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.