the research hypothesis that the elements
which lead to successful online marketing are
substantially different than the elements associated
with successful traditional marketing.
The secondary research objectives addressed in the study are:
1) An identification of the business and commercial
environment in which e-commerce has become an
important source of sales and marketing.
2) A definition of online and traditional marketing
that highlights the similarities and differences
between the two marketing strategies and identifies the
relative benefits and disadvantages of each.
3) An assessment of the key activities that are
associated with successful online marketing and
4) An empirical investigation of the strategies used by
online and traditional marketers in each medium.
Rationale for the Study: Primary and Secondary Data
As the foregoing background information on e-commerce and online marketing should demonstrate, the explosion of Internet use has created new opportunities and new challenges for marketing professionals in the B2B and B2C arenas. There are few firms, particularly those in the B2C sector, which can afford to ignore the potential associated with online marketing. A comparative analysis of two different marketing types is therefore of value in that it can highlight both the advantages and disadvantages of online marketing. Such a study can also identify for B2C marketers the "best practices" which should be adopted when engaging in an online marketing effort. The project highlights the synergies between online and traditional marketing.
Surveying marketing professionals who work in the traditional media and online offers a unique opportunity to move from an analysis of previously published literature to a greater understanding of how professionals in the field perceive their roles vis-a-vis each medium. Such a study is significant in...