Marketing has been given a strong interface and connection role within the literature, creating the assumption of a naturally “open” marketing. However, specifically, the opening of the marketing organization is not so obvious. In a theoretical paper, Day (2011) introduces the Open Marketing concept, defined as a capability to open the marketing organization to partners’ networks so as to gain marketing insights and capabilities in order to enrich the firm’s marketing. The concept is interesting, but its definition is not formalized and presents some drawbacks. Besides, the literature does not fully address the question of the marketing organization’s learning and enrichment thanks to marketing suppliers’ networks. Therefore, in a comprehensive intent, our work aims at answering the following question: “Which comprehension can be offered of the Open Marketing concept and of its interest to develop the organization’s marketing resources, capabilities and competences?” We conduct two empirical qualitative studies. Study 1 is exploratory and leads to several results. (1) A clear and empirically validated conceptualization of Open Marketing is brought to the literature. Besides, the normative “opening” assumption is reversed: marketing organizations do not rely on their suppliers’ network to develop their employees’ resources and competences with the same intensity and strategic intent. (2) The dimensions and forms of Open Marketing are revealed: two Open Marketing types (Organized and Intuitive) and modes (Orchestration and Mastery) are distinguished. (3) An analysis of the context allowing the Open Marketing deployment is offered. (4) The inputs flow coming from the suppliers’ network is disaggregated into marketing resources, capabilities and competences, thus illustrating the assets that can be captured by marketing employees in the Open Marketing process. Study 2 is a case study of an “Organized” Open Marketing organization and an “Intuitive” Open Marketing organization. It shows that the relational structure in which Open Marketing is deploying influences the inputs captured, as well as the process through which these inputs are gained. Finally, the thesis shows to marketing organizations that it can be interesting to engage in an opening process and to deploy an Open Marketing capability in order to develop marketing employees’ knowledge and competences, without supplementary expenses, thanks to the marketing suppliers’ network.
