Sustainability as a factor of changing marketing strategies based on the customers´ preferences in context of different generations in Slovakia

The most up-to-date challenge of modern marketing is the need to incorporate sustainability principles into marketing strategies. Promoting the principles of sustainability requires setting environmental objectives at the enterprise level and devising marketing strategies that meet the environmental requirements and customer preferences. The article deals with two basic topics, the issue of environmental marketing against the background of customer preferences and generations of consumers, more precisely as they were profiled in Slovakia. Examining the preferences of customers of different generations aimed to prove that implementing environmental marketing principles is necessary. Although the aim of the research was to correlate selected findings with the preferences of the environmental objectives of different generations, the research that focused on the behavior of different generations of consumers under the sustainability concept revealed some original findings concerning the assessment of ethnocentrism under the sustainability concept.

MARKETING TECHNOLOGIES OF CONSUMERS SEGMENTATION OF RESORT AND RECREATIONAL SERVICE

Background. Using marketing technologies to segment consumers is a key resource for actively and quickly responding to consumer needs. Segmentation allows to identify differences in the response of consumers to services, implement the targeted marketing principles, develop a range of services in accordance with the consumers needs. The aim of the paper is to studydevelopment of methodological foundations of mar­keting technologies for consumers segmentation, taking into account the key features of resort and recreational services, which ensure scientific approaches development to consu­mer segments assessment and allows proactively adjusting the offer of resort and recrea­tion­nal services, especially during periods of seasonal fluctuations. Materials and methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the article are the results of theoretical and applied research of Ukrainian and foreign scientists on consumer segmentation. The behavioral method was used to analyze consumer behavior and needs. Special methods for ratings, sample observations, comparative analysis, grou­ping based on the use of general and special Google Analytic software, CoSchedule were used. Results. The problem of effective segmentation of consumers of resort and recrea­tional services is very important in a situation of aggravated competition for the consumer, since the definition of target segments is the basis for the formation of effective and targeted marketing activities. The expediency of using the VALS model has been proven. The VALS model is proposed to be improved by adding a stage that allows to determine the level of customer satisfaction with resort services based on the CSAT Composite Customer Satisfaction Score method. This method allows to determine the compliance of the received services with the expectations of consumers and to identify the level of service processes. The driver of the effective impact of marketing communications on consumer segments is digitalization. This is manifested in the creation of an immersive environment for a resort and recreation enterprise. This is due to the fact that immersive environment simulators offer a personalized and efficient mechanism for introducing consumers to the spa and recreational service through visualization. Conclusion. The use of marketing technologies for consumers segmentation of resort and recreational services is influenced by the digitalization of marketing activities and leads to new methods of collecting and analyzing data for segmentation. These methods allow to accumulate quickly information about consumers in the digital space for segmentation and proactive interaction with target audiences, as well as reduce time it takes for a new service to enter the market. In the context of digitalization, further research to conduct marketing technologies for segmentation of consumers of resort and recreational services should deve­lop the priority of using digital sources of dynamic information about consumer character­ristics in a virtual environment; determine the features of the combination of static (offline consumer features) and dynamic (online consumer features) segmentation features. Keywords: segmentation, marketing technologies, digitalization, immersive envi­ron­ment, consumer, resort and recreational service

Impact of Using Social Marketing Principles on Promoting Breastfeeding Practices and Physical Growth: an Egyptian Community Based Longitudinal Study

Background: Improving breastfeeding practices does not always link to interventions relying only on improving nutritional awareness and education but needs cultural and behavioral insights. Aim: Our study provided educational intervention through the use of the social marketing (SM) approach which was respectable to societal norms allowing more conscious choices by mothers to achieve the maximum potential of physical growth of their infants. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the used approach for improving breastfeeding practices and the physical growth of infants aged up to 2 years. Methods: A quasi-experimental intervention design with posttest-only control design was done along 3 years duration with 24 months of intervention and follow up for motivating mothers’ voluntary behavioral change towards breastfeeding promotion using SM principles: product, price, place, and promotion. The interventions targeted 646 pregnant women in their last trimester and mothers of children up to 2 years in addition to 1454 women in their childbearing period. Results: Most of the mothers showed increased awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding and became interested in breastfeeding their children outside the house using the breastfeeding cover (Gawn). Early breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) under 6 months, frequency of breastfeeding per day, percentage of infants who continued breastfeeding till 2 years, were significantly increased from 30%, 23 %, 56%, and 32% to 62 %, 47.3 %, 69 %, and 43.5 % respectively. With the attention of the nutritional educational sessions three or more times, the majority of indicators had the most significant improvement. The girls who recorded underweight results compared to boys, were significantly improved after the intervention (from 66.7 % to 18.8%). At the same time, girls that were found to be obese before the intervention (15.4 %) became no longer obese. Conclusions: Nutritional interventions that are based on the use SM approach showed improvement for the majority of the key performance indicators. Although they were doubled their value before the intervention yet the majority were still modest (below 50 %). With sustained use of the SM approach, infants will achieve their maximum potential for physical growth through providing economically disadvantaged mothers with breastfeeding support.

