Purpose Although design-related issues have attracted increasing attention in the marketing literature, a deeper understanding of strategic design orientation and its interplay with market orientation in generating new product advantage remains lacking. Design/methodology/approach To test the proposed model, the authors collected data through a cross-sectional survey of new product development (NPD) project teams operating in manufacturing firms in the USA, South Korea and Japan, known for their leadership in product development. The authors use hierarchical linear modeling and Hayes’ PROCESS Model 4 to empirically test the model with a sample of 402 usable sets. Findings The authors demonstrate that market orientation and strategic design orientation interact positively to enhance new product advantage, extending prior research on the complementarities of strategic orientations; although strategic design orientation shows no direct effect, its combination with market orientation produces a super-additive impact, underscoring the importance of integrating these two perspectives. The findings reveal different pathways through which the two orientations operate; they are complementary not only in perspective, but also in their mechanisms of influence: market orientation has a positive effect on new product advantage through both direct and indirect effects through functional and emotional value, while strategic design orientation has no direct effect on new product advantage but has a significant indirect effect on new product advantage through the functional value as well as a marginally significant indirect effect through emotional value. Research limitations/implications The data analyzed are cross-sectional and longitudinal data may be needed to fully assess the proposed relationships across the product development process and product lifecycle. Other variables worth investigating include alternative strategic orientations, as well as alternative mediating variables. Practical implications For scholars and practitioners, the findings highlight the need to better balance and explore the complex relationship between market and strategic design orientations in influencing new product advantage through functional and emotional values in new product management. Originality/value Therefore, this study aims to disentangle the relationship between market and strategic design orientations, as well as their interaction and influence on key performance outcomes. In addition, the authors introduce the important mediating variables of functional value and emotional value to examine the indirect effects of market and strategic design orientations on new product advantage.

Purpose This study aims to identify the key challenges hindering the growth of Indigenous entrepreneurship and proposes strategies to overcome these obstacles, with the objective of fostering sustainable development while preserving Indigenous crafts. The study emphasises the role of entrepreneurship in revitalizing tribal heritage and contributing to economic growth. Design/methodology/approach The research uses the best–worst method (BWM) to systematically analyze and prioritize the challenges faced by tribal entrepreneurs. Through an extensive review of literature and expert consultations, the study groups these challenges into marketing, economic, policy, technological and sociocultural categories, and suggests strategic solutions to address them. Findings The primary findings highlight that funding limitations, lack of technical skills, market competition and generational shifts are the most significant barriers to Indigenous entrepreneurship. The study recommends several strategies, including strategic branding and marketing campaigns, digital literacy programs and microfinance initiatives, as the most effective solutions to mitigate these challenges. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study presents a unique framework for addressing the barriers to Indigenous entrepreneurship. By integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern entrepreneurial strategies, it provides policymakers and stakeholders with actionable insights to ensure the sustainability of tribal heritage and foster economic development.

Purpose Public procurement is increasingly recognised as a tool for governing and shaping supply markets. Yet we still know little about how local authorities engage in market shaping through contracting practices, especially in newly decentralized markets. This study investigates the role of awareness, motivation and capabilities (AMC) in how municipalities influence (or fail to influence) social care markets, and how these dynamics manifest in contracting practice. Design/methodology/approach We combine secondary data with semi-structured interviews conducted with procurement professionals across municipalities, regional consortia, and expert organizations. The case context is Dutch social services procurement, which transitioned to a decentralised market in 2015. The AMC framework is used to classify buyer archetypes and explain variation in market-shaping behaviour across municipalities. Findings Municipalities shape social care markets, although not always intentionally. We identify four buyer archetypes (Disengaged, Aspiring, Short-sighted, Strategic Steward). We further introduce a fifth archetype, the Market Drifter, capturing municipalities that shift contracting approaches reactively. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on strategic procurement and market governance by showing how local authorities influence markets along a spectrum from unconscious to deliberate shaping. Applying AMC highlights gaps in awareness, motivation and capability and points to activities (e.g. collaboration, capacity building) that can address these weaknesses. The findings offer both theoretical value, linking procurement to market-shaping debates, and practical guidance by stressing contextual fit rather than a one-size-fits-all path to strategic stewardship.

