Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness
The Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness (JMDC) is a double blind peer reviewed journal that publishes thought-provoking, in-depth articles that cover the marketing arena and the interface between marketing and firm competitiveness. Articles in JMDC bridge the gap between theory and application. The journal is widely circulated with a diverse readership that includes both practitioners and academics, profit and nonprofit organizations, and government institutions. Although the focus is on marketing it also draws on other disciplines including entrepreneurship, management, economics, and finance. JMDC is committed to publishing a broad spectrum of conceptual and empirical articles that make a new theoretical and/or substantive contribution to the field.
The Three B’s of Branding: Navigating Multicultural Markets
This paper explores the intrinsic relationship between branding and culture, emphasizing the imperative of cultural sensitivity in brand strategy. It expands on the Brand Evolution Process (BEP), a comprehensive framework comprising three phases, enriched by insights from our Cultural Branding Model (CBM). Incorporating cultural research, sensitivity training, segmentation, adaptation, inclusive messaging, collaboration with cultural experts, and continuous monitoring, the BEP/CBM provides a structured approach to navigating cultural landscapes. This study illuminates the interplay between brands and culture through a dual approach of conceptual analysis and qualitative research. By embracing cultural relevance, marketers can enhance brand resonance and foster meaningful connections.
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness
Instagram Analysis: Country Comparison on Purchase Intention
This study examines the differences between Instagram users from the USA and Turkey in terms of brand-generated content, consumer-generated content, brand influencers, and brand engagement. Although the purpose of usage could be similar in different regions, Instagram user expectations could change for different countries. Social media marketers can alter their strategies based on cultural differences and Instagram user habits in the countries to attract more customers. Based on cultural differences and user preference, Instagram post and ad content might be updated. Online survey was developed, and data collected from the U.S. and Turkish participants. The findings exhibit audience segmentation and targeting, focus on behavior change (not only awareness or knowledge) and audience orientation/focus social marketing concepts.
Comparing LGBTQ+ and Non-LGBTQ+ Video Game Consumers to Understand the Impact of LGBTQ+ Images on Brand Resonance
This study aims to explore the relationship between LGBTQ+ culture in video games and brand resonance, aiming to understand to what extent the use of LGBTQ+ cultural assets can affect brand awareness, quality, and loyalty between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ consumers. An online survey collected data from 488 people, and a proposed model was tested using SEM multigroup analysis. Findings show that the impact of the “LGBTQ+ cultural assets” differs between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ consumers. The results of this study suggest the LGBTQ+ culture in a video game is the key predictor of brand loyalty among LGTBQ+ consumers.
Engaging Employees Through Corporate Social Responsibility Programs Aligning Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Engagement
The message is clear: people want to work for organizations where they feel they are engaged and learning. Recently, Benevity in Canada stated, "Today’s employees are expecting a greater sense of purpose in the workplace. In fact, 83% of Millennials say they would be more loyal to their employer when they feel they can make a difference on social and environmental issues at work." Companies that engage in social and environmental stewardship also benefit from employees who are more aware and involved. Once the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy and programs have been defined, how do you ensure your communications strategy, plan, and actions are aligned and will help deliver the desired results to get employees interested and engaged? An online survey with 100 respondents in Canada demonstrated a clear shift from years ago where current applicants now research a company’s CSR information when applying there. And once working inside the organization, employees notice CSR initiatives and want to get involved.
The Effectiveness of a Social Media-Based Boycott and Social Media Marketing Capabilities in Mitigating Its Impact
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a social media-driven consumer boycott using market response and explores the role of social media marketing capabilities in mitigating its impact. Using an event study methodology, the findings reveal that a social media-driven consumer boycott can negatively affect firm value, as social media accelerates word-of-mouth dissemination about the boycott. Additionally, this study explores how word-of-mouth and firms’ social media capabilities influence the boycott's effectiveness.
