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

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  • Roger B Mason
  • Thomas Dobbelstein

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger B Mason & Thomas Dobbelstein, 2016. "The Influence of the Level of Environmental Complexity and Turbulence on the Choice of Marketing Tactics," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 8(2), pages 40-55.
  • Handle: RePEc:rnd:arjebs:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:40-55
    DOI: 10.22610/jebs.v8i2(J).1253
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Roger B Mason, 2014. "Marketing Communications and Environmental Turbulence: A Complexity Theory View," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 6(4), pages 279-290.
    2. Roger B. Mason, 2006. "Coping With Complexity And Turbulence - An Entrepreneurial Solution," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(04), pages 241-266.
    3. Ralph D. Stacey, 1995. "The science of complexity: An alternative perspective for strategic change processes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(6), pages 477-495.
    4. Wu, Y. & Zhang, D.Z., 2007. "Demand fluctuation and chaotic behaviour by interaction between customers and suppliers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(1), pages 250-259, May.
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