EXPRESS: Less Could Be More: Different Paths to Success in Global Account Management

Prior research suggests that global account management (GAM) programs vary in effectiveness. The authors examine GAM program design from a configurational perspective, treating dynamic capabilities and global marketing strategies as internally controllable dimensions for how suppliers organize GAM programs. Using data from 203 GAM programs across industries and countries, they apply cluster analysis to identify three primary archetypes: Champion, Specialty, and Satisficing. Champion GAMs combine strong dynamic capabilities with intensive global marketing strategies; Specialty GAMs emphasize one dimension; and Satisficing GAMs take a more limited approach to both. The authors evaluate outcomes of these archetypes in relation to GAM program-level performance and global account dependence. Champion and Specialty GAMs have program-level advantages over Satisficing GAMs, but these advantages do not translate into systematically greater global account dependence. Market dynamism strengthens the program-level advantages of Champion and Dynamic Capabilities Specialty GAMs. Under high competitive intensity, Satisficing GAMs exhibit greater global account dependence than pooled Specialty GAMs and likely comparable dependence to Champion GAMs. The findings suggest that the implications of GAM designs depend on the outcome and market conditions, indicating possible presence of possible conditional outcome equifinality.