further light on the scope and structure of a conceptual framework
of relationship marketing’s multiple markets. The similarities of
scope between relationship marketing and the Stakeholder model
have also been acknowledged in recent years by many other writers
including Berry, who wrote of ‘using the strongest possible strate-
gies for customer bonding, marketing to employees and other stake-
holders, and building trust as a marketing tool’.^17
The Stakeholder model itself was developed in the 1960s in
response to rising influence of non-shareholder groups on corporate
life and policies, but following the work of Dill it found new favour
as a model for managing in turbulent times.^49 While the Stakeholder
and Six Markets models differ in emphasis and purpose, the stake-
holder literature can provide useful insights into the dynamics of
relationship marketing. For example, Freeman and Reed note that
some employees may also be shareholders, customers and influ-
encers, to make the point that some parties or individuals will have
multiple stakes or interests in an organization.^50 Webster draws a
similar conclusion, this time using the example of the partner who
is also simultaneously customer, competitor and vendor.^22 In short,
these are multidimensional relationships.
This has implications for their management in that the manage-
ment of one dimension can influence several other dimensions of
the relationship and that the consequences of the management of
one can manifest itself in the working of others. Expressed in the
terms of the Six Markets model, this means that there are overlaps
between the ‘markets’.^51 This notion is supported by Gummesson
following his own attempts to analyse the first three conceptualiza-
tions of relationship marketing presented in this chapter, and
indeed from his own on-going efforts in this direction.^42 He con-
cluded that:
However desirable it would be for the sake of orderliness and sim-
plicity, there is no single dimension along which a relationship can be
organised. The relationships partly overlap. This is no surprise as a
phenomenon in business – as well as in all social sciences – lacks
clearly delimited definitions. The reason for this ‘shortcoming’ ... is
that the studied phenomena are not themselves clearly delimited.For example, Peck has since put forward a further refinement of
the Six Markets model, based on on-going empirical work under-
taken at Cranfield and insights from conceptual frameworks
24 Relationship Marketing