Brand Community Dynamics as a Basis for Competitive Strategy
The fitness industry is one characterized by fads and failures. With the pervasiveness of technology, the range of offerings and accompanying competitive strategies have only increased. However, lasting success remains elusive. This work uses a grounded theory approach through qualitative exploration of community members’ descriptions of their experiences combined with quantitative analysis of survey data. A conceptual model is proposed and tested through the application of PLS Modelling. An examination of how one competitor has overcome the challenges to endure for decades is presented. Findings indicate that inclusivity, community, and providing financial opportunity are critical elements of the successful strategy.
partial least squares structural equations modelling
Power of Cause Framing: Impact on Gen Z’s Attitudes Towards Corporate Charitable Contributions, Cause Participation Intentions, and Brand Loyalty
This study examined the relationship between different cause framings and aspects of digital cause-related marketing’s effectiveness, focusing on Gen Z’s attitude towards company charitable contributions, cause participation intention, and brand loyalty. The moderating variable was the customer’s level of cause involvement. When survey participants perceived a limited-time promotion associated with the cause, there was a significant positive relationship between their level of concern and all three dependent variables. Conversely, when there was no limited-time promotion, the relationship between cause involvement and attitude toward the company’s charitable contribution became statistically non-significant. Similar trends were observed in the context of value framing, with self-benefit framing showing significant positive relationships between cause involvement and attitudes, participation intentions, and brand loyalty. In contrast, other-benefit framing exhibited a non-significant relationship with attitude.
The State of Consumer Safety Perceptions and Brand Loyalty in the Data Privacy Crisis
Data privacy and sharing with third parties continue to be prominent societal issues that have consumers questioning the safety of their personal information. In addition, significant global events are proposed as having an impact on consumer perceptions of safety. Using the Online Privacy Concern Scale and the Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale informed by Polyvagal Theory, this research examines reactions to specific types of data sharing and how feelings of safety impact privacy concerns. The research also looks to understand how feelings of safety toward a brand impact consumer loyalty. Being the first study that applies these two scales, this research offers several important implications regarding data privacy and consumer safety perceptions.
Strategy simulation software packages (e.g., Glo-Bus©, Capsim©, Marketplace Live©, Micromatic©, Business Policy Game©, etc.) are a standard tool in both undergraduate and graduate business capstone courses (Gove, 2012, Halpin, 2020). In the literature, there has been a call for more focus on teaching methods to assure strategy simulations are maximally effective (Clapper, 2015, Schmeller, 2019). This analysis examines foundational learning theories, particularly Novak’s (2010), to explain which elements of strategy simulation correspond to those needed for Novak’s meaningful learning (2010). This analysis will help business capstone professors who use strategy simulations to improve student learning.
Influence of the Use of Emojis by Chatbots on Interaction Satisfaction
Chatbots are widely used for online consumer service. However, how consumers react to chatbots using emojis in human-robot interaction is not fully examined. Through two experiments, this study investigated how and when using chatbot emojis in human-robot interaction affected consumer satisfaction. Study 1 showed that emojis significantly increased interaction satisfaction, which is mediated by intimacy. Study 2 showed that consumers with hedonic consumption goals were more satisfied in the emoji-present condition than those in the emoji-absent condition. However, such differences did not emerge among consumers with utilitarian goals. These findings deepen our understanding of how chatbots using emojis affect consumer response and provide insights into how to deploy chatbots with emojis in customer service.
Identifying Industry-Relevant Digital Marketing Competencies Using Text Mining of Job Postings
One of the ways synergies between higher education and industry can exist is through embedded partnerships, which requires higher educational programs to prepare learners with appropriate industry-relevant competencies and skills. This research focuses on identifying such competencies using text mining of job postings. A sample of 77 job postings from Washington State were analyzed using text mining, revealing critical competencies, skills, tools, and techniques in the digital marketing field, which has implications for maintaining relevancy and currency of digital marketing programs. In addition, an emergent synergistic framework is proposed to translate job attributes to higher education program characteristics.
Corporate Reputation and Public Belief Formation in the Evaluation of Arguments for Past Events
Companies, athletes, celebrities, and politicians all attempt to present persuasive arguments supporting their desired accounts about past events. After such attempts, consumers can evaluate the content of different proposed explanations and come to their own conclusions. In such instances, how do consumers weigh each explanation, and what determines their degree of belief in each explanation? This study explores the impact of alternative explanations on consumer lay beliefs, focusing particularly on the explanatory virtues of each explanation that correspond to established criteria for justifying past descriptions in historical analysis. In a study involving 200 participants, individuals were asked to evaluate two proposed causal explanations for a recent hypothetical event connected to a potential corporate scandal. After providing initial degrees of belief for each cause, participants were introduced to additional information intended to improve support for one of the explanations along different dimensions of established explanatory criteria. Results indicate that all arguments along the dimensions of explanatory criteria increased belief in the favored cause while simultaneously reducing belief in the unfavored cause.
