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Abstract
This research investigates the role of strategic marketing innovation in helping startups navigate uncertainty by leveraging agility and creativity. Amid the dynamic shifts brought about by globalization, technological advancement, and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, startups are required to develop unique and adaptive marketing approaches to remain competitive and sustainable. The purpose of this study is to explore how agility the ability to respond rapidly to change and creativity the capacity to generate novel and valuable marketing solutions jointly influence strategic marketing innovation in startups. A descriptive quantitative method was applied to analyze patterns, effectiveness, and interrelations among agility, creativity, and marketing innovation in startups operating within dynamic sectors. Data were collected through structured surveys administered to startup founders and marketing professionals, and analyzed using correlation and regression techniques. The findings reveal that marketing agility significantly enhances startups’ ability to adapt marketing strategies in real time, while creativity contributes to differentiation, brand resonance, and consumer engagement. Moreover, the interaction between agility and creativity produces synergistic outcomes in terms of marketing innovation effectiveness. Digital capability and market sensing were found to moderate these relationships, further strengthening their influence on startup performance. The study concludes that strategic marketing innovation, supported by agile and creative capabilities, plays a critical mediating role in translating internal competencies into performance outcomes such as customer acquisition, brand positioning, and market responsiveness. This research provides theoretical and practical insights for startup founders, investors, and policymakers aiming to foster innovation and resilience in early-stage ventures.
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References
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References
Abbas, J., & Ali, R. (2024). The role of marketing agility in FinTech startups: Evidence from Pakistan. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 13(1), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00352-5
Aulia, R., Setiawan, T., & Maharani, S. (2024). Digital payment adoption among MSMEs: A pathway to inclusive finance. Journal of Digital Economy, 9(1), 33–47.
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Blank, S. (2013). Why the lean startup changes everything. Harvard Business Review, 91(5), 63–72.
Bocken, N. M. P., Short, S. W., Rana, P., & Evans, S. (2022). A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes. Journal of Cleaner Production, 65, 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.11.039
Dwivedi, Y. K., Ismagilova, E., Hughes, D. L., Carlson, J., Filieri, R., Jacobson, J., ... & Wang, Y. (2021). Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research propositions. International Journal of Information Management, 59, 102168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102168
Eckstein, G., Shrestha, A., Sassenberg, A.-M., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2023). Marketing agility in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) contexts: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Management Review Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-023-00278-7
Elena, L. (2022). Fintech adoption and e-commerce growth in Indonesia post-pandemic. Journal of Southeast Asian Economic Studies, 14(2), 55–66.
Fatma, F., & Ruzikna, R. (2024). The impact of e-commerce implementation on MSME income during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indonesian Journal of Business and Innovation, 10(1), 88–97.
Goldenberg, J., Lehmann, D. R., & Mazursky, D. (1999). The idea itself and its role in the idea generation process. Journal of Marketing Research, 36(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379903600102
He, Z. L., & Wong, P. K. (2004). Exploration vs. exploitation: An empirical test of the ambidexterity hypothesis. Organization Science, 15(4), 481–494. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1040.0078
Hills, G. E., Hultman, C. M., & Miles, M. P. (2008). The evolution and development of entrepreneurial marketing. Journal of Small Business Management, 46(1), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2007.00234.x
Kalaignanam, K., Tuli, K. R., Kushwaha, T., Lee, L., & Gal, D. (2021). Marketing agility: The concept, antecedents, and a research agenda. Journal of Marketing, 85(6), 35–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429211047414
Kim, J., Park, S., & Lee, H. (2024). Startup marketing agility and new product creativity: Evidence from e-commerce. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 42(1), 92–108.
Kristiana, D., Susanto, A., & Rahmawati, F. (2024). The role of fintech in improving financial inclusion among Indonesian MSMEs. Journal of Financial Technology and Policy, 6(2), 134–149.
Kumar, A., Singh, R. K., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2021). Application of industry 4.0 technologies in SMEs for ethical and sustainable operations: Analysis of challenges. Journal of Cleaner Production, 281, 125276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125276
Liu, Y., Chen, J., & Zhang, L. (2023). Agile marketing capabilities and firm performance: The mediating role of customer engagement. Journal of Business Research, 157, 113609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113609
Mardian, F. (2020). Pandemi COVID-19 dan dampaknya terhadap UMKM. Jurnal Ekonomi dan Sosial, 8(2), 45–54.
Muzakki, A., & Fahriani, Y. (2022). Pengaruh e-commerce terhadap perubahan pola konsumsi masyarakat. Jurnal Digitalisasi dan UMKM, 7(1), 23–34.
O'Hern, M. S., & Rindfleisch, A. (2010). Customer co-creation: A typology and research agenda. Review of Marketing Research, 6, 84–106. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1548-6435(2010)0000006009
OECD. (2005). Oslo Manual: Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Innovation Data (3rd ed.). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264013100-en
Prahalad, C. K., & Ramaswamy, V. (2004). Co-creating unique value with customers. Strategy & Leadership, 32(3), 4–9. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570410699249
Ramaswamy, V., & Ozcan, K. (2016). Brand value co-creation in a digitalized world: An integrative framework and research implications. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 33(1), 93–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2015.07.001
Ries, E. (2011). The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. Crown Publishing.
Rosing, K., Frese, M., & Bausch, A. (2011). Explaining the heterogeneity of the leadership–innovation relationship: Ambidextrous leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(5), 956–974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.07.014
Schilling, M. A., & Shankar, R. (2020). Strategic management of technological innovation. McGraw-Hill Education.
Teixeira, T., & Piechota, D. (2022). Unlocked: The power of digital customer experiences. Palgrave Macmillan.
Teece, D. J. (2007). Explicating dynamic capabilities: The nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28(13), 1319–1350. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.640
Viola, L., Handayani, T., & Surya, M. (2023). Digital literacy challenges in MSMEs transformation in Indonesia. Journal of Entrepreneurial Digitalization, 5(1), 20–32.
Ward, T. B. (2004). Cognition, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 19(2), 173–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-9026(02)00103-2
Wicaksono, T., & Anwar, S. (2023). Kontribusi UMKM terhadap pertumbuhan ekonomi nasional. Jurnal Ekonomi dan Kebijakan Publik, 11(2), 77–90.
Yusuf, M., & Kadir, A. (2022). Marketing innovation in Indonesian startups: Strategies and outcomes. Asian Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 7(2), 115–130. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6583947