Portsmouth Business School

Thesis summary

The recent growth and development of digital technology has helped to transform many aspects of marketing practice. In addition, there has been a major shift in the dominant marketing paradigm. Whereas the 4P's approach to marketing theory has helped to ground the subject, contemporary thinking suggests that relationship marketing is a more suitable interpretation of current marketing practice.

It is generally accepted that the frequency and intensity of interactive communications can have a positive effect on the development of marketing relationships. This research programme, founded on relational theory, is intended to explore the influence that different types of digital media might have on the nature and characteristics of different forms of interaction. This in turn may be linked to the quality and duration of the relationships that evolve.

The research goal is to first establish a classification of different types of marketing interaction and to then test ways in which different digital media might lead to different interactive outcomes. It is the intention of this research  programme to develop a 'digital interaction impact' model. It is proposed that this model will contribute to our understanding of the role of digital media within different interactive contexts and may be of assistance to organisations as they seek to manage their marketing relationships.