Issue #4 (Volume 21 2025)

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Innovation marketing has emerged as a critical research domain due to rapid digital transformation, evolving consumer behaviors, and increasing sustainability demands that fundamentally reshape modern business strategies. However, the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of this interdisciplinary field remain fragmented, with terminological ambiguities and isolated knowledge silos hindering theoretical development and practical advancement. This study systematically maps the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of innovation marketing research through comprehensive bibliometric analysis spanning 1972-2025. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database, yielding 10,453 scholarly documents after filtering duplicates and irrelevant materials, analyzed using the “Bibliometrix” package in R Studio with productivity metrics, citation analysis, co-word analysis, and cluster analysis techniques. The results reveal exponential growth with an annual growth rate of 11.04, particularly accelerating after 2000, with four distinct research clusters emerging: digital transformation technologies (23.4%), sustainable marketing innovations (19.8%), consumer-centric methodologies (21.2%), and strategic innovation management (18.6%). The United States leads publication volume with 1,048 documents (17.26%), followed by China with 681 documents (11.22%), while Belgium demonstrates highest citation impact with 66.15 citations per article. Notably, 67% of highly-cited articles appear in non-marketing journals, confirming interdisciplinary influence, with the most cited work by Pushpakom et al. (2018) receiving 3,064 citations. Innovation marketing has evolved from product-focused approaches toward integrated, technology-driven, and sustainability-oriented strategies, establishing itself as a distinct research domain with significant cross-disciplinary impact for marketing practitioners and policymakers.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The homestay industry has become an integral part of the sharing economy, and it has become a popular issue among travelers. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the effect of homestay service quality on visitor loyalty. This study aims to examine how the quality of homestay services affects tourists’ co-creation value and loyalty. A purposive sampling method was applied towards social media platforms in China to collect the data of 527 homestay visitors of the Yum China Holding Company homestay from June 1 to August 31, 2024, during the periods of significant visitor sessions (e.g., summer session). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to examine research hypotheses. Homestay quality service of personalization and environment have a positive and significant effect on customers’ co-creation value. Meanwhile, homestay quality service activity does not have a significant effect on customer co-creation value. Furthermore, homestay service quality positively affects customer loyalty, both directly and indirectly, towards visitors’ co-creation value. It emphasizes the need to incorporate service quality personalization and environmental dimensions to foster tourists’ co-creation value and loyalty. These results highlight the necessity for homestay providers to focus on visitors’ valuable experiences to reciprocate relationships. The findings also contribute to the literature and offer practical suggestions with regard to the role of service quality, personalization, and environmental factors in improving visitor satisfaction and loyalty.

Acknowledgments
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The complexity of industrial markets in the Fourth Industrial Revolution necessitates new pricing approaches for R&D outcomes. “Technology-push” innovations often feature advanced technical parameters that are misaligned with customers’ willingness to pay, creating a commercialization gap that requires models that integrate cost, competition, and perceived value. The aim of this study is to develop a price-determining model for industrial “technology-push” innovations. The authors’ price-determining model for industrial “technology-push” innovations combines cost-plus pricing and competitive pricing with the Price Sensitivity Measurement (PSM) analysis. Empirical data from 2022 to 2025 in optical interferometry were used to validate the approach. In the case of “technology-push” innovations, a gap may exist between the perceived value of technical parameters and the price that industrial customers are willing to pay. The trade-off between technical parameters and price refers to the balance or compromise that customers and industrial marketers must consider when making a purchase. Setting the right price on industrial “technology-push” products requires a comprehensive analysis of customer preferences, competitive landscape, and cost structures. Customers’ perception of value directly influences their willingness to pay for a product or service. Even if a product is technically superior or offers advanced features, its perceived value by customers ultimately determines the optimal price point. Aligning pricing with customer perceptions of value helps maximize revenue and profitability for both transaction participants. The authors’ method enables the determination of the boundaries of the market price range for an innovation with sufficient accuracy. Combining traditional pricing methods with price sensitivity analysis of industrial customers can offer several advantages, leveraging the strengths of each approach to improve the price-determining process for industrial “technology-push” innovations.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This research explores the factors that contribute to green consumer behavior in an emerging market setting, highlighting the growing importance of sustainability-related consumption studies. The main objective of the study is to uncover how psychological and contextual elements combine to foster pro-environmental behavior among consumers in Tunisia. Utilizing an extended framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and key concepts from green consumer research, this study examines survey responses from 409 participants, collected through an online survey administered to Tunisian consumers active in online shopping communities during March and April 2025, and analyzes them using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis with the fsQCA 4.1 software. This method enables the discovery of various pathways leading to green consumer behavior, considering causal complexity and the possibility of multiple solutions. The results of this study show that consumer green behavior is achieved through five different configurations. Perceived behavioral control and trust in eco-labels are found to be core conditions across most solutions, while subjective norms are largely absent or irrelevant in most configurations. This research highlights the importance of using a configurational approach in studying sustainable behavior, as it captures the different pathways through which consumers engage in pro-environmental behavior via multiple causal mechanisms. These insights are relevant for practitioners and policymakers by guiding the design of differentiated strategies that reflect the diversity of pathways to green consumption.

