Consumer-based strategy: using multiple methods to generate consumer insights that inform strategy

Excerpt

As the field of marketing has expanded and matured, it is natural to observe more methodological specialization among researchers. Methodological proficiency—whether in econometrics, analytical modeling, experimental design, or ethnography—is critical for publishing in top journals but takes years to develop. One of the consequences highlighted by panel discussions at several recent conferences (e.g., “Marketing as a Field: Are We Progressing or Losing our Cohesiveness?” at Summer AMA 2014) is the increasing division of the field based on methodology. Doctoral students are specializing earlier, and researchers who use different methods are attending fewer joint conferences. Yet the complex problems we are trying to solve as a field often demand multi-method investigation, whether via researchers building on earlier work using different methods or collaborating on a multi-method paper. For example, our understanding of when and why consumers engage in positive and negative word of mouth will certainly be richer if we integrate insights from empirical analyses of online data, experimental manipulations of product experiences, and qualitative research examining online communities. …