Academic English Skills Coursework 1: Marketing and Sales Analysis

This coursework assignment from the Academic English Skills course explores the complex relationship between marketing and sales. The student begins by compiling a reference list of six reliable academic sources, followed by an evaluation of four of these sources, assessing their relevance, authority, and usefulness in relation to the essay title: 'Marketing is the same as sales.' The evaluation delves into the source's currency, authority, purpose, and relevance to the essay's central question. The assignment then culminates in an essay outline, which includes an introduction, thesis statement, and topic sentences for three paragraphs, each addressing different facets of the marketing and sales dynamic, including changing customer perceptions, the distinction between marketing and sales as separate organizational functions, and their interconnectedness. The essay outline incorporates in-text citations to support the arguments and analysis. The student's position is that sales and marketing are separate domains within an organization but are inter-related. It stresses the importance of effective knowledge exchange and collaboration between the two to meet changing customer expectations.

Academic English Skills Coursework 1: Source Evaluation and Essay Outline
Name:
A. Student
Class:
AES
Date:
Title:
'Marketing is the same as sales.' Evaluate arguments for and against this statement. Consider the perceptions of
the consumer.

Part 1: Sources
Write a reference list for at least of SIX sources which you have found to be reliable and appropriate for
academic use, and are relevant to your essay title.
Arnett, D.B. and Wittmann, C.M., 2014. Improving marketing success: The role of tacit knowledge exchange
between sales and marketing. Journal of Business Research, 67(3), pp.324-331.
Hughes, D.E., Le Bon, J. and Malshe, A., 2012. The marketing–sales interface at the interface: Creating
market-based capabilities through organizational synergy. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management,
32(1), pp.57-72.
Hulland, J., Nenkov, G.Y. and Barclay, D.W., 2012. Perceived marketing–sales relationship effectiveness: a
matter of justice. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(3), pp.450-467.
Malik, M.E., Ghafoor, M.M. and Hafiz, K.I., 2012. Impact of Brand Image, Service Quality and price on
customer satisfaction in Pakistan Telecommunication sector. International journal of business and social
science, 3(23).
Malik, M.E., Ghafoor, M.M. and Hafiz, K.I., 2012. Impact of Brand Image, Service Quality and price on
customer satisfaction in Pakistan Telecommunication sector. International journal of business and social
science, 3(23).
Ngo, L.V. and O'Cass, A., 2012. In search of innovation and customer‐related performance superiority: The
role of market orientation, marketing capability, and innovation capability interactions. Journal of Product
Innovation Management, 29(5), pp.861-877.
Ritter, T. and Walter, A., 2012. More is not always better: The impact of relationship functions on
customer-perceived relationship value. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(1), pp.136-144.
Terho, H., Haas, A., Eggert, A. and Ulaga, W., 2012. ‘It's almost like taking the sales out of selling’—towards
a conceptualization of value-based selling in business markets. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(1),
pp.174-185.

Part 2: Source Evaluation [Explanation of why you have selected the sources for use.]
Complete the table below for FOUR of the sources included in your Part 1 list.
EVALUATION 1
Reference: Hulland, J., Nenkov, G.Y. and Barclay, D.W., 2012. Perceived marketing–sales relationship
effectiveness: a matter of justice. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(3), pp.450-467.
Why have you chosen this source? Refer to the currency, authority, purpose, reliability of evidence or
data, objectivity, use of expected academic conventions.
The source does not directly relate to the topic but gives a critical in sight regarding how sales are
marketing are two basic pillar of organisation and what policies that might be undertaken to help them
functions in unison. The research paper represents current data as it is published on 2012 moreover, the
paper also has good authority as it has been written via a team of experts and has been published in an
esteemed marketing journal. The paper also have clear objective, logical representation of data along
with standard academic convections. The objective of the paper is another reason behind the selection
of this research paper to analyse the essay topic. Here the first objective of the paper is to identify how
the perceptions of individual managers on justice influence their perspective on the effectiveness of
sales and marketing. Secondly the paper aims to elucidate the role of effective communication in
bridging the gap between sales and marketing. This aim of finding the link between sales and marketing,
makes this paper relevant to analyse the research topic.
How is the source relevant to your title? What are the useful points / arguments made in the text?
According to this paper, sales and marketing have different set of orientations and different techniques
to approach problems. However, fostering interaction along with effective collaboration can positively
affect the overall performance of the marketing and sales and thereby promoting organisational success.
The paper also highlights that bi-directional communication in association with propose trust and conflict
are few of the strong drivers of relationship effectiveness among marketing and sales managers. The bi-
directional communication can only be achieved via a fair-treatment policy among the managers which
will in turn facilitate social exchange.

