Designing a Marketing Capabilities Model with a Futures Research Approach in the Petrochemical Industry
Keywords:
Marketing capabilities, futures research, system dynamics, marketing dashboards, marketing strategy, petrochemical industryAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to identify the drivers and policy scenarios that enhance marketing capabilities in petrochemical firms and to prioritize effective interventions using a futures-oriented lens.
Methodology: An exploratory mixed-method design was used. A meta-synthesis (Sandelowski–Barroso) with a qualitative–quantitative screening (CASP-like) extracted constructs and indicators; expert panels (n=12) from academia and petrochemical strategy units validated content. A system dynamics model operationalized six capability dynamics (strategic, operational, value creation, R&D, market sensing, analytical), and nine policy scenarios were simulated against a calibrated baseline.
Findings: The baseline marketing capability index was 68.724. “Enhancing marketing dashboards” lifted the index to 197.587 (↑128.863; top performer). “Improving marketing strategies” reached 177.066 (↑108.642), and “Upgrading distribution/promotion channels” reached 138.313 (↑69.589). “Strengthening marketing research” increased the index to 121.553 (↑52.529), and “Improving the marketing mix” to 100.537 (↑31.813). “Reducing planning weakness” yielded 106.408 (↑37.656), “Brand management improvement” 89.1188 (↑36.5898), “New product/service development” 78.7361 (↑10.0121), and “Improving execution/resources” 81.4618 (↑34.7378). Positive spillovers included gains in creativity, sales engineering, and value discovery/creation.
Conclusion: Priorities should focus on analytical–control capabilities (dashboards), strategic alignment, and distribution/promotion optimization; these levers generate the largest and most resilient uplift in petrochemical marketing capability and scaffold durable improvements across complementary capability domains.
Downloads
References
Abbasi, B., Mahmoud, K., & Yarahmadi, F. (2019). Investigating the Impact of Relationship Marketing on Customer Loyalty with the Moderating Role of Trust, Commitment, and Brand Attachment: A Case Study of Iran Insurance Company. National Conference on Innovative Research Achievements in Accounting and Management, Rasht.
Ahmadi Afshar, S. M., Heydari, S. A., & Jamshidi, M. (2022). Designing an Integrated Development Model for Evaluating Marketing Capability Indicators in Bank Tejarat: Elucidating a Resource-Based View. Journal of Business Management, 14(54(2)), 40-62. https://www.noormags.ir/view/en/articlepage/1888281
Al Jabri, M. A. S., & Lahrech, A. (2025). The Role of Strategic Orientations in the Relationship Between Adaptive Marketing Capabilities and Ambidexterity in Digital Services Firms: The Case of a Highly Competitive Digital Economy. Systems, 13(5), 358. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13050358
Andrijauskiene, M., & Dumciuviene, D. (2018). National culture as a determinant of firms' innovative performance. Forum Sci. Oeconomia, 6, 47-67. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=663035
Aripin, Z., Matriadi, F., & Wibowo, L. A. (2024). Analysis of Marketing Capability and Market Ambidextrous on Product Innovation Results: Integration of Dynamics Between Internal and External Approaches. Journal of Economics, Accounting, Business, Management, Engineering and Society, 1(4), 1-12. https://kisainstitute.com/index.php/kisainstitute/article/view/18
Eftekhari Pour, S., Vakil Al-Ra'aya, Y., & Faizi, F. (2022). Measuring the Effects of Board Structure and Diversity on Firm Performance and Capability: A Case Study of Marketing Capability in Companies Listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. Investment Knowledge, 11(44), 631-652. http://www.jik-ifea.ir/article_20648.html?lang=fa
Fallahi, M., Kahandel, M., Khalifeh, S. N. m., & Nourbakhsh, M. (2022). The Impact of Marketing Capabilities on the Performance of Companies in the Sports Manufacturing Sector of Iran. Management and Organizational Behavior in Sports, 11(7), 45-54. https://www.noormags.ir/view/en/articlepage/2043320/
Fam, J., Hooley, G., Cox, T., Bercas, J., Fonfara, K., & Snoj, B. (2017). The development and impact of marketing capabilities in central Europe. Journal of International Business Studies, 31(1), 63-81. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490907
Gliga, G., & Evers, N. (2023). Marketing capability development through networking - An entrepreneurial marketing perspective. Journal of Business Research, 156, 123-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113472
Harahap, D. A., Amanah, D., & Yakob, R. (2019). Why relational marketing impacts on bank's customer satisfaction? Bisma (Bisnis Dan Manajemen), 12(1), 43-53. https://doi.org/10.26740/bisma.v12n1.p43-53
Heydari, A., Kheiri, B., & Najafzadeh Ziaeddin, M. (2021). Presenting a Model for Measuring Marketing Capabilities of Bank Melli Iran. Journal of Monetary and Banking Research(Spring 2021, No. 47), 187-213. https://www.sid.ir/paper/1060923/fa
Krisnanto, A., Surachman, S., Rofiaty, R., & Sunaryo, S. (2023). The Role of Marketing and Digital Marketing Capabilities: Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Marketing Performance of Public Enterprises. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 82, 92-107. https://doi.org/10.33788/rcis.82.7
Mikalef, P., Najmul Islam, V., Parida, V., Singh, H., & Altwaijry, N. (2023). Artificial intelligence (AI) competencies for organizational performance: A B2B marketing capabilities perspective. Journal of Business Research, 455-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113998
Naghibi, M., & Yousefpour, S. (2024). Investigating the Role of Human Capital on Dynamic Marketing Capabilities in the Tourism Sector of Urmia City. Tenth International Conference on Management and Accounting Sciences, Tehran.