Acknowledgments
No funding or external support was received for the conduct of this research, and there are no specific acknowledgments to declare.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
In the digital economy, scarcity marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy that strongly shapes consumer decisions, particularly among Generation Z. However, while widely adopted, the psychological mechanisms through which scarcity influences impulsive buying remain insufficiently clarified, especially in emerging markets. This study aims to examine how scarcity-based marketing affects impulsive purchase behavior through psychological drivers, and to explore the moderating role of self-control. A mixed-method approach was employed. The qualitative stage included focus group discussions and expert interviews to validate constructs and refine measurement items. The quantitative stage involved an online survey conducted in January 2025 with 420 Gen Z consumers in Vietnam, analyzed using structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that product scarcity activates important psychological responses such as competitive arousal and fear of missing out (FOMO), which subsequently encourage herding tendencies and lead to impulsive purchases. Self-control moderates these relationships by weakening the influence of competitive arousal while enhancing the impact of herding behavior. This study concludes that scarcity marketing influences Gen Z’s impulsive buying primarily through social and psychological pathways. The results extend the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework by highlighting both direct and moderated effects of consumer psychology in a scarcity context. From a managerial perspective, the findings offer practical implications for designing scarcity-driven campaigns more responsibly, balancing short-term effectiveness with the need to foster sustainable and ethical consumer engagement.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The ongoing process of digitalization presents both opportunities and challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly when it comes to integrating corporate mobile applications into daily operations. This study examines the key factors that influence employees’ acceptance of, and their actual use of, employer-provided mobile applications.
Primary data were collected via a structured questionnaire survey conducted between March and July 2024 in Hajdú-Bihar County, Hungary. The target population comprised employees of SMEs and micro-enterprises who had access to such applications. Non-probability purposive sampling was employed to ensure relevance, yielding a total of 161 valid responses. Quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation modelling via the partial least squares method.
The results demonstrate that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and price value have a statistically significant positive impact on behavioral intention, which in turn is the strongest predictor of actual use. The model explains 69% of the variance in behavioral intention and 87.2% of the variance in actual use, which highlights the robustness of the findings. Conversely, social influence and effort expectancy played no meaningful role in this context, suggesting that adoption is shaped less by peer pressure or perceived ease of use and more by perceived benefits, organizational support, and motivational factors. From a management perspective, the findings emphasize the importance of investing in digital infrastructure, providing organizational support, and improving perceived value and user experience. Such measures are crucial for supporting effective implementation and fostering sustainable digital transformation in SMEs.