EVALUATION 2
Reference: Hughes, D.E., Le Bon, J. and Malshe, A., 2012. The marketing–sales interface at the interface:
Creating market-based capabilities through organizational synergy. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales
Management, 32(1), pp.57-72.
Why have you chosen this source? Refer to the currency, authority, purpose, reliability of evidence or
data, objectivity, use of expected academic conventions.
The reason for selection of this source is, it provides information stating the different in operations in
sales and marketing in an organisation. The paper is current in respect to today’s time point and is
authentic as it is published in an esteemed journal. The reliability of the evidence and data as stated in
the paper is highlighted by the references cited from the peered reviewed journals. The paper also
follows effective academic convections and has been written with a thorough academic approach.
How is the source relevant to your title? What are the useful points / arguments made in the text?
The source is relevant to the title because it gives a detailed in sight regarding how sales and marketing
plays a co-ordinating towards the establishment of the explicit and implicit connections between the
firm and the customer. The paper also opines that the stable interface between sales and marketing is
crucial for the organisation’s effective functioning. The ability of marketing is to positively collaborate
and interact with other organisational functions in order to establish customer value delivery. Whereas
the function of sale is to represent interpersonal embodiment of the concept of marketing while serving
the primary source of marketing intelligence.
However, the paper also gives an insight regarding how marketing and sales help new product
development. Marketing and sales interface invite customers collect their input, streamline their input
and then simultaneously relay the customer’s input to the concerned department.

EVALUATION 3
Reference: Arnett, D.B. and Wittmann, C.M., 2014. Improving marketing success: The role of tacit
knowledge exchange between sales and marketing. Journal of Business Research, 67(3), pp.324-331.
Why have you chosen this source? Refer to the currency, authority, purpose, reliability of evidence or
data, objectivity, use of expected academic conventions.
The reason for the selection of this source is, the paper has been published in the peer reviewed journal.
The authors of the paper showcase high thought put knowledge in academic writing. All the information
in relation to knowledge management and relationship between the sales and marketing branch of the
organisation is explained in detailed with critical insight draw from further referencing. The purpose of
this paper is also partially linked with the topic of interest of this assignment as it gives the relationship
between sales and marketing in regards to the sharing of the tactic knowledge. The objective of the
paper is clear and data are updated and authentic.
How is the source relevant to your title? What are the useful points / arguments made in the text?
The source is relevant to the tile because it claim marketing and sales as separate entity in organisation.
Moreover, the paper is also of the opinion that the sharing of the tactic knowledge between sales and
marketing increases the probability of marketing success. The important point highlighted in the paper
include sales organisations are mainly customer focused and in order to satisfy the customer’s they
generate separate relationship marketing perspectives for the customers. However, customers has a
vague point in regards to sales and marketing and thus expect that sales people will provide
comprehensive value added customised solutions to their problems.

