Emerging Technologies,Data-Driven Insights,and the Transformation of Marketing Systems

Abstract

This special issue of the Journal of Macromarketing investigates the transformative impact of digital technologies on marketing systems and broader societal outcomes, moving beyond the scope of firm-level innovation. The issue features three articles: one examining biodigital influencers in tourism; another analyzing data-driven patterns of global prosperity through the Legatum Prosperity Index; and a third exploring how market type moderates the relationship between privacy and customer welfare. Collectively, these contributions enrich macromarketing scholarship by employing interdisciplinary approaches and critically evaluating growth-centric assumptions. The editors advocate for future research in areas such as data governance, algorithmic ethics, and the far-reaching societal effects of technology-enabled marketing systems.

Keywords

digital marketing consumer welfare data-driven analytics emerging technologies customer privacy

Background

Rapid technological advances are profoundly reshaping how markets, organizations, and societies operate. Digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics, and platform-based ecosystems are transforming how businesses generate value, how consumers interact with markets, and how societies coordinate economic exchanges. From a macro-marketing perspective, these developments go far beyond innovation at the firm level; they influence the broader structure of marketing systems, institutional arrangements, and societal outcomes generated by market activity. As markets become increasingly data-driven and mediated by technology, understanding how emerging technologies are reshaping marketing systems and social welfare is becoming an important priority for contemporary research.

The proliferation of digital data and analytical tools offers unprecedented opportunities to understand the complex dynamics of markets. However, despite the abundance of available data, significant gaps remain on how advanced analytics can be integrated into macromarketing research to address pressing societal challenges such as market inequalities and sustainable development (Shapiro, Nwankwo, and Bhatt 2021). Recent research has made significant progress at the intersection of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and macromarketing practices, but the broader implications of these technologies for marketing systems and societal outcomes remain under-explored (Vlacic et al. 2021).

From a macromarketing perspective, technological innovation must therefore be examined not only as a catalyst for organizational transformation, but also as a structural force that shapes social welfare, institutional frameworks, and global market dynamics. Several emerging technological advances highlight the urgent need for this research program. Technologies associated with Web3 and blockchain infrastructure, for example, are often presented as mechanisms to improve transparency, interoperability, and trust in digital markets. However, empirical research examining their implications for macromarketing remains limited, particularly regarding their potential to support ethical marketing practices and build consumer trust within complex market ecosystems.

Similarly, immersive digital environments such as the metaverse are beginning to reshape consumer experiences, brand engagement, and virtual markets, raising new questions about privacy, participation, and social norms (Barrera & Shah 2023; Kraus et al. 2023). These changes highlight the importance of examining how emerging technologies influence consumer engagement, data governance, and the evolution of marketing systems in increasingly digitized environments.

A further significant gap concerns the limited interdisciplinary integration between macromarketing and related fields such as technology studies, sociology, ethics, and environmental sciences. As Klein and Laczniak. (2021) argue, addressing the societal consequences of contemporary marketing practices requires research that transcends disciplinary boundaries and engages in broader debates on sustainability, ethics, and societal well-being. While sustainability and responsible consumption are receiving increasing attention in marketing studies, further research is needed to understand how data- and technology-driven marketing practices can contribute meaningfully to sustainable development and ethical consumption.

Moreover, the global expansion of digital marketing ecosystems has intensified concerns about consumer privacy and data governance. As organizations increasingly rely on algorithmic decision-making and digital infrastructures, protecting personal data across diverse regulatory environments has become a central challenge for policymakers and academics. To address these issues, there is a need to better understand how privacy frameworks, technological capabilities, and market structures interact within contemporary marketing systems.

In light of these emerging opportunities and challenges, this special issue brings together contributions that examine the intersection between technological innovation, data-driven insights, and macromarketing systems. The articles included in this issue explore how emerging technologies and advanced analytical approaches are reshaping marketing practices, institutional structures, and societal outcomes in different contexts.

The Articles

-Biodigital Influencers in Tourism Marketing: A Social Media Marketing System Analysis of Industry Practitioner Perspectives

The article, “Biodigital Influencers in Tourism Marketing: A Social Media Marketing System Analysis of Industry Practitioner Perspective” by Jauffret, Hallem, and Aubrun, examines the growing role of biodigital influencers in transforming tourism marketing within the Social Media Marketing System (SMMS). As digital technologies act as strategic differentiators, the study addresses a relevant gap in the Macromarketing literature, as it focuses on industry practitioners’ perspectives on this emerging phenomenon. Moving beyond consumer-centric analyses, the authors explore through macromarketing lens biodigitalisation's impact on influences market dynamics, communication strategies, and societal implications in tourism. Drawing on a qualitative research design grounded in a constructivist paradigm, the study analyses insights from 55 tourism professionals across 31 countries.

