Search results

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of the marketing strategy process in the relationship between innovativeness and organizational performance in SMEs.

The partial least squares-structural equation modeling technique was used to analyze data from Brazilian SMEs that belong to the software sector. Innovativeness was considered as a cultural aspect of the firm, which is related to being open to new ideas. The marketing strategy process was analyzed considering its two dimensions, i.e., formulation and implementation of marketing strategies. Organizational performance included variables of market, financial and innovation performance.

The results show that innovativeness positively influences organizational performance through the marketing strategy process. Specifically, the formulation of marketing strategies mediates the relationship between innovativeness and organizational performance. Implementation by itself does not mediate this relationship. When considering the path formulation→implementation as mediator, the influence is positive, i.e., formulation positively influences the implementation of marketing strategies and this path mediates the relationship between innovativeness and organizational performance. Therefore, the mediating role is stronger when considering the formulation-implementation path than when taking into account the activities of the formulation and implementation of marketing strategies separately.

This study contributes to the literature by discussing how innovativeness influences SMEs’ performance through subsequent stages of the marketing strategy process. This is one of the first studies to consider activities in the marketing strategy process as a mediator in the innovativeness-performance relationship and explore its sequence.

The purpose of this paper is to present taxonomy of marketing strategy concepts and integrative frameworks that differentiate and integrate its formulation and implementation processes.

The paper is conceptual based on a review of academic literature on marketing strategy chronicled in major marketing journals January 1990‐April 2006. We present selected references classified by key marketing strategy topics for further pursuit by interested readers. Also, the paper reflects our experience and views based on practices chronicled in corporate case studies and trade journals.

The literature casts marketing strategy formulation and implementation in the context of strategic planning and marketing strategy process models. The focus of the strategic planning model is on achieving corporate financial objectives through the implementation of product, pricing, promotion, and place (distribution) programs. The focus of the marketing strategy process model is on the formulation of segmentation, targeting, differentiation, and positioning strategies to create, communicate, and deliver the value to the customer resulting in gaining customer satisfaction and loyalty; i.e. marketing objectives.

The propositions and frameworks constitute guidelines useful in the process of marketing strategy formulations and implementation by practitioners and establish bases for academic researchers to test concept validity, examine concept differences, and explore concept relationships.

This paper advances propositions that clearly differentiate, but interrelate, marketing strategy formulation and implementation processes and recast the strategic planning financial‐oriented model and the marketing strategy process models into a set of frameworks to demonstrate that: the road to healthy financial results must first be paved by sound marketing strategies; explicitly state and underscore the role of branding and organizational strategies in mediating formulated marketing strategy into actionable marketing programs; and broaden the concept of firm orientation to reflect its role in mediating corporate strategy into a set of functional strategies including marketing.

The primary aim of this study is to gain insight into the entrepreneurial marketing strategy (EMS) decisions made by microenterprises in the craft sector and draw comparisons between the marketing strategy formulation and implementation of conventional businesses and those of craft-based microenterprises with a specific focus on the context of emerging markets, particularly India.

This paper follows a qualitative interpretivist paradigm using a multiple-case methodology approach. It tracks craft-based microenterprises that make furniture or home décor products in India. The study participants were the founders, principal designers, studio managers or craftspersons.

This study’s findings reveal that craft-based microenterprises implement an EMS that adopts a hybrid form of market orientation strategy. In this approach, the product or creative concept is at the centre of the decision-making, and the customer needs are factored in at a later stage for customisation. These microenterprises prioritise product positioning over segmentation and targeting strategies.

This study tries to understand marketing strategy decision-making processes among craft-based microenterprises in India. Given that study participants came from only two-product-based craft businesses, this limits the generalisability of the findings to similar or related contexts. This study provides a framework and methodology for replication in other contexts and industries to formulate a nuanced understanding of micro, context-specific, craft-based businesses.

This study uses qualitative analysis to understand EMS in craft-based businesses in India. This study contributes to this fledgling stream of literature at the interface of marketing and entrepreneurship to understand entrepreneurial marketing. This study analyses the marketing strategy of craft-based businesses using the framework of Morgan et al. (2019).

This paper explores if and how Artificial Intelligence can contribute to marketing strategy formulation.

Qualitative research based on exploratory in-depth interviews with industry experts currently working with artificial intelligence tools.

Key themes include: (1) Importance of AI in strategic marketing decision management; (2) Presence of AI in strategic decision management; (3) Role of AI in strategic decision management; (4) Importance of business culture for the use of AI; (5) Impact of AI on the business’ organizational model. A key consideration is a “creative-possibility perspective,” highlighting the future potential to use AI not only for rational but also for creative thinking purposes.

This work is focused only on strategy creation as a deliberate process. For this, AI can be used as an effective response to the external contingencies of high volumes of data and uncertain environmental conditions, as well as being an effective response to the external contingencies of limited managerial cognition. A key future consideration is a “creative-possibility perspective.”

A practical extension of the Gartner Analytics Ascendancy Model (Maoz, 2013).

This paper aims to contribute knowledge relating to the role of AI in marketing strategy formulation and explores the potential avenues for future use of AI in the strategic marketing process. This is explored through the lens of contingency theory, and additionally, findings are expressed using the Gartner analytics ascendancy model.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a customer relationship mining system (CRMS) to analyze the data collected from franchisees and formulates a marketing strategy based on customer demand and behavior.