Detecting strategic bidding and market manipulation in electricity markets: An ARMAX–GARCH anomaly-detection framework with evidence from Turkiye

Core facilities provide indispensable access to advanced instrumentation, technical expertise, and support services that enable research, with impact extending beyond the university level to the broader scientific community. Despite their pivotal role in driving discovery, many cores face persistent challenges in achieving sustainability, visibility, and user engagement, particularly in changing funding environments. A survey was conducted of current marketing practices by core facilities to identify common approaches and their perceived effectiveness. All marketing methods surveyed were rated as slightly to moderately effective, underscoring the need to improve current tactics or pursue entirely new ones. This paper presents a practical framework for strategic marketing in core facilities that integrates established business methodologies with the operational realities of shared research infrastructure. Particular focus will be placed on self-evaluation (SWOT), setting measurable goals (SMART), and creating content that provides value to potential users (Value Proposition). The core facility marketing method emphasises developing a clear, engaging plan that leverages the core staff's strengths and aligns with institutional priorities. Even with the limitations faced by core facilities, marketing is a practical tool for strengthening scientific and community impact while also supporting long-term operational viability.

“We’re semi-intentional”: exploring the internal administration of strategic marketing in sport-based youth development organizations

ABSTRACT Segmentation has long been a cornerstone of strategic marketing, grounded in the recognition that markets are inherently heterogeneous and that effective strategies must reflect meaningful differences in customer needs and responses. However, its relevance and practical applicability have been widely debated in recent years, alongside the emergence of numerous alternative approaches. Historically, advances in computational power have enabled increasingly sophisticated segmentation techniques. More recently, rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI), data availability, and methods has opened up new possibilities while also raising the question of whether segmentation in its traditional form may become obsolete. Against this backdrop, this Special Issue on the revitalization of segmentation was conceived. It aims to encourage scholars to reassess established approaches, incorporate technological developments, and develop novel frameworks. The contributions advance theory guided and data enabled segmentation to improve targeting, pricing, and the estimation of segment specific effects. Modern machine learning techniques help uncover latent structures in high dimensional data, enhancing segment formation and predictive performance, while emerging approaches leverage unstructured data such as text to identify segment level drivers and strategic groups. At the same time, the growing reliance on data intensive methods highlights the importance of data quality, validation, and governance to avoid misguided decisions. Overall, the contributions in this Special Issue demonstrate that segmentation is far from obsolete. On the contrary, the opportunities for segmentation research are greater than ever, calling on researchers to revitalize the field.

This study aims to develop and validate the VOUSH (value orientation for users and society in healthcare) measurement scale, with a view to measuring how healthcare organizations offer value in an integrated way to both users and society. The theoretical framework combined approaches from experiential marketing and health - the foundations of VOUSH - taking into consideration business management, care management, value co-creation, digital technologies, user experience, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and value in healthcare. The methodology included two quantitative studies. The first, which was exploratory in nature, involved 213 users and health professionals, with a questionnaire and exploratory factor analysis being applied to identify dimensions of VOUSH. The second, confirmatory study included 169 managers (decision-makers) and used structural equation modeling for validation. The scale revealed three dimensions of VOUSH, namely user experience in healthcare, CSR in healthcare, and digital healthcare, with the results reinforcing the importance of these dimensions in aligning organizational practices with social and individual demands in healthcare. The scale is useful for assessing the degree of strategic maturity of healthcare organizations in offering shared value, which is a construct with high practical potential for the strategic marketing management of healthcare organizations.

