Research on Marketing in Computer-Mediated Environments: Synthesis, Gaps and Advancing the Next Generation of Knowledge Development.

Seminars - Department Seminar Series
12:45 - 14:00
Via Roentgen 1, 4th floor, room E4 SR 03

Although an extensive body of research has emerged on marketing in computer-mediated environments, the literature remains fragmented. Due to the absence of concerted research efforts aimed at synthesis, insights from the literature have accumulated without an overarching conceptual structure. We believe this is detrimental to long-term knowledge development in this area. To address this issue, we organize and synthesize key insights from the literature using a framework anchored around four research foci: consumer-firm interactions, firm-consumer interactions, consumer-consumer interactions, and firm-firm interactions. Across the four research foci, which vary considerably in terms of research attention, eleven broad substantive topics are identified and expanded into a number of specialized topics. The four research foci provide new conceptual terminology regarding key activities in the digital marketplace, serve a valuable organizational function, suggest new frames of thinking, and help identify a broad spectrum of substantive, conceptual, and methodological gaps in the literature. These gaps present significant opportunities for advancing the next generation of knowledge development in this area.

Manjit Yadav (Mays Business School, Texas A&M University)