Research Idea: Shaping Markets

Traditionally, marketers have focused on understanding characteristics of markets and on reacting or adapting to them based on that understanding. Today, this perspective has changed from a reactive to a proactive approach.

Built on an understanding of markets as complex systems that are socially constructed and can be shaped by businesses and other actors, the focus has shifted on how to influence and construct the market they envision.

But exactly how are markets shaped? Who is shaping markets and how do market shapers engage with others to shape markets?

Your honours research could combine qualitative data analysis, literature reviews, and interviews to learn about market shaping capabilities, the role of effort in market shaping and more. This is an area of critical importance with implications for any actor, may it be in for profit or non-profit business, government and others.

If this area of research is on interest to you, you may consider undertaking an Honours project on this topic.

Research interest area: market shaping, market ecosystems.