ABSTRACT This study identifies the strategic marketing factors for the success of health tourism using a multi‐method approach involving a content analysis of the literature and a meta‐analysis. We extracted 14 strategic marketing factors and classified them into four categories based on Drucker's strategic marketing theory: competitiveness, market, environment, and business factors. Using a meta‐analysis, we estimated the magnitude of the effect sizes between these factors and the success of health tourism and investigated the moderating effects of the developmental status of the host country on these relationships. The study finds that all 14 strategic marketing factors are significantly associated with the success of health tourism. While most strategy factors exhibit a stronger relationship with the success of health tourism for developing countries, the relationship between competitive pricing and the success of health tourism is stronger for developed nations. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Indian industrial firms operating in business-to-business (B2B) markets are expanding into emerging economies, yet selecting an appropriate market entry route remains a complex strategic decision. This study examines how Indian firms dealing in specialized and high-complexity industrial goods evaluate key entry options such as exporting, licensing, partnerships, joint ventures, and wholly owned subsidiaries. Using a qualitative multi-case approach supported by industry data, expert insights, and comparative analysis from sectors including nutraceutical ingredients, industrial machinery, and medical devices, the research identifies major determinants influencing entry-mode choice. Product complexity, regulatory requirements, buyer expectations, firm capabilities, market uncertainty, and competitive intensity emerged as the most influential drivers. The study proposes a decision-making framework that aligns internal competencies with external market conditions, offering exploratory insights into how firms may evaluate risk, cost, and control trade-offs when selecting entry strategies. The findings contribute to the limited literature on outward internationalization of Indian B2B firms and offer practical strategic guidance for managers entering highly regulated and technologically demanding global markets.

ABSTRACT This study evaluates Kyrgyzstan’s health tourism potential through a holistic, stakeholder-based approach and proposes a sustainable development model for the sector. Using a qualitative design, structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants, including academics, physicians, and tourism professionals, and data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings indicate three core domains of potential: thermal and wellness resources, medical tourism services, and traditional sanatorium systems. Although natural and cultural assets offer strong advantages, institutional capacity gaps limit effective development. The study concludes with a comprehensive model emphasizing strategic planning, quality enhancement, investment, marketing, and governance mechanisms to support sustainable health tourism growth.

Problem definition: Interest rates on loans are often influenced by market prospects. Under asymmetric information, firms may attempt to signal strong prospects to lenders by over-borrowing. However, publicly revealing confidence in the market can also intensify competition. Motivated by these observations, we examine a firm’s financing and information disclosure strategy. Methodology/results: We develop a game-theoretical model where a firm with private information about the market prospect competes in quantity against a representative competitor. The firm has a limited amount of internal capital and must borrow from lenders to finance production. We show that when borrowing information is publicly accessible, the firm’s strategy depends on its capital needs and the level of competition. If capital needs are high and competition is low, the firm over-finances under strong market prospects to secure a lower interest rate. Conversely, if capital needs are low and competition is high, the firm under-finances under weak market prospects to reduce competitive pressure. Interestingly, in other scenarios, these opposing incentives neutralize each other, leading to a first-best outcome. We further explore private financing, where borrowing information remains undisclosed, forcing the competitor to rely on prior market information. We find that public financing generally dominates private financing under intense competition, but it can also be advantageous when competition is low and capital needs are high. Managerial implications: Our findings suggest that, under information asymmetry and competition, external borrowing can sometimes be beneficial by creating a counterbalancing force, and a slight increase in competition is not always detrimental when financing needs exist. History: This paper was selected as part of the 1RR initiative between the M&SOM Journal and the MSOM Society. This paper was part of the 2024 MSOM Service Operations SIG Conference. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2025.0243 .

