Marketing Communications and Environmental Turbulence: A Complexity Theory View

This paper investigates how the choice of different marketing communications activities is influenced by the nature of the company’s external environment, when viewing the environment through a complexity theory lens. A qualitative, case method, using depth interviews, investigated the marketing communications activities in four companies in order to identify the promotional activities adopted in more successful firms in turbulent and stable environments. The results showed that the more successful company, in a turbulent market, subtly uses some destabilizing promotional activities but also makes use of some stabilizing promotional activities. This paper is of benefit by emphasizing a new way to consider promotional activities in companies

A marketing mix model for a complex and turbulant environment

Purpose: This paper is based on the proposition that the choice of marketing tactics is determined, or at least significantly influenced, by the nature of the company’s external environment. It aims to illustrate the type of marketing mix tactics that are suggested for a complex and turbulent environment when marketing and the environment are viewed through a chaos and complexity theory lens. Design/Methodology/Approach: Since chaos and complexity theories are proposed as a good means of understanding the dynamics of complex and turbulent markets, a comprehensive review and analysis of literature on the marketing mix and marketing tactics from a chaos and complexity viewpoint was conducted. From this literature review, a marketing mix model was conceptualised. Findings: A marketing mix model considered appropriate for success in complex and turbulent environments was developed. In such environments, the literature suggests destabilising marketing activities are more effective, whereas stabilising type activities are more effective in simple, stable environments. Therefore the model proposes predominantly destabilising type tactics as appropriate for a complex and turbulent environment such as is currently being experienced in South Africa. Implications: This paper is of benefit to marketers by emphasising a new way to consider the future marketing activities of their companies. How this model can assist marketers and suggestions for research to develop and apply this model are provided. It is hoped that the model suggested will form the basis of empirical research to test its applicability in the turbulent South African environment. Originality/Value: Since businesses and markets are complex adaptive systems, using complexity theory to understand how to cope in complex, turbulent environments is necessary, but has not been widely researched. In fact, most chaos and complexity theory work in marketing has concentrated on marketing strategy, with little emphasis on individual tactics and even less on the marketing mix as a whole. Therefore, this paper can be viewed as an important foundation for a new stream of research using chaos and complexity theory to better understand marketing mixes and the choice of marketing tactics for complex and turbulent business environments

Price Tactics For A Turbulent Environment: A Complexity Theory View

This paper proposes that pricing tactics are influenced by the nature of the external environment. It illustrates the pricing tactics suggested for a turbulent, versus a stable, environment, when viewed through a complexity theory lens. A qualitative, case method, using depth interviews, investigated the pricing tactics in four firms to identify the tactics adopted in more successful, versus less successful, firms in turbulent versus stable environments. The results partially confirmed that the use of destabilizing pricing tactics can be helpful in a turbulent market, while stabilizing tactics can be helpful in a stable market. However, the effect of such tactics on business performance was not clear. These findings will benefit marketers by emphasizing a new way to consider future pricing activities. How this approach can assist marketers, and suggestions for further research, are provided. Since businesses and markets are complex adaptive systems, using complexity theory to understand how to cope in turbulent environments is necessary but has not been widely researched. Therefore, this paper can be seen as a foundation for research using complexity theory to better understand pricing tactics in turbulent environments

The Influence of the Level of Environmental Complexity and Turbulence on the Choice of Marketing Tactics

This paper proposes that the choice of marketing tactics is influenced by the company’s external environment. It aims to illustrate the marketing tactics suggested for a complex, turbulent environment, when marketing and the environment are viewed through a complexity lens. A quantitative, descriptive, cross sectional study was used, based on an e-mailed survey to a purchased mailing list, which resulted in a sample of 860 senior marketing or sales managers in medium to large profit oriented businesses in South Africa. The study found that the manager’s evaluation of the environment as complex/turbulent was important, and that there is a relationship between the use of destabilizing marketing tactics and complex/turbulent environments. Although there is only a limited relationship with ‘success’, the study generally stresses the importance of destabilizing tactics, and in fact, all marketing tactics, in a complex/turbulent environment. Most work on complexity in marketing has concentrated on strategy, with little emphasis on tactics and the marketing mix. Therefore, this paper is an important contribution to the understanding of marketing mix choices, of interest to both practicing marketers and marketing academics

The Necessity for Education and Training within the Survivalist Retail Entrepreneurship Sector