The findings reveal that biodigital influencers are valuable for their ability to provide innovative, scalable, and controlled communication, offering tourism organisations new pathways to personalise experiences and maintain consistent brand narratives. At the same time, practitioners express concerns about the potential loss of human connection, the risk of artificiality, and the need for transparency in distinguishing digital personas from real individuals. The study also emphasises the importance of regulatory and ethical frameworks to address issues such as manipulation, trust, and societal impact.

-Data-driven Configurations of Global Prosperity

Matsuda Dos Santos and Paterson paper addresses the persistent challenge of identifying sources of quality data which is considered vital for understanding marketing systems across countries. Marketing system is one of the most important concept in Macromarketing literature which focuses on the interacting institutions that coordinate and enable the exchange of goods and services in the market (Layton 2007).

The authors argue that leveraging digital affordances to gather and analyze large set of data can help researchers in macromarketing in identifying patterns of market practices and revealing causalities between institutional frameworks and market dynamics. In this paper, the authors chose the lense of quality of life which is also a core concept in macromarking literature. The Legatum Prosperity Index (LPI) is a yearly ranking that assesses prosperity by merging economic performance with social well-being indicators across 12 key pillars is used in this paper as a source of quality data. LPI utilizes hundreds of data points and expert insights to gauge how effectively countries foster environments where their citizens can thrive.

The paper formulates two research questions: RQ1: Is the LPI consistent? RQ2: How does the LPI serve as a tool for understanding configurations of socio-economic prosperity across countries?

The data collection consists of three-phases. Phase 1 involved a qualitative assessment using Joselyn's (1977) framework to examine the LPI's problem relevance, population coverage, timing, standardization, accessibility, cost, potential for bias, and data accuracy. In Phase 2, a quantitative analysis of internal validity through descriptive statistics, pairwise correlation analyses, exploratory factor analysis, and computed Cronbach's alpha had been conducted. In Phase 3, the authors provided an inductive macromarketing interpretation of the clustering results through Configurations Theory. This study makes two pivotal contributions to the field of macromarketing scholarship. First, it offers a comprehensive analysis of the global dynamics of rent-seeking, demonstrating how crony capitalism, fragile judicial systems, and governance deficiencies generate self-reinforcing inefficiencies. Second, the study provides compelling empirical evidence that certain emerging economies attain prosperity levels comparable to those of advanced nations through alternative, non-GDP pathways. In doing so, it challenges conventional growth-centric paradigms and broadens our understanding of the multifaceted foundations of national well-being.

-Exploring Macrolevel Dynamics: Unraveling the Impact of Privacy on Customer Welfare and the Moderating Role of Market Type (B2B vs. B2C)

Exploring Macrolevel Dynamics: Unraveling the Impact of Privacy on Customer Welfare and the Moderating Role of Market Type (B2B vs. B2C) by Ouidade Sabri and Ydriss Ziane investigates the macrolevel relationship between customer privacy and customer welfare and examines how this relationship varies across market structures. Seeking to address inconsistencies in prior research regarding the welfare implications of privacy protection, the authors investigate whether the impact of privacy practices differs between Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) markets from a macromarketing perspective.

The study draws on a global dataset of 620 publicly traded companies in 2022, obtained from the FactSet database, and measures both customer privacy and well-being using indicators derived from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards. Using cross-sectional regression-based analyses and considering company characteristics such as size, profitability, product quality and safety, and geographic location, the authors analyze the influence of privacy practices on customer well-being in different types of markets.

The results reveal that market type plays a crucial moderating role in the relationship between privacy and customer well-being. More specifically, privacy practices have a significant positive effect on customer well-being in B2B markets, whereas no significant impact is observed in B2C markets. These results are consistent in both the service and manufacturing sectors. The study suggests that the stronger welfare effect in B2B contexts may be explained by the greater rationality of organizational decision-making and the higher strategic sensitivity of data exchanged in inter-firm relationships. By highlighting the conditional nature of privacy's welfare effects, the article contributes to macromarketing research and calls for more context-sensitive regulatory and managerial approaches to privacy that account for differences between market structures.

Future Research and Acknowledgements

The contributions in this special issue mark the beginning of a shift in marketing research toward a more in-depth examination of the technological transformations that are increasingly shaping contemporary marketing systems. As emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, digital platforms, and immersive digital environments continue to spread across markets, their implications extend beyond the scope of corporate strategy and operational efficiency. These developments affect institutional arrangements, consumer welfare, societal values, and the overall functioning of marketing systems (Chaney & Ben Slimane 2019). As a result, macromarketing research is particularly well positioned to examine how technological innovations are reshaping the societal outcomes of market activity.

First, future research should explore more deeply how data-driven technologies can improve our understanding of marketing systems and their societal implications. While the growing availability of large-scale datasets and advanced analytical tools offers unprecedented opportunities to study market dynamics, researchers should continue to develop robust methodological frameworks to integrate these data into macro-marketing analysis. Researchers are encouraged to explore how data-driven insights can help address societal challenges, including market inequalities, institutional inefficiencies, and sustainable development.