Acknowledgment
Supported by the University of Debrecen Program for Scientific Publication.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The growing relevance of innovations in green logistics and green marketing is transforming the business models of the transport sector. Modern technologies now enable continuous vehicle condition monitoring and cargo tracking, improving both safety and operational efficiency. Sustainability considerations further drive the optimization of logistics processes. The implementation of innovative solutions, such as green logistics and green marketing practices, contributes to these objectives and supports environmental protection. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the impact of innovation on green marketing and green logistics. A literature review was conducted to identify the main theoretical and empirical approaches in this field. At the same time, a multi-criteria method was applied to assess the influence of technological development on the marketing strategies of transport companies. The findings indicate that innovations, particularly in green electric vehicles, significantly influence green logistics and marketing strategies. The analysis highlights strong interconnections between innovation adoption, green logistics, and sustainable marketing practices. The most critical criteria identified include the perceived benefits of green options and brand value. The results can serve as a foundation for developing comprehensive green strategies and implementing sustainable logistics practices. The study emphasizes that adopting green strategies in cooperation and logistics processes reduces operating costs, improves customer service quality, and accelerates logistics operations.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The rapid growth of social media has transformed consumer-brand interactions, making the study of attachment and consumer engagement highly relevant for emerging markets such as the Philippines. This research aims to examine how higher-order constructs of attachment (identity-based attachment and bonding-based attachment) influence consumer engagement with local brands on Facebook and, subsequently, how this engagement shapes purchase intention. To achieve this, a structured online survey was conducted among 386 Filipino Facebook users who actively followed at least one local brand page. Data collection took place between August and October 2024, employing purposive sampling to ensure the representativeness of engaged local brand consumers. The survey method was chosen to capture consumers’ psychological attachment and behavioural responses within an authentic digital setting. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), the findings reveal that bonding-based attachment exerts the strongest influence on consumer engagement (β = 0.56, p < 0.01), while identity-based attachment also demonstrates a significant but comparatively weaker effect (β = 0.34, p < 0.01). Both attachment dimensions indirectly enhance purchase intention through consumer engagement (β = 0.302 for bonding-based attachment, and β = 0.186 for identity-based attachment), with consumer engagement itself emerging as a robust predictor of purchase intention (β = 0.542, p < 0.001). Demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and income showed no significant moderating effects on the consumer engagement-purchase intention relationship. These results provide empirical support for the mediating role of consumer engagement in attachment-intention pathways, extending attachment theory into social media marketing and offering practical insights for brand managers in emerging economies.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The hospitality industry has shown a growing commitment to adopting strategic green practices that aim to reduce environmental footprints while fostering brand loyalty. This paper uses the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model for explaining the roles of customer trust and identification in the relationship between green hotel practices and green customer citizenship behavior. Survey data were collected from 247 domestic customers at ASEAN green-certified hotels in Northern Vietnam. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was utilized to assess the study framework and the hypothesized relationship. The findings indicate that positive perceptions of green practices significantly and directly affect customer green citizenship behavior (β = 0.374). Besides, green hotel practices also influence customer trust (β = 0.694) and identification with green hotels (β = 0.725). The results revealed the effects of customer trust (β = 0.154) and identification with green hotels (β = 0.405) on customer green citizenship behavior. Moreover, customer trust and identification with green hotels play a vital role as intermediaries in explaining how sustainable practices influence green customer citizenship behavior. The findings provide further theoretical clarity of customers’ sustainable behavior in the hospitality industry. The practical implications were recommended for developing strategies to foster green citizenship behavior among green hotel customers.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This study synthesises findings from 56 research articles published between 2010 and 2024 to examine how digital marketing affects the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using a random-effects model estimated with restricted maximum likelihood (REML), the analysis shows a clear and moderately strong positive relationship (r = 0.3715, 95% CI [0.3443, 0.3884], p < 0.0001). The lack of variability across studies is remarkable, with an I² value of only 0.09%. This suggests a strong consistency in the observed relationship, even though the studies used different contexts and research methods.
Mixed-effects moderation analyses show that the impact of digital marketing varies depending on industry structure. Specifically, service-sector companies see greater performance improvements than small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. In contrast, the geographic setting, the research design, and the type of performance metric used do not significantly change the observed relationship. To assess the possibility of publication bias, the study used Egger’s regression test and funnel plot analysis. Neither method showed any signs of systematic bias.
The combined results suggest that digital marketing is a strong and broadly effective way to improve the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in service-based industries where digital interactions with customers are crucial. However, the lack of diversity requires further investigation, as it could indicate hidden similarities in how the studies were designed or how they measured things. Future research would benefit from more detailed studies over time, as well as a closer look at how different sectors or organizations might affect the results of digital marketing.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
An e-commerce brand is an e-commerce platform that differentiates its services and functionalities from other e-commerce sites. Moreover, consumers’ view of a brand or service as a leader influences customers’ decision-making. Thus, this research investigates the impact of brand leadership, brand experience, and brand image on consumer satisfaction and the likelihood of repurchasing. This research utilized the stimulus-organism-response theory as the fundamental framework for its development. The model was tested using the partial least squares approach, relying on survey responses from 299 Shopee shoppers collected via Google Forms from October to November 2024. The Shopee platform was selected as it ranks as the top e-commerce platform in Vietnam. The results indicate that brand leadership positively affected client satisfaction (β = .160, t = 2.171) and the propensity to repurchase (β = .362, t = 6.013). Likewise, brand experience positively affected client satisfaction (β = .247, t = 2.581) and the propensity to repurchase (β = .271, t = 4.703). Similarly, brand image positively affected client satisfaction (β = .173, t = 2.095) and the propensity to repurchase (β = .190, t = 2.718). Similarly, client satisfaction positively influenced repurchase intention for e-commerce brands (β = .129, t = 2.418). This study offered theoretical and managerial insights and suggestions for further research.