This paper investigates the necessity for education and training within the survivalist retail entrepreneurship sector in Khayelitsha, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A structured questionnaire, informal interviews and observations were employed to collect data. To analyse the collected data, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 23) was employed. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed, but only 128 usable completed copies were returned. The key findings were twofold: (1) an admission by the majority of the subjects that their businesses are not doing particularly well owing to their lack of basic business skills; and (2) the subjects’ admission that competitive practices of the immigrant retail entrepreneurs in the township can be counteracted if they had adequate business skills. These findings imply that should survivalist retail entrepreneurs in Khayelitsha be expected to add greater value to the economy by creating employment opportunities, it is essential that they are provided with skills training on a regular basis by government agencies and other stakeholders such as the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA). This paper has its origin in the considered intention of the Wholesale and Retail Leadership Chair of CPUT1 to assist in developing the retail sector of the community of Khayelitsha

The Unique Role of the Survivalist Retail Entrepreneur in Job Creation and Poverty Reduction. Implications for Active Stakeholder Participation

This is an applied study endeavour with the aim of exploring the specific role of survivalist retail entrepreneurship in job creation and poverty reduction. Approach Two hundred (200) subjects were sampled using snowballing technique.  Structured questionnaires as well as semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data.  182 usable questionnaires were analysed with the help of SPSS version 23. Results The results indicate that retail entrepreneurship is evolving in Khayelitsha, especially when one does not only focus on spaza shops, but looks at the entire survivalist retail industry. Value/Implications This sector is capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty and aiding economic growth of the country even more, should measures to boost motivation levels and self-efficacy of the entrepreneurs emerge.  These measures, among other could include support programmes for survivalist entrepreneurial ventures that are showing greater potential for growth and job creation.  Part of the support programmes should include business skills training (such as simple bookkeeping practices and human resource management).  Importantly, this study is the first of its kind in the community of Khayelitsha indicating a new vista for retail entrepreneurship research

Perceived benefits of loyalty programmes and relationship quality

Abstract: Purpose – This paper investigates perceived loyalty programme benefits and their potential effect on relationship quality. Perceived benefits were identified as altruistic, egoistic and consumeristic and relationship quality as trust, satisfaction and loyalty. Design / Methodology - Loyalty programme members were approached via a national database. The survey generated 479 usable responses. Hypotheses were individually tested by means of regression analysis. Findings - All three forms of perceived benefits exhibited positive relationships with each of the relationship quality constructs. When regression analysis was applied to all three groups of benefits and relationship quality constructs, consumeristic benefits were strongest towards trust and satisfaction, and egoistic benefits towards commitment..

Factors that influence the marketing of professional services

This study explores the marketing in a multinational professional services organization and attempts to identify marketing factors relevant to the organization. The main objective is to identify critical factors that influence the successful marketing of professional services. To accomplish this objective, research is undertaken as a case study with a quantitative survey of employees from the professional services organization. The main finding was that the 7P framework (product/service, price, place, promotion, physical evidence, people, process) was applicable and that place, physical evidence and product components were seen as most critical, with promotion and price appearing to be least critical, maybe because conservative attitudes to marketing still exist within professional service organizations. The study added to the literature on professional services marketing, giving insight into the marketing of professional services in today’s dynamic and changing economic environment. Our findings will, therefore, assist professional service organizations to utilize their marketing resources more effectively and efficientl

Binary Star Orbits from Speckle Interferometry. VI. The Nearby Solar-Type Speckle-Spectroscopic Binary HR 6697

Interferometric, spectroscopic, astrometric, and photometric observations are presented for the nearby solar-type binary HR 6697. The system consists of a G0-2 V primary and a K2-S V secondary. From a combined solution of the speckle and spectroscopic data the orbital period is 881 days or 2.41 yr, the semimajor axis is 2.1 A.U., the eccentricity is 0.42, and the inclination is 68°. The masses and luminosities are 1.16±0.12 Msun, 0.77±0.05 Msun, 1.61±0.15 Lsun, and 0.17±0.05 Lsun. Two independent determinations of the parallax, a trigonometric parallax of 0 .0379±0 .0030, and an orbital parallax of 0 .0375±0 .0014, are in excellent agreement and give a mean distance of 26.6±0.9 pc. The system appears to be metal rich relative to the Sun, and space motions do not identify it with any moving group