Second, greater attention should be paid to examining the ethical and societal implications of emerging digital technologies in marketing systems. Issues related to consumer privacy, algorithmic decision-making, digital transparency, and data governance are becoming increasingly central to the functioning of contemporary markets. Future studies should explore how regulatory frameworks, technological architectures, and institutional contexts interact to shape consumer trust, market legitimacy, and societal well-being in data-driven economies.

Third, the emergence of digital actors, such as bio-digital influencers, virtual platforms, and artificial intelligence-based agents, raises important concerns about authenticity, human interactions, and the evolving nature of commercial relationships. As marketing communications increasingly incorporate technology-generated actors, further research is warranted to understand how these changes influence consumer perceptions, social norms, and the broader dynamics of digital marketing ecosystems.

Fourth, future research should further investigate how emerging technologies influence global marketing systems and socioeconomic development patterns. As this special issue demonstrates, data-driven approaches offer promising opportunities for analyzing the institutional and structural foundations of national prosperity. Researchers are encouraged to build on these ideas to examine how technological innovation interacts with governance structures, institutional quality, and economic development to shape inclusive and sustainable marketing systems.

Finally, to address the complex societal implications of technological change, it is necessary to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration. Future research in macromarketing would benefit greatly from closer ties with related disciplines such as information systems, sociology, ethics, and environmental sciences.

These interdisciplinary perspectives can enrich our understanding of how technology-based marketing practices influence social well-being, sustainability, and ethical consumption in an increasingly digitized global economy.

We conclude by expressing our sincere gratitude to Professor Joseph Sirgy, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Macromarketing, for his support and encouragement throughout the development of this special issue. His openness to explore new areas of research in the field of macromarketing made this initiative possible. We would also like to thank the associate editors and anonymous reviewers whose thoughtful and constructive comments greatly contributed to the development and improvement of the articles published in this issue.

Finally, we would like to thank the authors who submitted their work for this special issue. Their contributions reflect the diversity of perspectives and methodological approaches needed to advance macromarketing research in a rapidly changing technological landscape. We hope that the research presented in this issue will stimulate scholarly dialogue and encourage future studies on the societal implications of emerging technologies in marketing systems.

Footnotes

Associate Editor

M. Joseph Sirgy

ORCID iD

Karim Ben Slimane

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Authors Biographies

Wissal Ben Arfi is an Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Head of the Marketing and Communication Department at Paris School of Business (PSB). She holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the University of Grenoble-Alpes, with a specialization in Innovation Management. Her research focuses on topics such as innovation management, entrepreneurship, digital platforms, innovative business models, technology adoption, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and knowledge sharing. Dr. Ben Arfi previously taught at EDC Paris Business School, where she also served as Head of the Research Department in Entrepreneurship. She has collaborated with international institutions, including Babson College. Her work has been published in high-ranking peer-reviewed journals such as Small Business Economics, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Journal of Business Research, Social Science & Medicine, Environmental Modeling & Assessment, Journal of Organizational Change Management, and Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, among others. ORCID:

Karim Ben Slimane is Professor of Strategy and Organization at Excelia Business School. His research examines the dynamics of market continuity and change, with a particular focus on market practices. His work has appeared in leading academic journals, including Organization Studies and the Journal of Business Ethics.

Alexandru Capatina is a Professor and PhD Supervisor in Management, as well as the Vice-Dean for Research and International Affairs at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Romania. He also serves as a Business Innovation Coach for the European Innovation Council (EIC Accelerator) managed by SMEs Executive Agency of the European Commission. He is Invited Professor at the Paris School of Business, where he provides coaching on e-Commerce projects, and at the IPAG Business School Paris, where he teaches a course on Consulting Approaches and Jobs of Tomorrow as part of an MBA program focused on Digital Transformation. His research expertise centers on Digital Innovation, Web Entrepreneurship, and Digital Marketing. Passionate about experiential learning in entrepreneurial education, he is a certified trainer for digital business games such as Simbound and DIG (Discovery-Innovation-Growth). He has participated in numerous international academic conferences and co-authored over 80 research papers. His publications are available on his ORCID profile:

Farid Chaouki holds a PhD in Management (2003) and is a Professor at the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences at Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech, Morocco. He is the founder and director of the NPG (New Management Practices) Research Laboratory and the founder of the consulting firm COMPETENCES CONSEIL. Professor Chaouki is actively involved in academic and civil society initiatives. He represented Moroccan civil society at the G8–MENA meeting in Kuwait in 2011. He currently serves as President of the African Council of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CAEI) and President of the Grand Ouarzazate Foundation for Sustainable Development, an association recognized as being of public utility. He is also Vice-President of OPRAGEM (Observatory of Management Practices in the Maghreb) and a member of AGRH (Francophone Association of Human Resource Management) and the Institute of Social Audit (IAS).

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