The research was conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and sponsored by Xaxis. Respondents were drawn from organisations in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK, spanning a broad range of sectors. The study looks at how far marketing executives have progressed in achieving accountability both for their tactical activities, such as short-term campaigns and initiatives, and for their contribution to their organisation’s overall strategic aims.
The survey data reveal that while marketers recognise the need to achieve visibility of their activities to demonstrate return on investment (ROI), they are often restricted in achieving their aim. Among the obstacles they encounter are a tendency to focus too much on the tactical at the expense of the strategic, a lack of data integration, and inadequate data analysis skills.