Enhancing Marketing Performance Through Enterprise-Initiated Customer Engagement

Marjeta Marolt, Hans-Dieter Zimmermann and Andreja Pucihar
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Marjeta Marolt: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia
Hans-Dieter Zimmermann: Institue for Information and Process Management, FHS St. Gallen University of Applied Sciences, 9001 Sankt Gallen, Switzerland
Andreja Pucihar: Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: The exponential speed of technological advancements and the ever-changing needs of customers have changed the way enterprises engage with their customers. However, despite the increasing scholarly interest in the enterprise-initiated perspective of customer engagement (CE) in recent years, it remains unclear what drives enterprises to initiate customer engagement and how enterprise-initiated customer engagement enhances enterprise performance. Thus, the purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a conceptual model that consists of drivers and outcomes of enterprise-initiated customer engagement. After developing a conceptual model based on previous conceptual approaches to customer engagement, a quantitative survey was undertaken to gather the data from business-to-customer micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The data were analyzed using the partial least square path modelling. The findings showed that external pressure and organizational readiness influence enterprise-initiated customer engagement. Enterprise-initiated customer engagement was also found to influence marketing performance. The empirical findings provide insights for managers that explain what drivers may influence enterprise-initiated customer engagement and what benefits they can expect. Overall, this research extends the understanding of the CE domain and provides additional insights for the drivers and outcomes of enterprise-initiated CE.

Keywords: customer engagement; enterprise perspective; drivers; marketing performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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