.2 ‘Super’-GA Manager
4.3.3 Recruiting Young High Potentials or Senior Managers
4.3.4 Recruiting Internally or Externally
4.3.5 Long-Term Talent Pool
4.3.6 Recruiting Process
4.4 APPRAISAL AND REMUNERATION
4.4.1 Appraisal Process
4.4.2 Metrics and Measurement
4.4.3 Factors Affecting Performance
4.4.4 Low-Performers
4.4.5 Role Ambiguity and Role Set Analysis
4.4.6 Remuneration Package
4.5 TRAINING
4.5.1 Challenges of GAM Training
4.5.2 Framework for GAM Training
4.5.3 Action Based Learning
4.5.4 E-Learning
4.6 CAREER DEVELOPMENT
4.6.1 The Need for a GAM Career Track
4.6.2 Career Management in Flat Organizations
4.6.3 Internal Promotion or Proactive Outplacement
4.6.4 Alumni
4.7 RETENTION
5 CONCLUSION AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to improve the understanding of the Global Account Manager's (GA manager) role by investigating their theoretical competencies and determinants, assessing the status quo of management development in practice, and identifying critical success factors for human resources management to foster an environment conducive to the development of this role.
- Theoretical constituents and determinants of the GA manager's role.
- Empirical assessment of GA manager profile development and management practices.
- Human resources strategies for selecting and developing high-potential account managers.
- Challenges of balancing complex global-local structures and interdisciplinary team management.
- Future-oriented competency modeling and career development paths for GAM professionals.
Excerpt from the book
The Evolving Role of the Global Account Manager in Theory and Practice
Global account management (GAM) has been defined as ‘… an organizational form and process in multinational companies by which the worldwide activities serving a given multinational customer are coordinated centrally by one person or team within the supplying company’ (Montgomery et al, 1998: 1). GAM is on top of the agenda for most multinational companies but despite its importance, concepts and best practices which could further understanding are rare, and many implementation has not met expectations.
One might expect academic research to have made considerable contributions to further both practical and theoretical understanding of GAM. The limited research available shows that this is not the case. A reason could be that GAM is a subject originating from practice and not the academic field (Zupancic and Senn, 2000: 3). Existing research on GAM focuses on topics such as what is GAM, when should GAM be adopted, what are problems when implementing GAM and how can they be solved, and what affects GAM performance. Recent works have discussed more focused aspects of GAM, such as the GAM organization (Lockau, 2000), international key account teams (Zupancic, 2001) knowledge management (Arnold, 2002) or services and solutions (Müllner, 2002).
Companies pursuing account management programs already have knowledge about for example how to segment clients, how to develop integrated solutions or how to adapt processes. However, human capital as key asset has not yet received due attention, neither for KAM nor GAM.
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter defines the scope of GAM research and identifies the gap regarding human capital and role clarity in global account management.
2 THEORETICAL FOUNDATION: This chapter builds a conceptual framework by defining key terms, discussing the B2B environment, and analyzing challenges and role determinants for GA managers.
3 STATUS QUO IN PRACTICE: This chapter presents empirical survey findings regarding the professional profile, performance appraisal, training, and career development of GA managers.
4 DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This chapter derives specific HRM propositions, proposes a holistic framework for GAM, and explores future roles such as the 'political entrepreneur' or 'cosmocrat'.
5 CONCLUSION AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: This chapter summarizes key findings and suggests future research directions to link competencies more directly to performance.
Keywords
Global Account Management, GAM, GA Manager, Human Resources Management, HRM, Competency Model, Role Ambiguity, Career Development, Performance Appraisal, Training, B2B Marketing, Account Relationship, Strategic Account Management, Talent Management, Global Business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on the role of the Global Account Manager (GAM) within multinational companies, specifically examining the competencies required and the human resources management processes necessary to support them.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the definition of the GAM role, the development of competency models, the implementation of organizational structures for GAM, and specific HR practices like recruitment, appraisal, and training.
What is the research's central objective?
The goal is to improve the understanding of the GA manager's role to help recruiters, managers, and trainers align their efforts with the specific demands of the global account environment.
Which scientific methodology was utilized?
The study employs an empirical explorative approach, combining secondary literature research with primary data collection through written surveys among HR and GAM managers, as well as qualitative in-depth expert interviews.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body systematically analyzes the current practice of GAM, tests theoretical role determinants, and develops a holistic framework for managing human assets in global account programs.
How would you describe the characteristic keywords for this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as Global Account Management, Human Resources Management, Role Ambiguity, Competency Modeling, and Strategic Account Management.
Why is role ambiguity considered a "common disease" for GA managers?
The research highlights that GA managers often hold direct responsibility for a client while lacking formal line authority over the operating units required to deliver results, leading to a "schizophrenic" role situation.
What future roles does the author anticipate for GA managers?
The author identifies emerging future roles such as 'political entrepreneur', 'multicultural leader', 'global citizen', 'glocalpreneur', and 'cosmocrat', reflecting the need for more complex, boundary-spanning skill sets.
- Quote paper
- Axel Thoma (Author), 2002, The Evolving Role of the Global Account Manager in Theory and Practice, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/69658