Nagy, J., Oláh, J., Erdei, E., Máté, D., & Popp, J. (2018). The Role and Impact of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things on the Business Strategy of the Value Chain-The Case of Hungary. Sustainability, 10, 3491. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103491
Nazem Bakaei, M., & Ashrafian Rahqi, M. (2024). The Impact of Marketing Capabilities on Risky Export Performance with the Mediating Role of Competitive Strategy and Marketing Communications. Economics and Business Research Journal, 32, 1-15. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Journal/jebr/Article/1106858
Omidi, A., Pooya, A., Bastam, H., & Hosseinzade, A. (2021). Provide agile marketing capability model for the development of health tourism industry. Iranian Journal of Operations Research, 12(1), 93-108. http://iors.ir/journal/article-1-709-en.html
Osman, A. M., Liu, Y., & Wang, Z. (2023). Influence of Organizational Culture on Construction Firms’ Performance: The Mediating Roles of Innovation and Marketing Capabilities. Buildings, 13(2).
Rather, R. A. (2019). Consequences of consumer engagement in service relational marketing: An empirical exploration. Journal of Global Marketing, 32(2), 116-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2018.1454995
Sanayi, A. (2020). An Integrated Conceptual Model Based on Wholeness for Creating, Maintaining, and Developing Marketing Capabilities, Sustainable Competitive Advantage, and Superior Business Performance. Journal of Business Management(Autumn 2020, Vol. 12, No. 3), 594-622. https://jibm.ut.ac.ir/article_78275_9978.html?lang=fa
Shahid Qureshi, M., Aziz, N., & Sarfraz, M. (2017). How marketing capabilities shape entrepreneurial firm's performance? Evidence from new technology based firms in Turkey. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 7, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40497-017-0071-5
Steinhoff, R., & Palmatier, R. W. (2020). Commentary: Opportunities and challenges of technology in relationship marketing. Australasian Marketing Journal, 2-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2020.07.003
Tavasoli, M., & Nasrollahnia, M. (2020). Factors Affecting Marketing Capabilities and Firm Performance: A Case Study of Sadra Marine Industrial Company. Journal of Marine Management Studies(Winter 2020, Issue 2), 6-26. https://www.noormags.ir/view/en/articlepage/1865887
Xiong, L., So, K. K. F., Wu, L., & King, C. (2019). Speaking up because it's my brand: examining employee brand psychological ownership and voice behavior in hospitality organizations. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 83, 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.11.006
Zohourian, Z., Rahimnian, F., & Nabizadeh, T. (2022). Dynamic Marketing Capabilities and Organizational Performance: The mediating role of Operational Marketing capabilities. Marketing Science and Technology Journal, 1(1), 143-164. https://www.scielo.br/j/bbr/a/p5pnZLGKjryF9cQzVD9KzvF/?lang=en
Zohrevandian, K., Khosravi Zadeh, E., & Shirvani, T. (2020). Identification of Marketing Capabilities and Human Resource Revenue Generation in Iranian Premier League Football Clubs and Model Design. Human Resource Management in Sports, 7(2), 387-403. https://shm.shahroodut.ac.ir/article_1797_0.html
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hossain Shahbazi, Hakimeh Niky Esfahlan, Samad Aali (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
