Marketing communication of modern enterprises in the era of digital economy

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to present the digital nature of the marketing communications of companies located in Poland by determining the digital-based activities they undertake in their marketing communications with stakeholders. The study assumes that the digital nature of their marketing communications is determined by their business profile, form of ownership, ownership capital and the number of employees they employ. Design/methodology/approach: The survey was conducted on a sample of 225 enterprises in July-September 2020 throughout Poland (16 provinces). The sample selection was stratified and random. The method used in the study was a diagnostic survey. Findings: The survey results show that a sizable percentage of companies located in Poland have some catching up to do in basic digital functions in the area of stakeholder communication. On the other hand, enterprises using digital solutions in marketing communications boast a fair amount of diversity in them, making the integration of digital instruments and solutions a feature. The undertaking of selected marketing activities by organizations is determined by various attributes of the organization, i.e. business profile, form of ownership, especially their size and ownership capital. Research limitations/implications: The results of the survey call for a broader and more in depth analysis of the digital activity of modern enterprises in the area of marketing communications. This includes, first and foremost, learning about the determinants of the deficiencies manifested by a sizable percentage of companies in this area, which would make it possible, perhaps, to remove the barriers to these companies becoming more digital in the area of communication with stakeholders. Practical implications: The results of the research prove that among the surveyed attributes of organizations, it is the form of ownership and size of the enterprise that most differentiates them in terms of the digital solutions used in marketing communications. Sole proprietorships are less likely to use such solutions than partnerships and limited liability companies, and companies employing between 10 and 49 people are less likely to use such solutions than medium-sized and large companies. They are the ones that should accelerate the implementation of digital solutions in marketing activities first. This would require building a management culture conducive to change and based on an understanding of the role of new technologies, which are now becoming a guarantor of their success. Social implications: Better understanding of the business impact of digital marketing tools. Originality/value: The article is primarily of cognitive value, emphasizing the importance of digital solutions used in marketing communications by modern companies. Consequently, it can be an element that stimulates the management of modern organizations to seek and apply marketing instruments using the latest digital solutions to reach specific groups of stakeholders. Keywords: marketing communications, digital economy, digital technologies in marketing communications. Category of the paper: research paper.