ABSTRACT This study examines the impacts of Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU), Geopolitical Risk (GPR), and Climate Policy Uncertainty (CPU) on leading tourism stock markets in the US, Italy, Türkiye, the UK, and Japan using monthly data from July 2009 to October 2025. The study employs Wavelet Quantile‐on‐Quantile Regression (WQQR) and Wavelet Quantile‐on‐Quantile Granger Causality (WQQGC) to analyze relationships across various frequencies and market states. WQQR indicates that risk and uncertainty impact on tourism market are country‐specific, regime‐dependent, and time‐varying. Short‐term impacts are largely neutral, except at extreme quantiles; long‐term impacts are predominantly negative across all markets. WQQGC analysis confirms these findings. Consequently, the study emphasizes dynamic, regime‐dependent tourism policies that prioritize transparent regulatory frameworks, strategic market diversification, and sustainable transition financing. Strengthening institutional resilience and maintaining predictable policy environments are essential to mitigate the long‐term erosive effects of multidimensional global risks on the tourism sector.

Health and spa tourism is a rapidly growing sector that merges traditional healing with modern innovations to meet increasingly diverse client needs. Understanding professionals’ perspectives is crucial for developing sustainable strategies that enhance service quality, organizational performance, and long-term business viability. Drawing on qualitative narrative analysis and thematic network analysis, this study explores the key factors that spa tourism professionals in Băile Felix—the largest spa resort in Romania—associate with business success, competitive differentiation, and sustainable development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 41 entrepreneurs and managers who provided detailed narratives on their strategic goals and market positioning. Rather than measuring customer psychological constructs directly, this study captures professionals’ expert attributions regarding service quality, staff professionalism, infrastructure investment, and economic objectives, and interprets these as managerial perceptions grounded in operational experience. Five research propositions guided the interpretive analysis: (P1) professionals narratively associate service quality and treatment diversity with perceived business performance and guest retention signals; (P2) staff professionalism and attitude are attributed as the primary drivers of competitive differentiation; (P3) infrastructure investment and innovation are framed as prerequisites for sustaining market positioning; (P4) the identified themes form a structurally interconnected network with key bridging nodes; and (P5) professional narratives reveal tensions between short-term economic objectives and longer-term commitments to service quality and sustainability. Thematic network analysis identified four central constructs—service quality and treatment diversity, staff professionalism and attitude, innovation and infrastructure investment, and economic and development objectives—and mapped 16 interconnected sub-themes, with modularity analysis (Q = 0.42) confirming a moderately cohesive structure. Sustainable innovation was operationalized across environmental efficiency, social value, and economic resilience dimensions, and found to be embedded systemically across multiple thematic clusters rather than treated as an isolated practice. The originality of this study lies in integrating narrative and thematic network analysis to reveal how these constructs co-evolve within a sustainability-oriented system, offering a novel methodological lens for spa tourism research in post-transitional Central and Eastern European contexts. Findings provide actionable insights for spa managers, policymakers, and investors seeking to balance modernization with tradition in resource-constrained destinations.

ABSTRACT Small businesses are the backbone of economies, but often struggle to strategically implement digitalization and achieve long-term benefits. With many adopting a predominantly tactical approach, the extant literature offers limited strategic insights to support small firms. This paper examines digitalization from a strategic marketing perspective, focusing on environmental, organizational, and interorganizational factors to deliver sustainable outcomes. A qualitative study was conducted transculturally across two contrasting contexts: Brazil and the UK. Building on Marketing Systems Theory, the study contributes by offering a holistic view and demonstrating that marketing operates within a network of interconnected actors embedded in broader institutional environments. The findings reveal that external factors, while important, can function as either opportunities or threats, while internal mindsets emerge as the critical differentiator, highlighting the pivotal role of leadership in driving change. The study also shows how digitalization unfolds as an iterative and path-dependent process shaped by firm capabilities and context. This paper advances small business literature and offers managerial guidelines for making strategic decisions when implementing digitalization.

Ukraine’s aircraft engine manufacturers operate under unprecedented wartime pressure and volatile global markets. This study explores strategic marketing alternatives for Ukrainian aircraft engine manufacturers using industrial marketing approaches. It identifies key challenges faced by high-tech enterprises during wartime and shows that success depends on three factors: leveraging core competencies through strategic partnerships, implementing managerial decentralization, and divesting non-core assets. The research proposes a decision-making matrix for selecting restructuring models and offers practical recommendations for building resilient, competitive marketing strategies in conditions of uncertainty and transformation.

