Title: Cause-related marketing and strategic agility: an integrated framework for gaining the competitive advantage

Authors: Michael Christofi; Hans Ruediger Kaufmann; Demetris Vrontis; Erasmia Leonidou

Addresses: School of Business and Management, University of Gloucestershire, 6, Pentelis Street, Makedonitissa, 2401 Nicosia, Cyprus ' School of Business, University of Nicosia, 46, Makedonitissas Avenue, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus ' School of Business, University of Nicosia, 46, Makedonitissis Avenue, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus ' School of Business and Management, University of Gloucestershire, 6, Pentelis Street, Makedonitissa, 2401 Nicosia, Cyprus

Abstract: This article posits a framework that illustrates how the concepts of strategic agility and cause-related marketing are synthesised in order to generate a sustainable competitive advantage through superior brand awareness and positive corporate reputation. In addition, this paper reflects how CRM and strategic agility, in the context of creating and sustaining a competitive advantage in a hyper-dynamic environment, can complement and magnify each other's traditional context of analysis. Moreover, this article appears to be the first of its kind to theoretically examine the dynamics implied by synthesising these, so far, distinct concepts. In conclusion, the authors posit a set of research directions designed to enable scholars to further advance the integration of strategic agility and CRM from both problem-driven theory development as well as theory-driven practice management perspectives.

Keywords: strategic agility; cause-related marketing; competitive advantage; brand awareness; corporate reputation.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2013.056758

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2013 Vol.9 No.4, pp.518 - 542

Published online: 30 Jan 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article