Therapeutic Servicescapes and Brand Symbolism-Induced Affect: The Moderating Effect of Trait Authenticity
Drawing on research indicating that individuals with trait inauthenticity often experience a diminished sense of meaning in life, this study investigates how vintage-themed therapeutic servicescapes can help restore meaning and enhance consumer well-being. We theorize that perceived brand authenticity (PBA) symbolism is critical in this meaning reconstruction process. Across a survey study, we identify three key antecedents of PBA-symbolism—brand continuity, self–brand attachment, and self-image congruence— and examine their impact on eliciting positive affect and feelings of authentic pride among consumers. Crucially, the results demonstrate that the positive effects of PBA-symbolism on affective outcomes are significant for individuals with low, but not high, trait authenticity, underscoring the moderating role of individual differences. This research contributes to consumer and marketing scholarship by illuminating how therapeutic commercial environments can alleviate the unease stemming from inauthenticity, thereby advancing understanding of when and for whom brand symbolism restores meaning and fosters positive emotional responses. Additionally, the findings offer practical insights into the strategic design and management of therapeutic servicescapes that deliver both consumer well-being and managerially relevant outcomes.
Facilitating Learner Success Through Theory-Based Instructor Training
This conceptual review examines how theory-based instructor training can support learner success in online education by fostering autonomy, engagement, and self-regulation. Drawing on self-regulated learning (SRL) and transactional distance theory, the paper highlights the critical role of instructors in reducing psychological distance and promoting student-directed learning. It emphasizes that many faculty members lack formal preparation in pedagogy, particularly for the online environment, and thus require structured development opportunities. The review advocates for training programs that mirror the student learning experience, enabling instructors to practice and apply SRL strategies in their teaching. Components such as reflective goal-setting, peer interaction, meaningful feedback, and structured content delivery are essential to student and instructor development. Institutional approaches to faculty support— such as mentoring, incentives, instructional design collaboration, and alignment with quality standards— are explored. By adopting training frameworks grounded in SRL and transactional distance theory, institutions can improve instructional consistency, increase faculty confidence, and ultimately enhance student achievement in flexible and distance learning environments.
The Impact of Government Policies on Bangladeshi Labour Migration to Malaysia
This study investigates the role of bilateral agreements, visa regulations, and social integration policies regarding the labour migration of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, considering various factors and agreements like the G2G program, MoU, and MM2H. A primary quantitative approach was used to gather relevant information on Bangladeshi labour migration. Data was collected from 61 participants directly involved in this migration. The dependent and independent variables informed the question formulation, with IBM SPSS software used for analysis. Statistical analysis indicated extensive use of employment passes (EP) among Bangladeshi workers, characterized by low skill and educational qualifications. This study provides insights into the implications of Malaysian government policies and recommends strategic options for performance improvement.
Adoption and Usage of E-Payment Methods in Brazil
This study investigates the determinants influencing the adoption and usage of e-payment systems in Brazil, emphasizing perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, risk, incentives, and social influence. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research surveyed 180 Brazilian users to evaluate behavioral and demographic predictors of e-payment adoption. Results from correlation and regression analyses revealed that perceived usefulness and income were the strongest predictors across multiple usage metrics—frequency, amount spent, and percentage of monthly expenses via e-payment. Perceived risk and trust were also influential, albeit to a lesser degree. Contrarily, incentives and social influence did not significantly affect adoption behavior. These findings underscore the importance of perceived value and security in shaping digital payment behaviors in emerging markets. The study contributes to the literature by refining existing models of technology acceptance and offering insights for policymakers and fintech providers aiming to enhance financial inclusion and digital adoption in Brazil.
An Investigation of Perceived Justice, Service Performance and Customer Satisfaction Within the Airline Industry
Service performance appears to be particularly crucial in the airline industry following the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, perceived justice is another construct within this industry that impacts customer satisfaction. A model is proposed that considers the impact of perceived justice and service performance on customer satisfaction within the airline industry. The findings indicate that service performance is positively related to both perceived justice and customer satisfaction, and that perceived justice is also positively related to customer satisfaction.
