An integration strategy improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes and procedures that help a company function. This strategy includes improving the quality and timeliness of information where and when it is needed no matter where the information comes from. Effective integration strategies utilizes technology and information as efficiently as possible to decrease the time and costs associated with managing information and resources.
Integration of Sustainability Requirements into Marketing Concepts
Marketing theory develops in close connection with challenges of continuous trans-formation in social, economic, technological and natural environment, resulting in new requirements of competitiveness from companies. This development is interconnected with changes in business strategies and organisations, aswell. Regarding our topic it is to point out that citizen and public actions together with legislative proposals have exerted unavoidable influence on shifting business thinking toward a socially responsible marketing. The marketing receives much criticism. Society including consumers expect higher social sensibility and responsibility fromcompanies and marketing, including the offer of high quality and safe products with lower prices. Consumers refuse high advertising and promotion costs, high-pressure selling, deceptive practices, planned obsolescence of products, poor services, unfair competitive practice, excessive mark-ups, etc. Criticism charge marketing practice with too much materialism, not enough social goods, environmental and cultural pollution, as well.
Recent orientations in marketing theory may be depicted by four main tendencies, which provide a framework for sustainable marketing and customer relationship:
1. increasing role of value proposition and added value delivery to consumers;
2. shifting from ecological marketing to the broader concept of societal marketing;
3. adoption of the relationship marketing concept e.g. building of long-run and mutually beneficial relations with key customers
4. building of network cooperation based on partnership with key customers along the supply chain.