Kumulative Dissertation, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, 2025

Von der genannten Lizenzangabe ausgenommen ist folgender Bestandteil dieser Dissertation:

Study 3 "Formalizing KAM: The missing link between structure, customer knowledge, and KAM effectiveness" (S. 192-231) steht unter der CC-Lizenz CC BY.

Lizenzvertrag: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This dissertation explores how the formalization of managerial approaches and the structured selection of key accounts (KAs) shape the effectiveness of Key Account Management (KAM). Despite KAM’s established strategic importance, the mechanisms through which formalized structures impact performance remain underexplored, particularly regarding the selection of key accounts (KAs) and the systematic integration of customer knowledge. Through three complementary empirical studies, this research addresses these gaps by examining the political, structural, and knowledge-based dimensions of KAM.
The first study explores KA selection as a politically charged organizational process, drawing on 73 semi-structured interviews. It reveals the influence of internal power dynamics, hierarchical structures, and political negotiations on selection decisions. The second study investigates how different configurations of formal and informal KAM design elements contribute to KAM effectiveness. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) on survey data from 221 KA managers, it identifies multiple, equally effective KAM configurations. The third study employs mediation analysis based on survey data from 207 KA managers to assess how KAM formalization enhances effectiveness through structured KA selection and knowledge integration. The results show that formalization alone does not improve KAM effectiveness unless accompanied by a formalized selection process that supports the integration of customer insights and KA managers’ willingness to share customer knowledge.
In conclusion, this dissertation advances theoretical understanding by integrating insights from organization theory (OT), political economy, and knowledge management. Managerially, the findings provide guidance for designing adaptive KAM systems that balance structure with flexibility to foster long-term, value-generating customer relationships.