The system makes use of cloud technology to collect and manage data among the franchisees. An integrated approach of association rule mining and the neural network technique is adopted to investigate customer behavioral patterns and to forecast sales demand, respectively.

The significance and contribution of this paper are demonstrated by adopting the CRMS in the education industry in Hong Kong. The findings led to the identification of student learning intentions such as course preferences, and the forecasting of enrolment demand in terms of demand forecast. It is believed that better resources allocation can be achieved and an increase in customer satisfaction is foreseeable.

The proposed CRMS could be applied to various franchising industries for effective marketing strategy formulation. However, since the data in this study are extracted from a specific industry, modifications may be required before the CRMS can be applied to other franchising industries.

This study presents a new application to convert data into useful knowledge, and provides useful insights for delivering strategic promotional plans under a franchising business model. Through the pilot study conducted in a franchising education center, the results demonstrate that the proposed CRMS is valuable in providing effective promotion to attract more customers, better preparation in resources allocation and more standardized methods to formulate marketing strategies in the franchising industry.

This chapter provides an overview of the marketing strategy development process in the commercialization of breakthrough technologies. Important concepts and elements that are considered critical when developing market applications are presented with emphasis on three key decisions: target market selection, segmentation, and positioning. These strategic decisions will guide the more tactical considerations relating to the specific elements, or marketing mix, of the product's marketing strategy. Marketing strategy development is a dynamic process impacted by many factors. This chapter highlights the dynamic nature of this process as well as provides insight into the fundamental considerations in strategy formulation.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of a coordinated marketing and operations strategy in goods and service producing business organizations. Customer engagement and co-production are imperative service delivery considerations, and therefore an aligned marketing and operations strategy is essential for the formulation, development, and effectiveness of managerial decisions especially for service sector firms.

The authors present arguments in support of this paper's primary objectives by reviewing past research that have introduced theoretical frameworks, empirical support and applications in support of the close coordination between marketing and operations strategy. The paper then describes how the inter-relationship between marketing and operations strategy impacts several managerial decisions.

The paper discusses several different types of managerial decisions within goods and service producing firms that require active interaction between marketing and operations. These decisions include aligning strategic priorities, new product development, service design, and experience design.

This paper is primarily theoretical and therefore does not include any new empirical data.

The inter-relationship between the marketing and operations functions is well known to practicing managers. However, they may not have a specific understanding of the academic research described in this paper that shows how firm performance can be further improved by better managing these interactions for specific managerial decisions.

This paper is theoretical and provides a comprehensive review of literature and a compelling argument for including marketing and operations strategy in the corporate executive suite. Therefore, this paper should be of interest to researchers and practitioners interested in the functional areas of marketing, operations, and strategy for service organizations.

An intelligent hybrid system, called GloStra (developed by the author), for developing global marketing strategy and associated Internet marketing strategy is reported in this paper. The hybrid system is built to integrate the strengths of expert systems, fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks and decision support technology; and to link the development of global marketing strategy with the formulation of associated Internet marketing strategy. In the paper, the system architecture, the functional modules of the hybrid system and other associated technical issues are addressed. The directions for further research in this field are also highlighted.

A framework for a hybrid intelligent support system is proposed, on the basis of a discussion of the main problems of current computer‐based support systems and the roles for computer‐based systems in developing marketing strategy. The objectives of the framework are: to integrate the strengths of different support techniques and technologies; to assist strategic analysis; to couple strategic analysis with managers’ judgement; to help managers deal with uncertainty; and to aid strategic thinking. Within this framework, the benefits of different strategic analysis models are combined to offer enhanced support for a logical sequence of strategic analysis, while the advantages of diverse support techniques and technologies are integrated and fitted to support different aspects of the marketing strategy development process. As well as the theoretical basis for the proposed framework, the paper also examines the associated technical issues.

This article highlights the role that marketing intelligence officers need to fulfill if they are to assist marketing strategists in a broad range of duties. The marketing literature incorporates several bodies of knowledge, and reference is made to corporate security and the work of organized criminal syndicates. The topics covered will be relevant to both academic researchers and practising managers.

The work is based on a review of a wide literature and various established and futuristic concerns have been highlighted. The paper can be viewed as a critical appreciation.

Marketing intelligence officers need to be given a wider role in order that they engage more fully in the analysis and interpretation of data and information. Marketing intelligence officers need to develop their skill and knowledge base, and adopt a proactive stance to strategy formulation and implementation. By raising their profile, marketing intelligence officers will be able to seek out future management challenges. Senior managers need to put in place an effective corporate security system.

There is a need to establish how facilitating technology such as the internet is going to transform the working environment for marketing staff. Marketing intelligence officers need to undertake research in order to establish how consumer groups and associations exercise their power.

Senior marketing managers need to ensure that more attention is given to management development programs for marketing intelligence officers. The customer service management process needs to match more closely customer expectations with customer satisfaction levels.

A company’s vulnerability is highlighted and corporate security is linked to marketing. The usefulness of marketing intelligence systems and processes are made public, and so too is the strategic marketing concept.