The aim of this dissertation is to find several ways to align and integrate KAM, its tasks and activities inside the supplier company, especially in the internal KAM relationship network. Thereby this work identifies approaches to facilitate the internal alignment process of KAM. Given the focus on internal KAM activities, the main research question centers upon how to align and integrate a KA manager's work with other actors in the supplier company: for being more effective in the internal KAM network as well as finally toward the key account. This research question is investigated using various perspectives in four different studies.

Barbara Niersbach graduated in business administration at the University of Passau (Germany) in 2003. She then worked several years in retail management before changing to a B2B company for technical ceramics being responsible for strategic and operational marketing affairs. In 2016 she successfully completed her doctoral thesis at the University of Bamberg (Germany) investigating internal KAM activities of supplier firms. Barbara Niersbach is currently engaged in research, teaching and consulting of KAM and sales management topics. She is member of the European Foundation for Key Account Management (efkam).