A Model for Holistic Strategic Marketing Plan Formulation in Online Businesses

The present study aimed to provide a model for holistic strategic marketing plan formulation in online businesses. In this study, with a qualitative approach based on contextual theory and through in-depth interviews with experts in the field of strategic marketing planning in the field of online businesses, the model of holistic strategic marketing plan in online businesses is presented. The participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling at the same time and the interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached and finally, 10 in-depth interviews were conducted. In order to analyze the data, the principles related to grounded theory (open and axial and selective coding) were used and concepts and categories were created. The results of data coding led to the identification of 130 basic concepts that were classified into 15 main categories. Finally, the conceptual model of the research includes 6 main parts of causal conditions (holistic marketing, customer relationship management, components of moving from offline to online planning, online marketing mix, data and information and the mental paradigm of managers), field conditions (prediction of future environmental changes and values), intervening conditions (online business characteristics and change), focal variable (online holistic strategic marketing plan), action and interaction (determination of operational plans and implementation of operational plans) and consequences (organizational performance and evaluation and control) were extracted. The results of the present research can be used in academic circles in order to create and store knowledge and for companies active in the field of online businesses and marketing managers.