Aidan O'Driscoll

Exploring paradox in marketing: managing ambiguity towards synthesis

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to explain the conceptual framework of paradox.Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a theoretical approach. It outlines marketings current and limited interest in the notion of paradox and highlights the difference between a classic paradox, the tension between transactional and relational marketing, and the Contemporary Marketing Practice (CMP) research program.Findings – A future research agenda for paradox and marketing is speculated on, addressing issues such as likely domains for exploration, methodology, as well as the type of organizational structures and marketing leadership required. Finally, there is reflection on how paradox engineers a strong bridge between theory and practice.Originality/value – The paper reveals useful information on paradox and marketing.

Beyond Economics: a Behavioural Approach to Energy Efficiency in Domestic Buildings

This paper argues that the moderate success of policies aiming to stimulate the uptake of Sustainable Energy Systems (SES) in the domestic sector is grounded in a poor understanding of the ‘consumer’. The predominant economic approach behind most policies assumes that improving the cost-benefit ratio of technologies via grants and subsidies and providing sufficient information will automatically incentivise householders’ to invest into SES. Yet, policymakers often neglect behavioural determinants such as attitudes, social norms or personal capabilities. Drawing on key findings from the economics, technology and behavioural literature, this paper proposes an integrated model to identify behavioural and contextual influences of SES adoption. It further highlights relationships between them and serves as a starting point to empirically research SES adoption, ultimately providing pragmatic answers to complex policy questions.

Reflection on Contemporary Issues in Relationship Marketing: Evidence from a Longitudinal Case Study in the Building Materials Industry

This article examines a number of issues in relationship marketing through the perspective of the competence-based view of the firm. It draws on data from a 53-year case history of a firm in the Irish building materials industry. Relationship marketing emerges from this data as a significant market-related competence helping the firm to enjoy a preeminent position in the marketplace over five decades. Discussion focuses on the dynamic nature of relationship marketing in the company – how the intent, thrust and characteristics of relationship marketing evolved over 53 years and five eras of the firms history. In this context, customer loyalty is observed to have an enduring and at times idiosyncratic character. Further, relationship marketing is found to be enmeshed in other competences and capabilities of the firm, and to have an important tacit dimension. Finally, aspects of best practice in the firm are considered in the light of contemporary conceptualisation about relationships and marketing.

Exploring Antecedents of Consumer Resistance Towards Microgeneration Technologies in Ireland

The diffusion of microgeneration technologies like micro wind turbines provides great potential to reduce CO2 emissions, ease fossil fuel dependency and stabilize energy costs. The uptake of microgeneration technologies among home owners, however, remains low and they are often referred to as resistant innovations. Consumer resistance to innovations is a generally underresearched area and empirical evidence is scarce. The research presented in this study is based on a large scale study around micro wind turbines, which was conducted with home owners in the Republic of Ireland in 2009. The contribution of this study is twofold. Building on recent advances in the literature, the study firstly operationalises and empirically validates a measure of consumer resistance to green innovations. Secondly, this measure is anchored in a theoretically grounded model based around status quo bias theory (Samuelson and Zeckhauser 1988) to empirically test the relative influence of factors leading to consumer resistance to micro wind turbines. The proposed scale and framework are both validated via structural equation modeling techniques, providing valuable information for marketers and policymakers aiming to promote the uptake of micro wind turbines in Ireland.

Exploring Paradox in Marketing Strategy: Managing Ambiguity Towards Synthesis

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to explain the conceptual framework of paradox. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a theoretical approach. It outlines marketing’s current and limited interest in the notion of paradox and highlights the difference between a classic paradox, the tension between transactional and relational marketing, and the Contemporary Marketing Practice (CMP) research program. Findings – A future research agenda for paradox and marketing is speculated on, addressing issues such as likely domains for exploration, methodology, as well as the type of organizational structures and marketing leadership required. Finally, there is reflection on how paradox engineers a strong bridge between theory and practice. Originality/value – The paper reveals useful information on paradox and marketing.

Towards a Model for Integrating Management and Communications Theory in Sustainability/CSR Research

To answer the question of how organisations should communicate effectively their sustainability and CSR claims, this paper adopts a broadened integrative approach. It proposes a model to identify and assess the linkages and relationships between the management of sustainability/CSR – in particular, the stage of a firm’s adoption of sustainability/CSR principles and practice – and the type and approach of marketing and corporate communications most appropriate and efficacious for this stage. The paper identifies the substantial body of work currently available on the management and communication of sustainability/CSR. Further, it highlights the importance of understanding the ethical and philosophical underpinnings of the various types and levels of embrace, and promotion, of sustainability/CSR. Thinking holistically becomes key in finding a solution.