International Journal of Technology Marketing (7 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Women marketers: an examination of gender disparities in the gig economy  
  by Dalal S. Ahmad, Fatima M. Hajjat 
  Abstract: Previous research indicates a gender income gap among marketers. To the best of our knowledge, no research has been conducted to address that wage discrepancy in marketing in the gig economy. Therefore, this study examines whether women marketers face pay discrimination. Utilising data collected from an online hiring platform, the authors use propensity score matching to address possible endogeneity related to differences between men and women marketers. We create three propensity score-matched samples of varying strictness to run the regression model. We find that gender wage discrimination exists in the gig economy among marketers. These results indicate that even in the gig economy, where marketers are theoretically competing on a level playing field, gender wage discrimination still occurs, potentially having ongoing implications.
  Keywords: women marketers; marketing; advertising; marketing wage gap; gender wage gap; gig economy; platforms; income inequality; freelancers; gender discrimination.
  
  
• Role of digital maturity and customer profiling: potentials for lead generation - a study in oil and gas industry  
  by Dominique Futterer, Anna-Maria Wassermann 
  Abstract: This study analyses the relationship between a company’s digital maturity and its lead generation success in a more digitally conservative oil and gas (O&G) industry, and whether content personalisation, as an outcome of customer profiling, is used more intensively by companies with advanced digital maturity levels. The results show that a company’s lead generation success increases with digital maturity. Content personalisation can play a major role for lead generation success and is facilitated by higher digital maturity. Therefore, driving digitalisation may be crucial for companies to maintain long-term competitiveness. However, the O&G industry shows medium overall digital maturity. Overall, this study provides an elaborate framework for assessing digital maturity from a more focused marketing and sales perspective. Moreover, the results provide marketers and managers with reasons for promoting digitalisation within their companies and assist them in developing an adequate strategy for their future lead generation.
  Keywords: digital maturity; customer profiling; personalised content; lead generation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2024.10066554
   
  
• Starting a relationship with AI! Exploring consumer's attitude towards digital human stylists  
  by Francesca Bonetti, Emmanuel Sirimal Silva, Eleonora Pantano, Davit Marikyan 
  Abstract: We investigate digital human stylists (DHS) - a new AI-powered form of personalised digital avatar - that can complement traditional retail services with innovative recommendations mimicking social presence. We explore the factors that can shape a positive attitude towards DHS, underpinning the interaction between consumers and machines. We employ a survey-based approach of collecting data from 357 respondents from 39 countries. Our results show that trust in technology, perceived enjoyment and usefulness lead consumers to develop relationships with DHS to access a personalised service. We also find that ease of use and social influence are important in leading consumers to fully engage with a DHS. This new form of human-computer machine emerges as a new AI service complementing traditional retail services. Our research is the first to provide empirical evidence about the factors that can improve consumers' acceptance of DHS, by making it complementary to traditional retail services.
  Keywords: digital human stylists; DHS; artificial intelligence; retail service; fashion business; recommender systems.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2024.10065802
   
  
• Development of a theoretical marketing technology maturity model  
  by Marcel Huettermann, Lisa Kaeppeli, Anna V. Rozumowski, Michael Klaas 
  Abstract: MarTech is defined as tools and technology used to assist professionals in reaching the defined company goals by supporting them throughout the complete marketing campaign execution and evaluation process from acquisition to customer retention. With the increasing complexity of tools available for a multitude of functionalities, sometimes even overlapping capabilities, finding the right solution for a business is becoming increasingly complex. The aim of the study was to develop a theoretical maturity model for marketing technology to help businesses assess their current state and show potential further development regarding marketing technology. Based on literature review and 20 interviews with experts in the field of marketing technology our aim was reached, and the model could be developed. The research findings involve a comprehensive audit of relationships before data analysis, leading to the amalgamation of dimensions such as 'team structure' and 'skills' into the consolidated 'people' dimension. The dimensions - technology and data, strategy, organisation, people and skills, and customers - are explored in subsequent chapters, offering insights into their roles in MarTech maturity and guiding businesses in assessment and development.
  Keywords: marketing; technology; marketing technology; MarTech; maturity; data; strategy; organisation; people; customers.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2024.10063752
   
  
• The mediating role of consumers' perceived trust in relation to the intention to use digital wallets during Lebanon's financial crisis  
  by Charbel M. El Khoury, Karen P. Bou Doumit, Adel F. Al Alam 
  Abstract: The purpose of this research is to investigate the drivers and factors that affect consumers' intentions to use digital wallets during Lebanon's financial crisis. Respondents totalling 414 participated in the survey. Outcomes reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions are factors that are positively associated with the intention to use digital wallets. In its turn, financial freedom is considered a factor that has a positive impact on future intentions. Only the positive association between social influence and consumers' intentions has been supported. This study also confirms that the positive correlation between social influence, facilitating conditions, financial freedom drive, and the intention to use digital wallets is mediated by consumers' perceived trust. Finally, the presence of family members abroad and tech savviness are considered proven moderators when linking consumers' intentions to effort expectancy and social influence, as well as performance expectancy and effort expectancy, respectively. This research serves as an extension of the UTAUT model in the context of the Lebanese financial crisis.
  Keywords: digital wallets; consumers' perceived trust; financial freedom drive; tech savviness; family members abroad; UTAUT model; financial crisis; Lebanon.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2024.10065796
   
  
• Big data in marketing: a new paradigm on trends, developments and insights  
  by Amjad Ur Rehman, Asif Mahmood, Mazhar Iqbal 
  Abstract: The study aims to comprehensively understand the extent and potential of trends, developments, and insights related to 'big data in marketing' by reviewing 505 papers published since 1980, retrieved from a reputable database (Scopus) through bibliometric analysis. The study provides critical findings such as the identification of influential authors, prominent research countries, including the UK, Australia, and China, extensive research timelines, key research areas, and reputable academic journals associated with the subject. Overall, there is extensive knowledge about concept development, emerging trends, and future insights of 'big data in marketing' with respect to collaboration, temporal aspects and publication quantity. The analysis also identified five themes, namely: big data marketing intelligence, digital commerce ecosystem, knowledge management for tourism, digital transformation and analytics for decision-making. The current study enhances the practical understanding and future potential of big data in marketing with a dynamic capability view.
  Keywords: big data; marketing; data analytics; marketing analytics.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2024.10065803
   
  
• Does the effect of price and green label on green product intention to buy differ for demographic groups of consumers?  
  by Manijeh Bahrainizad, Fatemeh Abedini 
  Abstract: Increasing environmental concerns in food product consumption and demand for green products have highlighted the need to pay attention to the pricing of these products. The purpose of this study is measuring the difference in the intention to purchase the green product, based on the price level and the green label. The experiment design is a 2 (price level: high vs. low) × 2 (green label: green vs. non-green) between-subjects study. The present study's findings show that differences in price levels, considering the interaction effect of green characteristics, cause differences in the intention to buy green products. The differences observed in the female/males groups are the same. However, the difference in price level is different considering the interactions effect of green / non-green characteristics on the intention to buy the product between people with different levels of education and income levels.
  Keywords: pricing; green product; purchase intention; food product.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2024.10065800