Zillow Group, Inc.: Changing the Way Americans Buy Homes
This case explores the rise of Zillow from its inception to its disruption of the mature real estate industry. Starting from a platform deriving income from advertising fees, it has grown into three business segments: Home Sales, Internet, Media, and Technology (IMT), and Zestimate. While the brand, Zillow, is synonymous with real estate, its disruption has opened the door for other innovators to enter the market. The case allows students to understand the role of a disruptor, examine market forces, and recommend what a successful cutting-edge technology company should do in the future.
online listing of residential real estate
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness
Business and Artistic Legitimacy in Antioqueña Advertising 1920–1930
In the Colombian case, in the twenties of the 20th century, businessmen made their way into a coffee agriculture economy and mining, and for this reason, in addition to ensuring the sociopolitical and economic conditions that allowed their activities, they also had to work on their legitimation before society, and to do so they turned to already recognized painters and draftsmen to carry out the advertising of their companies, adding ideological content related to modernity and progress to their products, as the brands gained their visual distinctiveness. Thanks to this contribution, the artists also legitimized their profession as publicists and designers.
Consumers’ Willingness to Pay a Price Premium for Integrated Products: A Moderated Mediation Model of Hedonic Value and Perceived Quality
Consumers are increasingly attuned to integrated products, packed with myriad functionality for ‘work’ and ‘play.’ Consumers may evaluate these integrated offerings along the dimensions of hedonic versus utilitarian values, and these products’ communication messaging and positioning may emphasize either the hedonic or utilitarian features. The present research examines the role of perceived hedonic vs. utilitarian values of integrated products vis-à-vis self-image congruence and perceived quality on consumers’ willingness to pay a price premium for these integrated offerings. Using empirical data from two studies, the results show that self-image congruence and willingness to pay a price premium exhibit a positive relationship that is mediated by perceived quality, and the strength of the mediated link varies by the levels of perceived hedonic vs. utilitarian value an individual places on an integrated product. The findings contribute to understanding the antecedents of consumers’ willingness to pay premium prices for integrated offerings.
Lean, Clean, and Green Business: An Examination of the Millennial Consumer’s Perception of Corporate Environmental Practices and Green Marketing Tactics
This article aims to add to the understanding of the corporation’s role in sustainability through the specific lens of the Millennial consumer. Millennials possess $170 billion in purchasing power and will become the most impactful generation on the economy and the environment in the coming decades. Understanding what efforts resonate the most with this key stakeholder group is critical. Further, marketing tactics and standards are examined. A need exists for authority and standardization in marketing green products, such that they are legitimized, not green-washing, and easy to understand for potential consumers. Several propositions are developed, and managerial implications and conclusions are advanced.
Electronics Utilization by Consumers: Antecedents and Impact on Consumer Positivity
A sample of consumers, ranging in age from late teens to 65, is used to examine the impact of demographic antecedents on consumer electronic utilization variables (age, household income, undergraduate major, and ethnicity).Then, the impact of these electronic utilization variables on positive consumer characteristics is examined (cultural openness, deal proneness, value judgment, self-esteem, and shopping enjoyment).Strong support indicates the various impacts the antecedents have on consumer electronic utilization. Findings also suggest the influence of these electronic utilization variables on positive consumer characteristics. The non-findings are discussed, and future research is suggested to further examine the relationships included in this study’s research model.
Consumer Product Perceptions Within Emerging Markets: The Product Adoption Process and Consumer Ethnocentrism
The general acceptance of globalization and free trade across most national governments has led to the massive proliferation of foreign goods across the globe within the past few decades. As a result, the consumer adoption of imported products has been researched extensively; however, the bulk of these studies have focused on developed countries, leaving less developed and emerging countries vastly unexplored compared to their developed counterparts. Using Mexico to represent an emerging market with high levels of consumer ethnocentrism, this study examines the relationships among consumers’ attitudes toward imported products, their behavioral intentions, and consumer ethnocentrism within the product adoption process framework. The results provide evidence of positive direct effects of attitude and behavioral intention towards imported products. The hypothesis that the product adoption process leads to purchase intention was also supported; however, there was insignificant evidence to support the proposed moderating effect of consumer ethnocentrism upon this product adoption process and purchase intention relationship.
