Unstructured data in marketing

Abstract

The rise of unstructured data (UD), propelled by novel technologies, is reshaping markets and the management of marketing activities. Yet these increased data remain mostly untapped by many firms, suggesting the potential for further research developments. The integrative framework proposed in this study addresses the nature of UD and pursues theoretical richness and computational advancements by integrating insights from other disciplines. This article makes three main contributions to the literature by (1) offering a unifying definition and conceptualization of UD in marketing; (2) bridging disjoint literature with an organizing framework that synthesizes various subsets of UD relevant for marketing management through an integrative review; and (3) identifying substantive, computational, and theoretical gaps in extant literature and ways to leverage interdisciplinary knowledge to advance marketing research by applying UD analyses to underdeveloped areas.