Relational Marketing Agility and Entrepreneurial Marketing in Tourism: A Conceptual Frameworks for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Keywords:
relational marketing agility, entrepreneurial marketing, sustainable competitive advantage, tourism industry, Indonesia.
Abstract
This conceptual paper develops an integrative model explaining how Relational Marketing Agility (RMA) operates as a mediating dynamic capability that strengthens the linkage between Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) and Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) in entrepreneurial tourism. Responding to increasingly dynamic tourism environments, shifting customer expectations, and intensified digital-based competition, this study synthesizes insights from Entrepreneurial Marketing, the Dynamic Capabilities View (DCV), relational capability, and agile marketing. Through systematic literature integration, RMA is conceptualized as a higher-order dynamic capability consisting of customer-sensing agility, relational adaptation agility, and rapid response capability. The proposed framework argues that RMA mediates the influence of EM on SCA by enabling tourism firms to identify relational opportunities, adjust engagement strategies, and respond swiftly to evolving customer needs. This model advances theoretical understanding by positioning RMA as a pivotal mechanism that transforms marketing innovativeness into long-term competitive strength within experience-driven tourism markets. As one of the earliest conceptual articulations of RMA in entrepreneurial tourism, the study contributes to dynamic capabilities literature and provides a foundation for future empirical research. It also offers strategic guidance for tourism SMEs aiming to enhance competitiveness through the development of agile relational capabilities
References
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Pavlou, P. A., & El Sawy, O. A. (2011). Understanding the elusive black box of dynamic capabilities. Decision Sciences, 42(1), 239–273
Spiegler, V. L., Della Corte, V., & Scarpato, D. (2020). The role of marketing capabilities in shaping sustainable competitive advantage in tourism SMEs. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28(6), 817–835
Teece, D. J. (2014). The foundations of enterprise performance: Dynamic and ordinary capabilities in an (economic) theory of firms. Academy of Management Perspectives, 28(4), 328–352.
Teece, D. J. (2007). Explicating dynamic capabilities: The nature and microfoundations of sustainable enterprise performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28(13), 1319–1350.
Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509–533.
Pereira-Moliner, J., Alonso-Almeida, M., & Trombetta, M. (2021). How do dynamic capabilities explain hotel performance? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102–115.
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. Journal of Marketing, 68(1), 1–17.
Zhou, J., & et al. (2019). The relationship between marketing agility and financial performance. Industrial Marketing Management, 83, 31–41.
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.
Buhalis, D., & Law, R. (2008). Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the internet The state of eTourism research. Tourism Management, 29(4), 609–623.
Day, G. S. (2011). Closing the marketing capabilities gap. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 183–195
Day, G. S., & Schoemaker, P. J. H. (2016). Adapting to fast-changing markets. California Management Review, 58(4), 59–77
Day, G. S. (2014). Closing the marketing capabilities gap in an age of rapid change. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 42(1), 1–9
Evans, N., & Moutinho, L. (2016). Sustainable competitive advantage in tourism organizations (review). Tourism Management Perspectives. 25(2), 76–95
Fyall, A., & Proctor, S. (2011). Value co-creation in tourism and hospitality: A polarity of interests and tensions. Annals of Tourism Research, 43, 28–51
Grönroos, C. (1994). From marketing mix to relationship marketing: Towards a paradigm shift in marketing. Management Decision, 32(2), 4–20.
Gummerus, J. (2017). Customer experience in relationship marketing: Past, present, and future. Journal of Services Marketing, 31(2), 140–152.
Harrington, R. J., Ottenbacher, M., & Kendall, K. W. (2017). Innovative behavior in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(3), 1–18.
Hasanah, N. (2024). Pengaruh entrepreneurial marketing terhadap peningkatan competitive advantage UMKM. Jurnal Ekonomi & Manajemen, 8(1), 55–70.
Hashem, T. N. (2024). Marketing agility in the era of digital transformation: Conceptual and strategic insights. International Journal of Business Strategy, 14(3), 22–36.
Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Sirmon, D. G. (2011). Strategic entrepreneurship: Creating value for individuals, organizations and society. Academy of Management Perspectives, 25(2), 57–75.
