Networking giant 3Com is restructuring its marketing machine into a single global operation.

The field marketing department is to be merged with the product and solutions marketing organisation.

Karen Oddey, who was 3Com's vice-president of field marketing, has been made redundant and is leaving the company. Oddey joined 3Com as part of its acquisition of BICC Data Networks in 1992.

Dave Zwicker, formerly vice president of the company's products and solutions marketing division, will head the new marketing organisation.

"We decided it would be better putting it all together to help us maintain a strong brand in the market," said Sandra Van Vreedendaal, 3Com's director of international communications.

She claimed this restructuring will have no effect on UK staffing levels, and added that the UK operation was hiring again. "In the past six months we have hired 13 new people in the UK, and have openings for another four," she said.

Since 2000, 3Com has restructured significantly and has cut more than 6,000 jobs, including two UK country managers.

Keith Humphreys, analyst at EuroLAN, said 3Com has had a rollercoaster ride over the past 10 years. "Its revenues peaked in 1997. The vendor is now at the level it was before it acquired US Robotics," he said.

Adrian Hurel, 3Com's former UK country manager, who now heads Allied Telesyn's European sales operation, said the current climate was forcing companies to alter structure.

"This is not a surprise because there is a lot of change in the marketplace, and companies have to move with these changes," he said.