Platform success in the international marketplace: reconfiguring digital resources for marketing agility

Weng, Chenchen; Liu, Martin J.; Ye, Dandan; Huang, Jimmy; Liu, Paul C.Y.

Abstract

Purpose
This paper explores how platforms reconfigure versatile digital resources to achieve marketing agility in international markets.

Design/methodology/approach
We draw on a case study of a Chinese digital platform to explore the processes and mechanisms of reconfiguring during marketing agility development. Data from different sources are collected, including interviews, informal dialogue and archival data.

Findings
Versatile digital resources create productive applications for previously less amendable marketing and nonmarketing resources to be malleable, editable and reconfigurable in marketing agility development. This study identifies and clarifies three versatile digital resource-enabled reconfiguration activities in marketing agility building: recombining digital artifacts, repurposing human capital and cross-pollinating markets.

Research limitations/implications
Since our study adopts a case study method, future research can extend our insights by using quantitative methods to test and verify our theoretical framework.

Practical implications
First, we provide insights into how organizations can reconfigure versatile digital resources to achieve the benefits of marketing agility in international markets. Second, while recruiting new employees during internationalization is vital, we suggest that assisted by digital artifacts, firms can repurpose the existing workforce, such as via multitasking, swift task-switching and flexible job redirecting to satisfy dynamic international business requirements with lower adjustment costs. Third, we offer two localization approaches in which firms can use digital artifacts as the enabler to remix sociocultural elements with local adaptations to develop glocal content and decentralize content production to generate inclusive local content.

Originality/value
We provide a process model that specifies how platforms reconfigure versatile digital resources to achieve marketing agility in international markets. Furthermore, we provide novel insights into the literature on marketing agility in international markets and localization.

Citation

Weng, C., Liu, M. J., Ye, D., Huang, J., & Liu, P. C. (2024). Platform success in the international marketplace: reconfiguring digital resources for marketing agility. International Marketing Review, https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-08-2023-0199

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 23, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 20, 2024
• Publication Date: Feb 20, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 28, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 23, 2024
• Journal: International Marketing Review
• Print ISSN: 0265-1335
• Electronic ISSN: 0265-1335
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-08-2023-0199
• Keywords: Marketing agility; Internationalization; Reconfiguring; Versatility; Digital innovation; Digital platform
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/33024077
• Publisher URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IMR-08-2023-0199/full/html