This book examines issues and implications of digital and social media marketing for emerging markets. These markets necessitate substantial adaptations of developed theories and approaches employed in the Western world. The book investigates problems specific to emerging markets, while identifying new theoretical constructs and practical applications of digital marketing. It addresses topics such as electronic word of mouth (eWOM), demographic differences in digital marketing, mobile marketing, search engine advertising, among others. A radical increase in both temporal and geographical reach is empowering consumers to exert influence on brands, products, and services. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and digital media are having a significant impact on the way people communicate and fulfil their socio-economic, emotional and material needs. These technologies are also being harnessed by businesses for various purposes including distribution and selling of goods, retailing of consumer services, customer relationship management, and influencing consumer behaviour by employing digital marketing practices. This book considers this, as it examines the practice and research related to digital and social media marketing.

This book would enable students, academics and practitioners to develop a thorough understanding on how to address service marketing issues and problems in a variety of settings in emerging economies. This book would also give them the background necessary to think through different elements of service marketing in emerging markets by comparing and contrasting with developed economies. This book will describe the component of service marketing, including service mix, service development, consumer behavior, customer assessment, service communication, role of electronic channel and channel management, service chain, pricing and similar topics. Chapters of the book will focus on creating, communicating and delivering customer value to emerging market consumers through several service marketing strategies, processes and programs in the context of markets dynamics, consumer diversity, and competitors. By way of illustrating various actual business situations, this book will help students, academics and practitioners to build necessary skills to take service marketing decisions in emerging economies. This book would be relevant for students of postgraduate programs of full time MBA, post graduate diploma in management, and executive post graduate programs and doctoral programs to develop a critical understanding of the business scenarios and service marketing strategies in emerging economies.

This revised te×t includes coverage of electronic commerce, database marketing and research into direct and on-line marketing.