New marketing frontiers: crowdsourcing. Theoretical hints and empirical evidences
2013
Purpose of the study . This research paper aims at deeply understanding the evolution of marketing strategies with a tight of the involvement of the customers, with particular reference to the higher consumer confidence with web 2.0 tools and their value-added services. The research focuses on the exploration of the firm-consumer-firm connection that comes out through crowdsourcing activities. Methodology . Through a case study analysis, we explore the implications of the customer role in crowdsourcing initiatives and their influence on marketing activities. The theoretical framework of the research links the Service-Dominant Logic and the Resource-Based Theory in the light of the user-innovation approach. Findings . The case study analysis focuses on Turismo Emilia Romagna and Destination New South Wales in order to understand the reasons why they chose to apply crowdsourcing as well as how they involve the communities, thanks to the firms’ resources and competences in developing innovative crowdsourcing activities. Research limits . According to the main scopes of a research paper, the paper makes a comparison between a national and an international case, but the aim is to enlarge the present research by analyzing numerous other relevant cases. Practical implications . Customers have a key role in designing and implementing marketing policies both at induced and organic level, so crowdsourcing can be really helpful for firms in order to gain and sustain competitive advantage. Originality of the study . Crowdsourcing represents a new marketing frontier for firms since it allows creating new marketing opportunities for firms according to the hypercompetitive environment in which they operate.