MODELS OF COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING FOR HOMESTAY MANAGEMENT

Tourists' visits to rural areas are increasingly experiencing growth. However, the community has not taken advantage of tourism as an opportunity to increase income. The research aims to identify the factors driving and inhibiting homestay management by the community, analyze the community's capacities and opportunities for homestay management, and propose a community capacity-building model for homestay management. This research employs a qualitative approach through a case study in Maen Village, Likupang, North Minahasa Regency. The research was carried out in 2020 through two periods of visits with interviews with residents and observation. The research reveals that the community had not yet optimized their house as a homestay. Residents' houses only serve as lodging for mining workers. However, residents do not mind providing their house as an accommodation based on homestay management principles. The strategic location of Maen Village, the hospitality of the residents, and the use of people's houses as lodging are the driving forces for homestay management. A weak understanding of homestay is a challenge for most residents. Community capacity still needs to be improved with various training programs. This study proposes two homestay management models and development, including, entrepreneurial-based community capacity model and a homestay management model based on digital marketing principles. This research validates the concept of community capacity through homestay management. In addition, the paper provides an insight on how to utilize the opportunities possessed by the local community to obtain alternative income through homestay management.

Patterns of Communication between Gen Z and Public Institutions in Times of Crisis: A Study Based on Relationship Marketing Principles

In time of crisis, the role of public institutions is on the rise and the communication between citizens and institutions is increasingly important, in order to preserve society's civic fabric and ensure the maintenance of trust in the aftermath of the crisis.

The origins of internal communication and employer branding in marketing theories

Internal communications and employer branding are recognized as important tools for achieving an inspirational working environment, which is both an aim and a means of differentiation between organisations. A growing number of studies demonstrate a connection between internal communication and employee identification with the organisation they work for, as well as with their perception of employer’s brand. The aim of this theoretical paper is to identify and elaborate theoretical foundations that contributed to the development of these two concepts. For that purpose, marketing schools of thought, primarily social exchange school of marketing thought and relationship marketing are analysed and related to the concepts of internal communication, and employer branding. The analysis shows that social exchange school theories can be applied to describe values that are exchanged through internal communication and employer brand activities, while relationship marketing principles are used when implementing these activities in order to develop positive employee relationships.

Small and Medium Enterprises Brand Positioning Through Guerilla Marketing Principles

The article analyses the positioning process of small and medium enterprises using the principles of guerrilla marketing. At the beginning of a business start-up, the positioning process becomes crucial to gain a competitive advantage in a crowded market. The problem is that small business cannot compete in the market with the same marketing tools as large companies. Exceptionally, small businesses often face three problems: lack of financial resources for advertising, lack of marketing specialists, inability to compete with large companies. The scientific literature analysis allowed us to systematise the essential principles of memorising the brand’s position using guerrilla marketing principles. The model of small and medium business brand positioning through guerrilla marketing and its principles are also presented. Guerrilla marketing is a particularly suitable way for small businesses as it requires creativity, intellectual and time investment rather than financial resources.

Social marketing applications in public policy programs: key learnings and applications

Purpose Marketing tools used in public policy may not be purely commercial but based on non-commercial marketing exchanges also. This paper aims to make a case for the practice of social marketing principles to aid the context of public policy. Design/methodology/approach The approach is to draw out the key implementable learnings (KILs) from the analysis of the five public policy initiatives in the USA, India and Sri Lanka. A case situation with the context of child labour policy in India is proposed to use these KILs. Findings This paper concludes that the implementation of any policy is a challenging exercise and dependent on a large number of factors. However, KILs derived from successful social marketing programs deal with umbrella campaigns, prevailing socio-cultural environment, bottom-up communication, upstream approach to engage with stakeholders and targeted media advocacy could prove useful when the objective is to induce behaviour change as a part of the policy execution. Originality/value This paper evaluates the learnings from social marketing campaigns and their relevance to public policy programs. It also considers a case to demonstrate the application of the concept.