Marketing Research Community Seminar: Dr Simos Chari

Title: Marketing Program Decisions and Financial Performance: The Role of the External Environment

Date: 20 October 2022
Time: 11:45-13:00
Location: NUBS 2.13 & Zoom
Zoom link: https://newcastleuniversity.zoom.us/j/83535226173

If you would like to attend, please register using the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/sYefKxmmMe.

Guest Speaker:

Dr Simos Chari is an Associate Professor of Marketing Management & Strategy at Alliance Manchester Business School. Dr Chari holds a BSc in Economics Science and Business Administration, an MSc in International Marketing Management, and a PhD in Strategic Marketing. Prior to his current position, Dr Chari has worked as Marketing and Business Development Manager in the Services and Retailing sectors.
Dr Chari’s primary research interests revolve around strategic marketing and marketing as practice (i.e., marketing strategy implementation, emergent marketing strategies, strategic change, and responsiveness). Dr Chari’s research has been accepted for publication in renowned academic journals such as: Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, British Journal of Management, Journal of World Business, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management, among others. Dr Chari’s work is also regularly presented at leading academic conferences across the world.

Abstract: 

A fundamental premise in marketing theory is that realized marketing program decisions affect a firm’s performance. Despite the managerial relevance and theoretical importance of the marketing mix in marketing theory, little is known about the integrated marketing program decisions managers make and realize in business environments. This study synthesizes prior research with field-based insights (i.e., discovery-oriented approach) to capture the scope of marketing program decisions and examines how these decisions align with external environment contingencies for high financial performance. The study proposes a configurational approach to theorizing and testing “fit.” To test this assumption, the authors apply a set-theoretic analytical approach—namely, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. An empirical study conducted among 196 U.K. enterprises reveals high-performing combinations of marketing program decisions with external environment contingencies. The findings classify marketing program decisions by their level of importance to financial performance and show that some tactical decisions are essential while others are expendable for success under external environment contingencies and conditional levels. A follow-up study one year later (i.e., t+1) provides further unique insights into which marketing program decisions remain crucial for high financial performance over time.