This academic paper by Professor Malcolm McDonald provides one of the most comprehensive explorations of the history, evolution, and future challenges of Key Account Management (KAM). Drawing on decades of research and leadership at Cranfield University School of Management, Malcolm builds a powerful case for KAM as a distinct, maturing discipline in its own right — not simply a sales function or marketing sub-category.
The paper presents conceptual models, definitions, and critical insights that are essential for any serious practitioner or scholar of KAM or Global Account Management (GAM).
What’s Covered
- A historical review of KAM’s development from sales and relationship marketing origins
- The integration of KAM with supply chain management, customer strategy, and network theory
- Clear definitions for:
- Key Account
- Key Account Management
- Key Account Manager
- Relationship stages: from Exploratory to Integrated KAM
- Visual models of interaction (IMP model), portfolio positioning, and strategic fit
- Financial considerations: risk, profitability, and common causes of failure
- Differences between transactional and strategic accounts
Why This Matters
- KAM is still misunderstood and inconsistently applied in many B2B firms
- The role of the Key Account Manager is often undermined by legacy sales structures
- Most companies still fail to account for the real cost-to-serve their largest accounts
Quote
“Key Account Management more often fails because of the selling company’s organisational problems in delivery of the programme — not because the customer is unwilling to engage.” – Professor Malcolm McDonald
Download the Full Paper
This summary introduces the framework, but the full white paper includes models, research references, and detailed analysis that are invaluable for training, policy-setting, or academic work.