Developing Analytical Capabilities in Marketing: Challenges Associated with Usage of Unstructured Data

摘要

This study generates deeper insights into the practice of using unstructured data in marketing decision making by analyzing key challenges associated with usage of such data.More specifically,this study addresses the following research questions: What challenges do marketing managers face when using(or attempting to use)unstructured data to support their decision making? What are the main stumbling blocks related to unstructured data that prevent development of analytical capabilities in marketing? The study relies on eleven in-depth qualitative interviews with marketing professionals representing international consumer goods companies in Northern Europe,selected through purposeful sampling.All interviews were recorded,transcribed and complemented with field notes.The interview transcriptions and field notes were managed electronically with a help of QSR International's NVivo software.The interview transcripts were reviewed,summary notes made,and thematic analysis performed in accordance with guidelines introduced by Miles and Huberman(1994).First,data was organized into first-order categories(codes)and comparted between sources;and then,significant categories were developed into second-order themes.As a result,the study develops a taxonomy of three categories of challenges,also pointing to potential approaches for overcoming them.