Irawan, D., & Rosita, N. (2023). Entrepreneurial marketing and competitive advantage in service-based SMEs. Journal of Entrepreneurship Studies, 12(4), 210–225.
Kalaignanam, K. (2021). Marketing agility and managerial implications. Journal of Marketing Research 47(1), 1–17
Kraus, S., Palmer, C., Kailer, N., Kallinger, F. L., & Spitzer, J. (2020). Digital entrepreneurship: A research agenda on new business models for the twenty-first century. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 26(5), 1043–1066. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-06-2020-0370
Mandasari, I. A. C. S. (2023). Antecedents of competitive advantage and its consequences. International Journal of Social Science and Business, 7(2), 230–240.
Mejeed, S. H. (2025). The mediating role of marketing agility in enhancing business performance: Evidence from service SMEs. World Scientific” Journal of Management, 15(1), 44–59.
Miles, M. P., & Darroch, J. (2006). Large firms, entrepreneurial marketing processes, and the cycle of competitive advantage. European Journal of Marketing, 40(5/6), 485–501. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560610657804
Mina Khushroo & Mortesa Soltani 2025, “Digital transformation of tourism: towards a model of technology acceptance by tourists in the Industry 5.0,” Eropean Journal of Innovation Management, 28(5), 2101-2124
Morris, M. H., Schindehutte, M., & LaForge, R. W. (2002). Entrepreneurial marketing: A construct for integrating emerging entrepreneurship and marketing perspectives. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 10(4), 1–19.
Morrish, S. C., Miles, M. P., & Deacon, J. H. (2019). Entrepreneurial marketing: Acknowledging the entrepreneur–customer relationship. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 27(4), 303–316. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2018.1508853
Nguyen, H. T. T., & et al. (2023). Dynamic capabilities in tourism businesses: Antecedents and outcomes. Review of Managerial Science. 47(1), 1–17
Neuhofer, B., Buhalis, D., & Ladkin, A. (2014). A typology of technology-enhanced tourism experiences. International Journal of Tourism Research, 16(4), 340–350
Noor, L. S. (2025). The impact of entrepreneurial marketing, relational marketing, and innovation strategy on marketing performance. Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen & Kewirausahaan Strategik, 4(1), 11–25.
O’Cass, A., & Weerawardena, J. (2009). Examining the role of international entrepreneurship, innovation and international market performance. Journal of Business Research, 62(3), 1–10
Payne, A., & Frow, P. (2005). A strategic framework for customer relationship management. Journal of Marketing, 69(4), 167–176.
Panduro-Ramirez, J. A., López-López, L., & Cervantes, C. (2024). The role of relationship marketing and brand love in customer experience and loyalty. Journal of Governance and Business, 6(2), 77–95.
Pavlou, P. A., & El Sawy, O. A. (2011). Understanding the elusive black box of dynamic capabilities. Decision Sciences, 42(1), 239–273
Spiegler, V. L., Della Corte, V., & Scarpato, D. (2020). The role of marketing capabilities in shaping sustainable competitive advantage in tourism SMEs. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28(6), 817–835
Teece, D. J. (2014). The foundations of enterprise performance: Dynamic and ordinary capabilities in an (economic) theory of firms. Academy of Management Perspectives, 28(4), 328–352.
Teece, D. J. (2007). Explicating dynamic capabilities: The nature and microfoundations of sustainable enterprise performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28(13), 1319–1350.
Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509–533.
Pereira-Moliner, J., Alonso-Almeida, M., & Trombetta, M. (2021). How do dynamic capabilities explain hotel performance? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102–115.
Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. Journal of Marketing, 68(1), 1–17.
Zhou, J., & et al. (2019). The relationship between marketing agility and financial performance. Industrial Marketing Management, 83, 31–41.
Published
2025-12-20
How to Cite
Sisno Riyoko. (2025). Relational Marketing Agility and Entrepreneurial Marketing in Tourism: A Conceptual Frameworks for Sustainable Competitive Advantage. International Journal of Business and Quality Research, 3(04), 407-515. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijbqr.v3i04.2678
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