Strategic Marketing Issues Research Articles

E-commerce channel management on the manufacturers’ side: ongoing debates and future research pathways

AbstractSince the beginning of the 2000s, online commerce has been gradually taking over and shaping the global marketplace. This has led several scholars to study the phenomenon from different angles, from consumer habits to privacy risks to related technological innovations. However, only recently has a branch of literature addressing the online channel management phenomenon from the manufacturers’ perspective emerged. This rapidly expanding literature strand remains rather fragmented, raising the need for a systematic literature review to comprehensively structure and discuss it. This study, accordingly, proposes a systematic literature review on online channel management from the manufacturers’ perspective. Firstly, it provides relevant bibliometric insights into the ongoing research on the topic. Secondly, applying the bibliographic coupling methodology individuates 92 interconnected contributions published by 31 December 2021. Three different, albeit interconnected, thematic clusters are discovered and reviewed, revealing their focus on (a) strategic marketing issues around manufacturervsretailer conflict, (b) pricing policies and trade-offs among pricevsservices, and (c) operational interactions and strategies between supply chain members. Finally, after a systematic literature review the authors develop thirteen original research propositions concerning new research pathways and theoretical advancements to be designed and implemented.

BREAKFAST GONE BAD … the case of Kellogg’s rice Krispies®

Learning outcomes After having discussed the case, the reader will be able to analyse the dangers associated with product changes; contrast various strategic marketing issues that can be considered when implementing changes, including marketing communication and the use of social media; motivate an approach to customer complaints and comments on the launch of a new product; and comment on the ethical issues associated with new product launches. Case overview/synopsis Marketers are focused on satisfying customers’ needs, and no organisation would deliberately offend or alienate customers. Occasionally, organisations make decisions that anger customers as they do not understand the reasoning behind them. Sometimes, the decision is the correct one and once the company has clarified the reason behind it, the customer adjusts to the new situation. At other times, the consumer refuses to accept the decision and abandons the organisation or the specific product. This situation indicates some important negative outcomes for companies when making changes to product formulas. Social media allows customers to complain and comment, adding visibility to the situation. All these factors contribute to presenting management with a challenge in dealing with this situation, considering the needs of the company and balancing them with the customer reactions. Complexity academic level Third-year strategic marketing students MBA students (marketing courses) Supplementary materials Teaching notes (and necessary annexures) permissions. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.

Strategic Marketing Issues for an Emerging Market Firm to go Global

Emerging markets, as of recent times, are going through phases of liberalization towards market economies, increasing privatization, and are witnessing an emphasis of emerging markets’ governments towards globalization. There has been a rise in the contribution of emerging market firms to the economies of emerging markets. A study with a purpose to conceptualize strategic marketing issues for an emerging market firm to go global is significant, given that success in overseas marketing ventures is critical to sustain the phases of globalization. The challenge is to enter, obtain market share, and sustain in advanced economies and other emerging markets. This paper attempts to address the conceptualization and the challenge. The method of the study is to (i) define strategic marketing, outline and distinguish the different types of firms marketing overseas – international, multinational, and transnational / global; and (ii) analyze using extant literature, the aspects and issues of global entry and implementation of global marketing strategy. The study, post analysis, conceptualizes and postulates three moderating success factors, wherein consideration of these factors will aid the emerging market firm in improving its performance (i) acculturation processes in global businesses; (ii) achievement of global marketing synergies; and (iii) the importance of overcoming global negatives. Given that conditions for global entry and implementing global marketing strategy are met, and the three success moderating factors are addressed, the study recognizes that it is necessary to address the competitive forces in the global environment to be able to obtain an optimal share of the market. The study includes a discussion based on an in-depth interview with a leading garment exporter in Bangalore, India, to understand global entry and global marketing strategy implementation. In conclusion, it can be stated that that (i) an explicit process to address global negatives is required to overcome the perceptual gap of emerging market firms on deliverables; (ii) explicit attention to the achievement of global market synergies has to be given by global marketing strategists.