HRM System Formality and Organizational Ambidexterity Strategy in Technological Startup Companies
The low survival of technological startup companies (TSCs) is partly due to the lack of human resources management formality (HRMF). This study clarifies HRMF and identifies a relevant measure for TSCs. It explores HRMF changes and their fit with business strategy changes during TSC development, operationalized as dynamic organizational ambidexterity. Data from 147 TSC leaders and HR role holders were collected twice, a year apart. HRMF control and professionalism were significantly related to ambidexterity strategy. Findings indicate that strategy changes precede HRMF changes. Results suggest that HRMF practices should be periodically matched to the ambidexterity strategy for TSC success.
The Benefits of Redefining a Round of Golf: An Analysis Based on Leisure Constraints Theory
The golf industry plays an important role in the economy. However, shifts in the marketplace have created challenges for the industry. The purpose of this research is to discover potential marketing strategies to recruit and retain golfers that focus on eliminating leisure constraints. Using a survey, this research asked golfers about their interests in playing different golf course configurations instead of the traditional 18 holes. Results show that a majority of participants prefer shorter rounds. The results of this study can assist golf course owners in developing marketing strategies that remove leisure constraints for consumers, therefore increasing participation and profitability.
The Creative Economy in Local Territories: Alibaba and Amazon in Territorial Competition, but Ideological Synergy to Bypass Democratic Governance
Alibaba and Amazon now dominate global e-commerce. Although their strategies partly differ, they are both territorializing their activities around sorting hubs and warehouses. This often creates tensions in local territories. In our research exploring the effects of these strategies, conducted in France and Belgium from 2019 to 2022, we hypothesized that the impacts of the digital industrialization of local and global trade go beyond sales and logistics; the concentration of these markets in the hands of two ultra-dominant actors reflects unequal power relations that are reconfiguring governance, public decision-making, and democracy, notably by obscuring the major challenges that territories face.
An Economic Analysis of the Fisheries Sector of Bangladesh: Challenges and Development Strategies
This research presents an economic analysis of the Bangladesh fisheries sector for the last two decades. Secondary data is used for the economic analysis and literature review type methodology is used to analyze the future challenges and development strategies. Fish production and exports gradually increasing, but the growth rate is showing instable. Inland aquaculture is found increasing rapidly in compare to marine aquaculture. Along with several challenges, this article also proposes developmental strategies for authorities to develop fisheries sector, which could create opportunities to flourish other potential sectors to increase employment as well as contribute to the GDP of Bangladesh.
Brand Essence Effects on Extension Information Accessibility
This study advances the research scope of adverse extension effects by examining the impacts of brand similarity upon the accessibility of negative extension information. The research results reveal that the accessibility of unfavorable extension information of narrow brands is higher than that of broad brands. Negative extension information exerts more adverse effects on narrow brands than on broad brands. Narrow brands are high-similarity brands implying the existence of obvious underlying essence, which facilitates spontaneous processing of negative extension information. Contrarily, broad brands are low-similarity brands implying vague underlying essence, which leads to less spontaneous processing of negative extension information.
Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis for Online Products
A number of resources are now available for gauging public opinion about businesses, products, services, brands, and events because of the advent of e-commerce. Customers may find it difficult to distinguish between legitimate assessments and biased or false reviews, which leads to worse goods or services. Aspect-based sentiment analysis is utilized in this study to develop a natural language processing model to examine customer reviews and comments to ascertain the sentiment expressed towards certain qualities or components of a good or service. A few procedures involved in this undertaking include aspect extraction, sentiment classification, training, feature extraction, and dataset preparation. The T5 model will be used to train the model using a dataset of customer reviews, and it will be evaluated using a variety of performance measures, including accuracy (84.62%), precision (84.58%), recall (84.62%), and F1-score (83.39%). The project's findings will help customers locate services that meet their needs, and they will also assist businesses in learning more about the advantages and disadvantages of their goods and services.
Is Theme Park Logistics Inspired by City Logistics Practices and Strategies?
Despite its significant importance, theme park logistics remains underexplored in management research. There are noteworthy similarities with city logistics, particularly in areas such as managing visitor flows, product supply, waste management, and the application of smart technologies. Product supply is informed by established pooling practices, which involve centralized deliveries to hubs and optimized inventory management. Waste management also draws from sustainable urban strategies, including sorting and recycling. Furthermore, smart technologies facilitate real-time monitoring of visitor flows, allowing for fine-tuning logistical operations, although this raises ethical questions like those encountered in smart cities. These innovative practices, which have not been adequately studied, aim to enhance the efficiency of theme park logistics while ensuring a high-quality customer experience.