Industries and firms globally have started the adoption of integrated strategic approach to purchasing and logistics management known as Supply Chain management. The advent of the 21 st century organizational restructuring brought with it the supply chain management concept as an indispensable strategic tool for companies and organizations to more than ever embrace “value addition in quality, customer service delivery, products fit for purpose etc.”. This paper titled “Lifting the Veil of Dichotomy in Business Functional Areas –A case of Marketing and Purchasing Practices in Supply Chain Management” was designed to examine and address areas of inter-functional dichotomies existent particularly in the discharge of roles, functions or duties by professionals occupying the Marketing and Purchasing positions of various businesses and organizations at one time or the other and hitherto establish the gains tenable from maintaining a systematic and synergized work relationship. The methodologies adopted include the review of related literatures, works and views of renowned authors in the field of Marketing and Purchasing areas of Supply Chain Management and use of other secondary sources. The study shows that there still exists some element of reductionist traditional management as opposed to the modern system’s approach and concludes that the thesis of this paper remained to re-enact this seemingly abandoned team spirit to foster at different points of their work relationships. The paper therefore called for a reshape in academic research works in the area of SCM to align with the new normal. A major recommendation of the study was that Organizations should revisit their operational policies with a view to removing all blocks of pride and lackluster influences existent amongst functional units. This is to inject an air of competence through sharing from a common bank of ideas.

Keywords : Functional dichotomy, Marketing, Purchasing, Supply Chain Management, Organization.