EVALUATION 4
Reference: Terho, H., Haas, A., Eggert, A. and Ulaga, W., 2012. ‘It's almost like taking the sales out of
selling’—towards a conceptualization of value-based selling in business markets. Industrial Marketing
Management, 41(1), pp.174-185.
Why have you chosen this source? Refer to the currency, authority, purpose, reliability of evidence or
data, objectivity, use of expected academic conventions.
The reason for selecting this paper in order to defend and analyse the topic of the essay because, this
paper gives an insight of value-based selling, this is the main marketing approach taken by most of the
organisations. The paper is of current publication and hence can be regarded as authentic, keeping in
sync with the current market scenario. The authors of this paper esteemed scholars of different
marketing schools. The main purpose of the paper analyse how sales personnel is used to implement
marketing strategies with taking a critical insight from the value-based selling approach. Such aim makes
this paper more opt from critically analysis the topic of the essay of interest. This is because, it helps to
differentiate between sales and marketing while drawing a relationship between them in the models of
operation and how this relationship promote value based-selling. The journal uses expected convections
via first highlighting the desired research gap and then framing the direction of the research accordingly.
How is the source relevant to your title? What are the useful points / arguments made in the text?
The title of the paper provides an in-sight in regards to value based selling. Value based selling is the
main approach undertaken by the marketing executives in order define the key regulatory activities of
sales. The useful points highlighted in the research include importance of understanding customer’s
business model in order to frame new marketing and selling strategies. The paper also highlights the
application of effective communication is promoting sales and thereby understanding customers
perception and then developing marketing strategy accordingly. The paper arguments that value-based
selling is a different approach and how sales force plays a pivotal role implementing marketing strategy.

Part 3: Essay Outline
Title:
'Marketing is the same as sales.' Evaluate arguments for and against this statement. Consider the perceptions of
the consumer.
Introduction:
The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the links between marketing and sales. Marketing and sales are the
two most important pillars in any sales organisation. This essay tries to elucidate whether this two branch are same,
different or inter-related. Furthermore, the essay also tries to elucidate the customer’s perception in the domain of
sales and marketing.
Your position / thesis statement:
 Sales are Marketing are two separate domain in an organisation
 Sales person are required for the development of successful organisation
 The main work of the sales person is to gather extensive knowledge about the market while
leveraging internal resources of the organisation. In order to gain resources to gather a
comprehensive knowledge, they develop relational networks among the organisations of the sales
people and organisations of the customers
 The role of the marketing person is to create innovation in marketing program
 Effective exchange of tactic knowledge among the marketing and sales person help in the growth
and development of both the marketing and sales wing
 High expectation generated via marketing personnel among the customers creates pressure over
the sales team to provide customised solution
Paragraph 1: Purpose
Topic sentence: Customer’s perception has changed over time and with the advent of the digital marketing.
Main Point /Supporting points / Evidence, example or data / in-text citation [information prominent]
 Promotion and refinement of the brand image via digital marketing lead to the change in the
customer’s expectation (Malik, Ghafoor and Hafiz 2012)
 Increase in the service quality via supply change management have lead to the increase in the
customer’s expectation (Malik, Ghafoor and Hafiz 2012)
 Increase in the customer supplier’s relationship has increases customer’s expectations (Ritter and
Walter 2012)

Paragraph 2: Purpose
Topic sentence: Marketing is systematic planning and sales is transaction between two parties and thus two
different entities in an organisation
Main Point /Supporting points / Evidence, example or data / in-text citation [information prominent]
 Marketing is systematic planning whose focus is to promote the product
 Sales is transaction between the buyer and seller and who aim is to pull the sales volume
 Sales is one to one process
 Marketing is a vast process which start with analysis of the customer demand, pricing strategy and
position of the competitors
(Ngo and O'Cass 2012)
Paragraph 3: Purpose
Topic sentence: Marketing and Sales through different, but there exist an inherent relation between them and such
relationship makes them dependent to one another
Main Point /Supporting points / Evidence, example or data / in-text citation [information prominent]
 Marketing and sales interface plays a co-ordinating role implicit and explicit connection between
the customer and firm
 Marketing and sale interface helps in the generation of organisation vision, knowledge resources
while creating market-based capabilities (Hughes, Le Bon and Malshe, 2012)
Conclusions:
Thus from the above discussion it can be concluded that sales and marketing team though have different set of job
role in an organization, but there exist an inherent relationship between them. Establishment of proper marketing
and sales interface via the exchange of the tactic knowledge help in better understanding of the customer’s
perception about the product or the service and thereby helping to modify the marketing and sales strategies.