Recent publications

I thought that it would be a good idea to give you a quick update on what I have been publishing, recently. Hopefully, this update will make it easier for you to find something of interest or value to your own work or studies. And, who knows, you and I can find opportunities for collaboration.

Journal articles are the main tool in an academic’s publication strategy – at least in marketing, in the UK. This is because papers go through a lengthy and rigorous process of peer-review, aimed at sorting the wheat from the chaff. Hence, having your work published in academic journals is a sign that it meets certain (high) standards and is deemed to be of interest to the discipline.

Journals articles are, also, a key resource for researchers and higher education students. Therefore, academics that want to have their work reviewed and used by other researchers and by future managers need to publish in these journals. So far, in 2016, I have published the journal articles summarised below.

• Canhoto, A. I., Dibb, S. (2016) “Unpacking the interplay between organisational factors and the economic environment in the creation of consumer vulnerability”, Journal of Marketing Management, 32(3-4): 335-356 DOI: 10.1080/0267257X.2015.1123759

Summary: Access to credit is a key enabler of modern life. Yet many consumers face factors beyond their control which sometimes render them unable to borrow from mainstream lenders. This paper documents how firm-related factors determine lending thresholds and shape who is, or is not, a creditworthy customer. The impact of the 2008 economic recession on lending decisions is explored, an aspect that has been insufficiently discussed even though recessions are cyclical events. Drawing on semiotics and using multiple case studies, the study captures not only the groups that were excluded but also the reasons for exclusion. Empirical support is offered for the notion of vulnerability as a fluid state and the role of the timing of decisions as a source of vulnerability is described.

Keywords: Consumer vulnerability, customer screening, financial services, segmentation, economic recession, credit crunch

You can find this paper here. I also wrote a blog post about it here.

• Canhoto, A. I., Quinton, S., Jackson, P. and Dibb, S. (2016). “The co-production of value in digital, university–industry R&D collaborative projects.” Industrial Marketing Management, 56(July): 86–96 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2016.03.010

Summary: In the context of R&D collaborations between universities and industry, this study investigates the co-production process and the contextual elements that shape it. We develop a conceptual framework that builds on the service-dominant logic perspective that value propositions emerge from the interaction between co-producing parties and the integration of resources. Specifically, the framework explicates how individual, organizational, and external factors shape the type of interactions and the platforms used, the availability and use of operand and operant resources, and the organizational and individual outcomes sought in R&D collaborative projects. We investigate the interplay among these factors through group interviews with UK industry practitioners and university researchers in the context of digital research projects. The types of interaction, resources, and outcomes sought that characterize successful R&D collaboration are revealed, and the contextual aspects that enable, facilitate, block, or create barriers to successful R&D collaborations are identified. Finally, we propose five practical principles for the successful development of collaborative R&D projects within the university–industry context.

Highlights:

• Co-production demands right attitude, social skills, and complementary expertise.
• Early wins, regular meetings, and form of IP protection aid trust development.
• Discrepancies in modes of operation hinder co-production.
• Information needs to be shared in ways that are accessible and relevant to others.
• Third-parties can identify projects that gain from collaboration, and link partners.

Keywords: Value co-creation; Value proposition co-production; University–industry collaboration; Knowledge exchange; Digital research; R&D collaboration

You can find this paper here. I also wrote a blog post about it here.

• Canhoto, A. I., and Murphy, J. (2016) “Learning from simulation design to develop better experiential learning initiatives – An integrative approach”, Journal of Marketing Education, 38(2): 98-106  DOI: 10.1177/0273475316643746 online

Summary: Simulations offer engaging learning experiences, via the provision of feedback or the opportunities for experimentation. However, they lack important attributes valued by marketing educators and employers. This article proposes a “back to basics” look at what constitutes an effective experiential learning initiative. Drawing on the education literature, the article presents a set of propositions for the development of initiatives that deliver deep learning, promote engagement, and develop digital marketing and soft skills. The article notes the attributes of simulations that deliver effective experiential learning, but also where other formats may be superior to simulations, and advocates for an integrative approach. The article illustrates the application of these propositions, and integrative approach, to the development of a highly successful experiential learning initiative, the Google Online Marketing Challenge. The article concludes with the following recommendations for marketing educators engaged in experiential learning: students need to plan, execute, and assess their actions, which requires the provision of feedback mechanisms as part of the experience; the experience should be gamified to increase engagement; developers need to provide guidance and support, to both students and educators, to reduce extraneous cognitive load; the initiative needs to develop digital marketing literacy, as well as soft skills.

