Learning from data: An empirics-first approach to relevant knowledge generation
Golder,Peter N. Dekimpe,Marnik An,Jake T. van Heerde,H.J. Kim,Darren Alba,Joseph W.
Golder,Peter N.
Dekimpe,Marnik
An,Jake T.
van Heerde,H.J.
Kim,Darren
Alba,Joseph W.
Abstract
A theory-first paradigm tends to be the dominant approach in much academic marketing research. In this approach, a theory is borrowed, refined, or developed and then tested empirically. In this challenging-the-boundaries article, the authors make a case for an empirics-first approach. "Empirics-first" refers to research that (1) is grounded in (originates from) a real-world marketing phenomenon, problem, or observation, (2) involves obtaining and analyzing data, and (3) produces valid marketing-relevant insights without necessarily developing or testing theory. The empirics-first approach is not antagonistic to theory but rather can serve as a stepping-stone to theory. The approach lends itself well to today's data-rich environment, which can reveal novel research questions untethered to theory. The present article describes the underlying principles of an empirics-first approach, which consists of exploring a domain purposefully without preconceptions. Using a rich set of published examples, the authors offer guidance on how to implement empirics-first research and how it can lead to valuable knowledge development. Advice is also offered to scholars on how to report empirics-first research and to reviewers and to editorial teams on how to evaluate it. The ultimate objective is to pave a way for the empirics-first approach to enter the mainstream of academic marketing research.
Description
Date
2023-05
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Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
empirical research, marketing theory, relevance, empirical generalizations, research methods
Citation
Golder, P N, Dekimpe, M, An, J T, van Heerde, H J, Kim, D & Alba, J W 2023, 'Learning from data: An empirics-first approach to relevant knowledge generation', Journal of Marketing, vol. 87, no. 3, pp. 319-336. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429221129200