Part I - Foundational Issues in Marketing Communications

Chapter 1- Setting the Scene

Porcu, Del Barrio-Garcia & Kitchen (2012) opine that IMC provides important cost savings related to organizational facilities as cooperation among departments avoids unnecessary duplication of communication strategies and implies an improvement in operational efficiency and in message coherence. In line with the assertion by Porcu et al., (2012), Cornelissen & Lock (2000) also present these benefits as psychological and they also observe a reduction of internal conflicts and a decrease of transactional costs among functions. This will make it possible for firms to achieve higher incomes for each campaign as a functional outcome, together with the synergy among the elements of communication mix and the improvement of the ability of using a wider and more appropriate range of tools (Duncan & Moriarty, 1998). This will indeed serve as a source of competitive advantage for the firm. The various benefits that firms can gain as a result of the adoption and implementation of IMC provides a strong need for having a book on Integrated Marketing Communications in Emerging Economies.

This chapter will set the scene for this volume by discussing foundational issues of marketing communications. The chapter will provide an introduction to all the issues in this book and highlight what readers should expect. The chapter will also highlight why it is important to focus on EMs in terms of marketing communication theory and practice.

Chapter 2- Value and Marketing Communications

The centrality of stakeholder management has never been questioned in management and is key to corporate success. The firm's multiple stakeholder groups require that every entity ensure that the desires of these groups are adequately catered for. In simple terms, every stakeholder seeks value and management of this value then becomes the business of the firm. One model that helps in value management is the value management cycle - value creation, value communication and value capture. The value management cycle articulates how the benefits sought by the target audience can be effectively managed. It starts with the creation through demonstration (communication and delivery) and value capture. An important part of the value cycle is value communication - involves the various marketing and customer communication tools and strategies that seek to convey corporate, brand and product benefits. While firms have been admonished to pursue the creation of new value as a form of competitive enhancement, it must be said that it is just one aspect of the value management process. The value created must be creatively communicated to convey the benefits to the target audience. It must be said that some firms have been obsessed with the value creation process through their innovation channels at the neglect of value communication and capture. While innovating is critical to the success of every enterprise, such innovations must be communicated to ensure market uptake. Value communication must be context specific and respect the cultural environment of customers, especially in emerging markets.

Chapter 3: Research in Marketing Communications

Research is one of the keys to successful decision making.
About the Author:

Thomas Anning-Dorson (PhD) works with the Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He also serves as a Researcher with The Fairwork Foundation, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, and a fellow at McGill University, Canada, on the QES Program..

Robert Ebo Hinson (PhD) is a Professor and Head of Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Ghana Business School. He is also the Acting Director of Institutional Advancement at the same institution, Research Associate at the University of the Free State Business School, and an Extraordinary Professor at the North West University School of Business and Governance in South Africa. Robert has authored/edited several books and has over a hundred scientific publications to his credit.

Henry Boateng holds a PhD in Knowledge Management from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia and serves as the Director of Institutional Research at the D'Youville College, New York. Henry has published several articles in reputable journals such as the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Computers in Human Behaviour, International Journal of Public Administration and Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing.

Albert Anani-Bossman (PhD) is a Lecturer at the faculty of Public relations, Advertising and Marketing at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. He is also a communication specialist with over 15 years' experience in the field of communication. Dr. Anani-Bossman is a young academician who has published a number of articles in reputable journals.

Meenakshi Gujral (PhD) is the Director, PyroQ Technovision (Metamorphose Learning through Innovation) and a visiting faculty at Amedkar University, Amity University. Over 15 years of experience in research and academics, in both national and international Universities - Delhi University, Amity University, University of Witwatersrand, Regenesys, etc & also with agencies like the World Bank, Ministry of Health & family Welfare, Govt. of India, NCERT (National Council of Educational & Research Training), to name few..

Ayca Can Kirgiz (PhD) is an Associate Professor in different universities, including Istanbul Kent University, teaching Marketing, Brand Management, Sales Management and Integrated Marketing Communications. She has been working academically since 2005, and also serving the industry since 2012.. She is the author of "Green Marketing: A Case Study of the Sub-Industry in Turkey (Palgrave Macmillan).