Marketing
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Item Rethinking ‘marketing as applied economics’(SAGE Open, 2022) Mark TadajewskiThis paper makes three intertwined arguments. Firstly, marketing is not simply an outgrowth of economics. Secondly, it is indebted to metaphysical, psychical and psychological research which provided the conditions of possibility for theorising marketplace interaction in our early history. Thirdly, marketing thinking has been and remains inflected by a position labelled ‘practical idealism’. It is a contrast to the ‘practical realism’ which also subtends our discipline. Adopting a genealogical approach, we explicate the threads of practical idealism weaved across Prentice Mulford, Thomson J. Hudson and A.F. Sheldon’s prominent works. Mulford provides the contours of the intellectual landscape. Hudson extends Mulford’s assumption grounds. Sheldon combines the articulations of Mulford, Hudson and studies in psychical research, outlining the viability of hypnosis and telepathy in sales practice. To distance itself from hypnosis and associations of manipulation, ‘suggestion’ was the epistemological-political replacement promoted by marketing theorists. Discursive transmutation was achieved through epistemological deviation. Epistemological deviation is conceptualised as the dismissal of and disengagement from a theoretical or hypothetical account without the consid eration of appropriate evidence. W.D. Scott’s treatment of telepathy is an exemplar of episte mological deviation. It is a complete departure from the tenets of intellectual inquiry. What this means is that the promotion of psychology into marketing was accomplished – in part – by the abdication of critical reflection and not by its extension.Item Moral Entrepreneurialism for the Hamburger: Strategies for Marketing a Contested Fast Food(SAGE Open, 2022) Natália Otto; Josée Johnston; Shyon BaumannRecent research has extended the concept of moral entrepreneurialism to corporate actors. We build on this research to investigate how corporations succeed in this effort by uncovering the strategies and tools they employ as moral entrepreneurs. To do so, we examine the corporate discourse of three prominent fast-food firms to identify how they present hamburgers as good food, in a context where beef is increasingly criticized as morally suspect. Based on a discourse analysis of corporate communications and marketing campaigns, we identify three distinct discursive strategies for managing meat criticisms: (1) global managerialism (McDonald’s); (2) aestheticized simplicity (A&W); and (3) nostalgic, personalized appeals (Wendy’s). These strategies are realized through the use of informational tools to shape what customers think and know about beef, and affective tools to influence how customers feel about beef. Together, these corporate strategies speak to the skilful ability of corporate actors to respond to socio environmental criticisms. Our case shows how fast-food market actors are able to incorporate critique and offer messages that seek to allow people to feel good about eating beef. This case is relevant to understanding the tools that corporations use to be effective moral entrepreneurs. It also provides a deeper understanding of marketing discourse at the nexus of social problems and consumption choicesItem Matching the Needs in an Emerging Market: An Investigation of Multinational Companies’ Marketing Strategies by Using the 4As Framework(SAGE Open, 2023) Gro AlterenMaking the multinational companies’ (MNCs) products attractive among the low- and the high-income consumers is challenging in an emerging market. This study uses the 4As framework (affordability, accessibility, acceptability and awareness) to investigate the marketing activities that three Western companies from the industries such as telecoms, brewery and decorative paint implemented to match the needs in the Indian market. By proposing to split affordability into three categories, the study extends the 4As framework. Three general strategies emerged, each one composed of six 4As marketing activities. The strategies, one for each industry, show different approaches to how companies could develop the demand for their products. Each strategy is linked to one of the three categories of affordability: (a) Serving consumers across economic classes (affordable to everyone). (b) Serving consumers looking for an international lifestyle (affordable to the mainstream and the premium segments). (c) Serving consumers seeking a higher level of materialism (affordable to the premium segment). The study presents theoretical and managerial implications, and suggestions for future research.Item Knowledge for sale: The construction of desired knowledge and identities in edu-marketing(SAGE Open, 2023) Margareta SerderThe aim of this study is to examine how a particular object for consumption, professional development for teachers and principals, is marketed to schools, and what propositions and understandings are embedded in such offers. Adopting a conceptualization of marketing as a “perpetual questioning machine,” the study deploys and develops a theoretical approach from marketing studies to a new context: edu-marketing. The study is guided by the assumption that marketing functions as projection screen for the products and services offered to schools, but, also as a social and cultural space where dreams and desires are performed and governed. As such, marketing to school is not exclusively about selling things; but about what to be or who to become. Besides the theoretical contribution, the study contributes with empirical knowledge about (1) what concerns and desires this marketing “questioning machine” mobilizes and circulates and (2) how objects for consumption are de/stabilized in the education market. Thereby, it demonstrates some of the intricate relations between the growing education market and the values that those who work in schools are invited to strive for. It is argued that consumption at the education market-place is a question of identity, and therefore of branding and possible success.Item Key Success Factors (KSFs) Underlying the Adoption of Social Media Marketing Technology(SAGE Open, 2021) Sunday C. Eze; Vera C. A. Chinedu-Eze; Hart O. AwaIn developing world, most decisions by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt social media marketing technology (SMMT) rely heavily on study findings from the Western World without much recourse to cross-context differences in structure and managerial capabilities. Thus, the lack of inquiries that provide complete guideline on the adoption of SMMT in developing economies hinders the development of integrated framework(s) that explains MSMEs’ successful adoption. The study used technology–organization–environment (T-O-E) framework as the theoretical basis to examine the critical factors that stimulate MSMEs adoption of SMMT in Nigeria. The adopted methodological choice was qualitative, involving interviews with 20 participants selected from the online directories