Integrating internal marketing with participative management

Internal marketing has been proposed as a way of increasing lower level commitment to corporate strategies and improving organizational integration. Most previous discussions of the topic have focused on methods of internal promotion, persuasion and influence. Limited attention has been given to differences in management styles which affect internal marketing. This article examines the impact of consultative and participative styles of management on internal marketing. It shows how general managers, department managers and individuals can use internal marketing to increase employee involvement in reaching decisions, making commitments and taking action.