A marketing mix model for a complex and turbulant environment
Purpose: This paper is based on the proposition that the choice of marketing tactics is determined, or at leastsignificantly influenced, by the nature of the company’s external environment. It aims to illustrate the type of marketingmix tactics that are suggested for a complex and turbulent environment when marketing and the environment areviewed through a chaos and complexity theory lens.Design/Methodology/Approach: Since chaos and complexity theories are proposed as a good means ofunderstanding the dynamics of complex and turbulent markets, a comprehensive review and analysis of literature onthe marketing mix and marketing tactics from a chaos and complexity viewpoint was conducted. From this literaturereview, a marketing mix model was conceptualised.Findings: A marketing mix model considered appropriate for success in complex and turbulent environments wasdeveloped. In such environments, the literature suggests destabilising marketing activities are more effective, whereasstabilising type activities are more effective in simple, stable environments. Therefore the model proposespredominantly destabilising type tactics as appropriate for a complex and turbulent environment such as is currentlybeing experienced in South Africa.Implications: This paper is of benefit to marketers by emphasising a new way to consider the future marketingactivities of their companies. How this model can assist marketers and suggestions for research to develop and applythis model are provided. It is hoped that the model suggested will form the basis of empirical research to test itsapplicability in the turbulent South African environment.Originality/Value: Since businesses and markets are complex adaptive systems, using complexity theory tounderstand how to cope in complex, turbulent environments is necessary, but has not been widely researched. In fact,most chaos and complexity theory work in marketing has concentrated on marketing strategy, with little emphasis onindividual tactics and even less on the marketing mix as a whole. Therefore, this paper can be viewed as an importantfoundation for a new stream of research using chaos and complexity theory to better understand marketing mixes andthe choice of marketing tactics for complex and turbulent business environments.