Introduction to the Finance and Marketing Interface

Abstract

Modern business needs managers who are versatile, with a good understanding of the basics of all the various business functions. Such a manager can work easily in a team which consists of people who have specialised in different areas. Business structures are increasingly becoming flatter. There is a need for clear communication and decision-making at all levels. The effectiveness of teams depends on team members’ understanding of how their own areas’ aims and priorities relate to the objectives set by the organisation’s mission statement. Increasingly there is a recognition that a range of financial and other objectives must be balanced to ensure the long-term success of the business. This means that it is important that everybody in the business can speak the language of finance, at least to the extent that they can use financial information to inform their own decisions and to assess its relevance and use under different circumstances.