Bases of Market Segmentation Success: A Marketing Decision Makers’ Perspective

Market segmentation is an important instrument in strategic marketing and regarded as a key element of marketing strategy (Palmer & Millier, 2004; Hooley, Piercy & Nicoulaud 2012). It is viewed as a basis for superior financial performance (Cravens & Piercy, 2013). In marketing literature, it is often also referred to as marketings Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP) process. For a while now, there is criticism against market segmentations usefulness to marketing practitioners by marketing academics. For instance, Foedermayr and Diamantopoulos’ (2008) analysis of market segmentation practices indicated a need for market segmentation research that could be generalized with more confidence. Their literature review revealed that most segmentation research deals with how it should be done and not with how it is actually done. Reibstein, Day and Wind, (2009) asserted that marketing academics neglect to develop applicable models for critical and strategic marketing issues have created a vacuum between academics and their marketing counterparts in practice. In a sense it also marginalized marketing as a discipline that should add value to executives who are looking for solutions to the problems they face in a fast changing market space. After his research Quinn (2009) concluded that there is little practical advice in marketing literature for marketers on how to choose variables, identify segments, controlling performance in segments or how to follow a process in doing all this. The research was based on segmentation practices from apparel retail managers in the United Kingdom. Lastly, Harrison and Kjellberg (2010) concluded that there could be other ways to segment markets than what the segmentation process literature suggests. While marketing theory suggests that market segmentation is a determinant of marketing success, it is not clear to what extent marketing decision makers share this sentiment. The most pertinent finding of the review in this paper is that there is no uniform way of market segmentation that can be used by marketers. Marketing academics have, for some time now, urged their colleagues to come up with research that will be useful for marketing practitioners.

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Marketing Strategies for Foreign Expansion of Companies Originating in Small and Open Economies: The Consequences of Strategic Fit and Performance

This study examines the marketing strategies of companies originating in small and open economies as they expand into foreign markets. It distinguishes two major globalization paths (that of born globals and that of globalizing internationals), contrasts them with traditional internationalizers, and describes their characteristics. It then outlines a framework and hypotheses regarding the marketing strategies used in foreign expansion and examines them empirically in the information and communication technology field. The authors examine two important strategic marketing issues: the breadth of product offering and the standardization of marketing strategies across countries. The empirical results show that foreign expansion path, foreign business experience, and external globalization pressure have an impact on the selection of marketing strategies. The study also finds that the fit between these contextual factors and the standardization of marketing strategy has a positive effect on performance. The novel results regarding the importance of foreign expansion paths in the selection of marketing strategies have important implications for both academicians and practitioners in the field of international marketing.

Sports sponsorship moves into the fast lane (strategic marketing issues involved in UK sports sponsorship)

Sports sponsorship moves into the fast lane (strategic marketing issues involved in UK sports sponsorship)

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Pan-European Marketing Ten Years After 1993–A Current Appraisal and Proposed Conceptual Framework

SUMMARY Ten years ago there was considerable discussion of “pan-European” marketing in response to the Single European Market. This article reviews the strategic marketing issues facing Europe today. Based upon the core issue of segmentation, it outlines a countervailing set of drivers towards and against European convergence, and proposes a European marketing convergence framework. Evidence is found for increasing European convergence. The article then examines the implications for marketing decisions and outlines some of the resulting strategic marketing options. Over the ten-year period since the symbolic SEM date of 1993, pan-European marketing appears to be an emerging reality.

How to develop a strategic marketing plan: a step-by-step guide

Two-thirds of rapid-growth firms use written business plans, according to Price, Waterhouse, Coopers 1998 Trendsetter Barometer. The survey also states that firms with written plans grow faster, achieve a higher proportion of revenues from new products and services, and enable CEOs to manage more critical business functions. How to Develop a Strategic Marketing Plan is both innovative and pragmatic in its approach. It explains how to combine the strategic vision of long-term business planning with the action-oriented thrust of a short-term marketing plan. Planning forms and guidelines for customizing your own Strategic Market Plan (SMP) are available for download from the CRC Press website. Just go to the download tab located with the book's description.Actual case histories - from companies such as Campbell Soup, Co., Texas Instruments, Inc., and Quaker State Corp. - illustrate how business-building opportunities translate into strategies and tactics. They demonstrate the compelling relationship between internal organizational functions and external market conditions, the long- and short-term strategic marketing issues and the advantages of developing an SMP.Strategic market planning shapes the future of business. In its broadest dimension it sets in motion actions that impact long term prosperity. How to Develop a Strategic Marketing Plan gives you the tools to generate a credible strategic marketing plan so your organization can survive in the 21st century.