ABSTRACT Rather than viewing non-fungible tokens (nfts) as a novel art form, this research reconceptualizes them as a technologically mediated mode of consumption defined by the possession of access. Drawing on strategic marketing and cultural consumption theory, it distinguishes intrinsic and symbolic art-value orientations from infrastructural legitimacy mechanisms embedded in blockchain-enabled access systems. Nfts are theorized to restructure authentication, participation, and distribution in the art markets. The results of two qualitative studies show that perceiving nfts as a novel consumption mode and digital ecosystem drives enjoyment, whereas intrinsic art-value orientations exert limited influence on immediate engagement but shape forward-looking opportunity perceptions. These findings identify a boundary condition: when cultural goods are mediated through access-based infrastructures, experiential engagement is driven more by participatory and technological affordances than by intrinsic product attributes. The study contributes to strategic marketing research by clarifying how new consumption modes gain legitimacy in symbolic markets and by identifying democratization and experiential value as central to NFT market sustainability.

This research paper examines the association between women entrepreneurship and consumer perception of socially responsible marketing (SRM). It explores how the presence of women entrepreneurs and their involvement in SRM activities influence consumers' perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions. This research illuminates the possible advantages and disadvantages faced by women entrepreneurs in adopting SRM as a strategic marketing tool. While gender plays a role in shaping consumer attitudes, its overall impact on brand perception is relatively modest, suggesting that effective SRM initiatives can transcend gender in driving consumer perception. Persistent challenges such as financial constraints and competition with established brands remain significant barriers for women-led enterprises. Despite limitations related to sample size and geographic concentration in Northern India, the research provides practical insights into how women entrepreneurs can leverage SRM to enhance credibility, foster consumer loyalty, and achieve sustainable market differentiation. The findings provide insights for both women entrepreneurs and marketers in improving their knowledge of consumer attitudes and positioning women-owned businesses strategically within the framework of socially responsible marketing.

The research investigates the effects of AI-driven chatbots paired with virtual influencers upon purchasing choices made by consumers who focus on sustainable behavior within the FMCG industry. The research utilizes qualitative methods to study secondary data which demonstrates AI-powered chatbots boost customer relationships and personalized experiences and sustainable awareness alongside virtual influencers who strengthen brand reliability and environmental awareness. The use of FMCG industry technologies leads brands toward better consumer interactions and increased conversion rates and strengthened brand loyalty. The implementation of these technologies demands strategic research because data security problems and ethical consequences together with changing AI functionality must receive serious attention. The research suggests that FMCG businesses should implement strategic AI marketing solutions although they need to tackle consumer trust issues together with transparency concerns. Future investigations should entail empirical testing through primary research activities and methods for ethical AI management in addition to studies about how cultural elements affect marketing AI adoption practices. The acquired knowledge will help improve AI-based tactics that promote sustainable and consumer-focused marketing operations in the FMCG industry.

ABSTRACT Nonprofit organizations increasingly rely on communication strategies to build trust and signal credibility to donors and other stakeholders. Despite the central role of communication in nonprofit marketing, empirical evidence on how qualitative features of organizational messaging relate to external evaluations and resource allocation remains limited. This study examines whether communication quality embedded in nonprofit organizational descriptions functions as a strategic marketing signal associated with organizational ratings and financial outcomes. Using a large scale secondary dataset of 8,408 U.S. nonprofit organizations, we apply an embedding based content analysis to quantify latent communication dimensions related to professionalism, transparency, and emotional framing. These dimensions are combined into a composite Communication Quality Index and linked to organizational outcomes, including overall charity ratings, accountability scores, and key financial indicators. The results show that higher communication quality is positively associated with overall and accountability focused ratings. Communication quality is also related to program spending intensity and fundraising efficiency, highlighting potential trade offs between communication investments and cost structures. Overall, the findings position nonprofit communication as a core marketing signal with both evaluative and operational implications.