Keywords: simulations experiential learning Google Online Marketing Challenge online marketing gamification student competitions

You can find this paper here. I also wrote a blog post about it here.

• Canhoto, A. I., Meadows, M., Ball, K., Daniel, E., Dibb, S., and Spiller, K. (in press) “The role of customer management capabilities in public-private partnerships”, Journal of Strategic Marketing DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2016.1148769 online

Summary: Commercial organisations are increasingly asked to perform tasks traditionally associated with governmental bodies, such as law enforcement. The rationale for these public–private partnerships is that there are synergies between traditional business skills and those required to achieve certain societal goals. However, there is a lack of research into whether this is, indeed, the case. This paper addresses this gap by investigating one particular type of public–private partnership: anti-money laundering (AML). The study explores the potential synergies between customer relationship management (CRM) and those required for AML. A quantitative survey-based approach is used to identify the overlaps and connections between these two areas of competence. The findings reveal tensions between financial institutions’ dual roles as both commercial organisations and players in the battle against money laundering. The consequences for these firms are explored, and the wider implications for other organisations supplying non-commercial services to government are considered.

Keywords: marketing capabilities, public–private partnerships, customer relationship management, anti money laundering, customer insight

You can find this paper here.

• Quinn, L., Dibb, S., Simkin, L., Canhoto, A. I. and Analogbei, M. (forthcoming) “Troubled Waters: The Transformation of Marketing in a Digital World”, European Journal of Marketing

Summary: We establish how strategic target-market selection decisions are shaped, challenged and driven in response to the rapidly-evolving technological landscape. We critically evaluate the implications of these changes for: (a) the role of marketers, and (b) the organizational function of marketing. The research uses qualitative methods. Key-informant interviews are conducted among senior organizational practitioners within client-side organizations, digital agencies and strategic marketing consultancies, seeking to contrast their views. The findings reveal an erosion of responsibility for the integrated strategic role of marketing decision-making. In particular, we reveal that the evolving digital landscape has precipitated a sense of crisis for marketers, and the role of marketing within the firm. This extends beyond simply remedying a skills-gap and is triggering a transformation that has repercussions for the future of marketing and its practice, thus diminishing functional accountability. The findings have long-term implications for marketing as a strategic organizational function of the firm and for marketing as a practice. The study considers an increasingly digitalized marketplace and the associated impact of big data for the function of marketing. It reveals the changing scope of strategic marketing practice and functional accountability.

Keywords: Big Data; Digitalization; Target-Market Strategy; Analytics

You can find this paper here.

• Canhoto, A. I., and Arp, S. (forthcoming) “Exploring the factors that support adoption and sustained use of health and fitness wearables”, Journal of Marketing Management

Summary: The Internet of Things and, particularly, wearable products have changed the focus of the healthcare industry to prevention programs that enable people to become active and take responsibility for their own health. These benefits will only materialise, however, if users adopt and continue to use these products, as opposed to abandoning them shortly after purchase. Our study investigates how the characteristics of the device, the context and the user can support the adoption and the sustained use of health and fitness wearables. We find that the factors that support the former differ from those that support the latter. For instance, features that signal the device’s ability to collect activity data are essential for adoption, whereas device portability and resilience are key for sustained use. The findings contribute to the conceptual understanding of consumers’ adoption and sustained use of wearable technology for general health and fitness purposes. The findings also provide valuable guidance to firms investing in the development and marketing of these devices, as well as key insights for government initiatives aimed at combating rising levels of obesity and diabetes.

Keywords: Internet of things, Wearables, Technology adoption, Consumer behaviour, health and fitness

You can find this paper here.

In addition to these journals, I co-authored a book chapter:

• Quinton, S., Canhoto, A.I. and Budhathoki, T. (2016) ‘What makes a digital innovator?’, in Growing Business Handbook (Ed. Jolly, A.), IOD: London

Summary: The findings indicate that there are core similarities in the characteristics and capabilities  required of SME leaders between disparate types of businesses, irrespective of size, country or sector. Our findings also indicate that it is not only the knowledge level of individuals leading firms but also the positive predisposition of those individuals which facilitates the adoption of digital innovation. Being a digital innovator requires a combination of intangible, soft skills and externally measurable knowledge levels.

You can find it here.

So, this is what I have been working on. Do you think that we can collaborate? Let me know.