Acknowledgment
The author expresses gratitude to Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City for supporting this research.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This study investigates the impact of demographic factors on consumers’ ethical perceptions and purchasing behavior toward regional food product brands. Specifically, we examine how gender, parenthood, and age influence consumers’ ethical perceptions of regional food brands and their willingness to pay a premium. The survey instrument, based on locally recognized regional product brands from the Liberec Region, was administered online and on paper to respondents from the same region, yielding 384 valid responses using quota sampling with quotas set according to available demographic characteristics of the region’s population. Data were analyzed using non-parametric methods (Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman’s correlation) and ANOVA, chosen for their suitability with non-normal distributions and ordinal or skewed data. The results reveal significant demographic differences. On average, women are willing to pay an 18% premium for regional food, compared to 13% for men. Parents of dependent children are willing to pay a 17% premium, while non-parents are willing to pay 14%. The lowest willingness to pay was recorded among individuals aged 85 and older, at 8%. In ethical perceptions, women and parents of dependent children view regional food consumption and support for local businesses as more ethically significant than men and non-parents. Age also plays a role, with younger (18-24) and older (65-84) consumers perceiving these practices as less ethical compared to middle-aged groups (25-44 and 45-64). The study concludes that while ethical considerations slightly influence willingness to pay, other factors likely play a more substantial role in shaping consumer behavior.

Acknowledgments
Supported by grant SGS-2024-1430 “The value of regional product brands” and internal grants by the
Faculty of Economics, Technical University of Liberec.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Consumer Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has emerged as a pervasive psychological driver of purchasing decisions. In today’s experience-driven retail environment exemplified by Vietnam’s rapidly expanding modern shopping malls, FOMO may prompt consumers to buy impulsively and unplanned. However, most FOMO research focuses on online or social media contexts, leaving its role in offline retail underexplored. This study fills that gap by examining how FOMO influences shoppers’ psychological states and subsequent buying behaviors in Vietnamese malls. We conducted a structured questionnaire survey of 428 mall patrons in Ho Chi Minh City in 2024, and analyzed the data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results confirm that FOMO significantly heightens consumers’ financial risk-taking, emotional arousal, and reduced self-control. In turn, these states strongly predict purchase behaviors: risk-taking drives impulsive and repeat shopping, emotional arousal fuels impulse, and repeat buying, and diminished self-control leads to unplanned spending. Notably, the strength of these effects varies by consumer segment and context: younger, more tech-savvy shoppers and those in high-end malls showed stronger FOMO effects, and frequent shoppers were especially susceptible. These findings extend FOMO theory into physical retail and offer practical insight: marketers can leverage FOMO cues but must do so ethically, as this tactic powerfully drives consumption. The study concludes that FOMO is a key stimulus in malls, calling for future research to examine its long-term impact and boundary conditions.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This study employs the concept of green consumer orientation to examine its relationship with green attitudes and green buying behavior in the food sector of Vietnam. A random online survey of 871 individuals who had purchased green food in Vietnam during the period of March and April 2025 was used as the basis for quantitative analysis. After evaluating the validity and reliability of scales using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the research model, developed hypotheses, and indirect relationships were evaluated using Structural Equation Modeling. The outcomes proved that the role of green consumer orientation with three dimensions (identification, equilibrium, and interaction) has a positive impact on green product attitude and green buying behavior in the food sector. More specifically, green buying behavior is most strongly influenced by interaction, followed by equilibrium; green attitude is most strongly influenced by identification, followed by interaction and equilibrium; green attitude has a direct positive impact on green buying behavior and has an indirect mediating effect in the relationship between identification, equilibrium, and interaction and green buying behavior. Since green food marketers can determine the dimensions of green consumer orientation to change their attitude and green buying behavior in the food sector. Theoretically, the novelty of this study is the validation and use of a green consumer orientation scale. With its three-dimensional structure, this scale is a concise, accurate, and complete tool that specializes in measuring consumers’ tendency to use green products.

Acknowledgment
The author would like to thank all survey participants who took the time to share information and advice, contributing significantly to the success of this study.