via purposive and snowball sampling techniques. However, thematic analysis was the data treatment technique; and the study extended the T-O-E framework to provide an understanding into the dominant factors that specifically influence MSMEs’ adoption, without losing sight of vendors who would rely on the extended framework to get audiences continually satisfied.Item Improvised Marketing Interventions in Social Media(SAGE Open, 2020) Abhishek Borah; Sourindra Banerjee; Yu-Ting Lin; Apurv Jain; Andreas B. EisingerichOnline virality has attracted the attention of academics and marketers who want to identify the characteristics of online content that promote sharing. This article adds to this body of research by examining the phenomenon of improvised marketing inter ventions (IMIs)—social media actions that are composed and executed in real time proximal to an external event. Using the concept of quick wit, and theorizing that the effect of IMIs is furthered by humor and timeliness or unanticipation, the authors find evidence of these effects on both virality and firm value across five multimethod studies, including quasiexperiments, experiments, and archival data analysis. These findings point to the potential of IMIs in social media and to the features that firms should proactively focus on managing in order to reap the observed online sharing and firm value benefits.Item Fake news or true lies? Reflections about problematic contents in marketing(SAGE Open, 2020) Di Domenico, Giandomenico; Visentin, MarcoAbstract Scholars in different scientific fields and practitioners are analyzing the rise of production and diffusion of fake news and problematic information that is rapidly contaminating the digital world. Although problematic information might seriously affect brands, marketing and consumer behavior research is surprisingly limited. This article aims to provide a research agenda for marketing by analyzing the previous literature and identifying relevant insights suggested by different disciplines. Based on the review of 86 interdisciplinary scientific papers and 5 managerial reports, we speculate on future avenues for consumer behavior, marketing strategy, and marketing ethics research about fake news and problematic information.Item Exploring Mistakes and Failures in Social Marketing: The Inside Story(SAGE Open, 2021) Cook, Julie; Lynes, Jennifer; Fries, SarahBackground: Social marketing successes are relatively well-documented, but mistakes and failures in the field are not. When mistakes and failures are reported, they are usually on an ad hoc basis, as opposed to a systematic gathering of evidence. This paper is the second half of a two-part research study that aims to understand the perceptions of social marketing professionals with regard to mis takes and failures in the field. Focus: This article is related to research and evaluation of the social marketing field. Research Question: What are the perceptions of the social marketing community regarding mis takes and failures in the field? Importance to the field: A greater understanding of mistakes and failures in the social marketing field will assist practitioners to assess their own shortcomings, address causes of mistakes and failures, and improve program outcomes. Method: This research is qualitative and exploratory, with a constructivist, grounded theory meth odology. Surveys were completed by 100 social marketing community members. Survey data was analyzed and coded using SPSS software and Microsoft Excel. Results: According to the analyzed survey data, the social marketing community believes that inad equate research, poor strategy development, and mismanagement of stakeholders are the most common mistakes made by social marketers. Further, weak evaluation and monitoring is considered to be the “least well-managed” program element. Poor strategy development, external influences, and poorly designed program and behavioral objectives are considered to be the primary reasons for social marketing program failure. Recommendations for research or practice: Future research may explore the extent to which external influences lead to social marketing program success or failure, particularly in comparison to mistakes made by social marketers. Additionally, practitioners should be aware of and develop stra tegies to mitigate common mistakes and failures in order to improve program outcomes. Limitations: The 100 social marketing professionals who responded to the survey are not repre sentative of the global social marketing community. Further, responses were based on self-report rather than direct observation, which may make them more susceptible to biasItem Analytics Capability in Marketing Education: A Practice-Informed Model(SAGE Open, 2021) Kurtzke, Simone; Setkute, JustinaAs marketing continues to be transformed by technology and the explosion of big data, academic research has identified a significant need for analytics skills in marketing education. However, it is unclear whether current curriculum approaches to marketing analytics equip students with the skills employers need and prepare them effectively for data-driven marketing roles. This study identifies the knowledge and skills marketing graduates require for analytics practice to bridge the theory practice gap and increase students’ employability. Our research reveals that a blend of knowledge, soft and technical skills is needed, and that the ability to communicate insights from data to stakeholders is critical. We offer a practice-informed model which demonstrates that conceptual knowledge, technical skills, tools skills and soft skills are required to develop holistic analytics capability for marketing practice. Actionable takeaways for how educators can embed holistic analytics teaching in marketing education are also provided.Item A Scoping Review of the Effect of Content Marketing on Online Consumer Behavior(SAGE Open, 2022) Charmaine du PlessisNotwithstanding the body of research on the characteristics and benefits of content marketing as a digital marketing strategy, evidence of how online consumer behavior is affected by digital brand content remains inconclusive. The current state results from the scattered and fragmented literature about content marketing which impedes a full understanding of scientific results that confirm the effect of content marketing activities on online consumer behavior. The purpose of this scoping review was therefore to provide a broad synopsis of pertinent studies in a structured and comprehensive way over 12years. The scoping review upheld the five-stage framework of Arksey and O’Malley and was guided by the principles of PRISMA-ScR and the JBI Methodological guidelines. In doing so, the findings from 32 studies conducted in 21 different countries were analyzed and suggestions made for future research. The results not only synthesize existing empirical evidence of the causal linkage between content marketing and online consumer behavior but also identify some knowledge gaps in the literature to guide future studies.