Identification of Marketing Capabilities in the Life Cycle of Start-ups

In addition to value creation, start-up businesses face many challenges in their life cycle, and by identifying and strengthening their capabilities, they can increase the probability of success and overcoming these crises. One of the most important capabilities of these businesses is marketing, and accordingly, this research is defined with the aim of providing a model of marketing capabilities in start-up companies. This research is defined with the aim of identifying marketing capabilities in the life cycle of start-up businesses. In this regard, from a methodological point of view, it is an exploratory research that is applied in terms of purpose and mixed in terms of variables, and was conducted in a cross-sectional time horizon and with an inductive approach in a real and non-laboratory environment. Also, the geographical area of those start-up businesses located in Science and Technology Park, whose data was collected in the second half of 2019 and the first half of 2010.

This research has been implemented in three main stages. In the first stage, the marketing capabilities have been identified and extracted using the literature review and previous studies. The method used in this step is systematic review. The reason for choosing this method is the accuracy and completeness of the scientific use of the main researches to minimize mistakes and random errors, and to identify the largest possible number of related studies on this issue. At this stage, the statistical population has all available valid articles and books of the last 20 years, and the validity of the used researches has been evaluated using the Kasp method. At the completion of this stage, using in-depth interviews, the list of marketing capabilities of Nova businesses has been completed.

In the second step, the importance of marketing capabilities in the life cycle of start-up businesses was determined using a field survey and using a researcher-made questionnaire. At this stage, the statistical population has been the co-founders of startups based in the Fars Science and Technology Park Growth Center, and the participants were determined based on the list received from the Growth Center, based on access. The statistical population at this stage has been 242 active startups in this center, based on Cochran's relationship and with an error rate of 10%, the sample size of 69 cases was determined, and 56 questionnaires were completed based on accessibility and willingness to cooperate. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by formal method and based on the opinion of two academic experts and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.726).

In the following, the average of the collected data was compared using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test, and based on the significance of the average difference, the important capabilities at each stage of the life cycle of start-up businesses were determined and the final model was presented.

Based on the findings, 56 features were identified and grouped into 13 categories. Names of groups: communication capital management, product management, marketing systems and resources, operational capability, distribution, marketing research, marketing human resources management, brand management, customer management, promotion and advertising, diversification of marketing methods, sales management, digital marketing . As a management recommendation, startups can use this model as a scientific tool for decision-making and problem-solving of the marketing capabilities of their businesses. In addition, the use of this model can help start-up companies in a dynamic business environment, by recognizing important marketing capabilities at different stages, strengthen these capabilities and add to their previous capabilities. Also, scientifically, this model has led to the expansion of the scientific scope of innovation of business models and can be a basis for research related to the management of start-up businesses.