What is your thesis work about?
The thesis is about the knowledge exchange between sales and marketing teams, with the aim to investigate how to enhance data-driven marketing and improve the generation of sales qualified leads. Additionally, the thesis is aimed to identify drivers for alignment and collaboration between sales and marketing teams.
How did you conduct your thesis?
I conducted my thesis through 10 qualitative interviews with ABB employees in marketing and sales roles. The data was collected via in-depth interviews, conducted both face-to-face and through video calls.
Was there anything that surprised you during the study?
What surprised me was the complexity involved in this industry, particularly within the metals sector. Although the exchange of knowledge between sales and marketing teams can appear straightforward, it is often far from simple, especially when the customer has multiple stakeholders and touchpoints.
How did you get in touch with ABB about the thesis project?
During a student tour with Swedish Mining Innovation, we visited ABB in Västerås and I met, among others, Viggo Stenholm, Sales Team Lead for the Metals industry at ABB in Sweden. This visit inspired me to apply for a master's thesis project with ABB. Following my application, Carolina Rattur Lindstedt, Global Communications and Marketing Manager for the metals industry at ABB, reached out to me to discuss a potential area of focus for my thesis project.
Why were you interested in writing your thesis at ABB?
For me, ABB is a renowned and market-leading company in its field, known for its advanced technologies. Given my strong interest in technological solutions, ABB seemed like an ideal fit for my aspirations.
When the chance arose to delve into a topic that not only interested me but also resonated with my educational background, it was an ideal opportunity for me. I knew it was the perfect chance to advance my knowledge and skills. The chance to contribute to a leading innovative companywas incredibly motivating. It offered a unique opportunity to combine my academic knowledge with practical, real-world applications.
What do you think ABB has learned from your study?
I believe there is much to learn from the study, especially concerning the understanding of the critical importance of knowledge exchange and functional alignment between sales and marketing teams for the creation of marketing activities. Moreover, the findings aim to assist and refine the process of generating sales qualified leads, and to better leverage customer knowledge and knowledge exchange between sales and marketing to better understand customers.
How would you describe your time at ABB?
It has struck me how friendly and helpful all the employees are. I really had a great time at ABB. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who participated in the interviews and gave so valuable input to my project. Furthermore, I would like to express special thanks to my supervisor, Carolina, for offering me such an engaging case to work on and guiding me throughout the process. Her support and insights have been important in shaping my thesis.
What are you going to do now and what does your dream career look like?
I don’t know what the near future holds, but I have gained even greater awareness of potential opportunities within ABB, as well as my interest in working within sales and marketing in this industry overall.
To read Viktors thesis ‘Enhancing data-driven marketing through sales-marketing knowledge exchange and collaboration: a dynamic capability perspective', click here.
