Fachartikel
Classification in Marketing Science

Classification in Marketing Science

This paper explores the role of clustering and classification methods in marketing beyond the prominent application of market segmentation (cf. Data analysis and decision support, Springer, Berlin, 157–176) Our study is based on a sample of more than 1,900 articles chosen from international peer-reviewed marketing journals. We apply a growing bisecting k-means for text classification to investigate the relation between the use of classification methods and the implications for scholars and practitioners revealed in the articles under consideration. Moreover, we evaluate the dependency between the use of classification techniques and the quality ratings of the papers.
This study highlights the application gaps of classification and clustering with respect to different areas of marketing science and, therefore, pinpoints domains of marketing science lacking a strong empirical foundation. Additionally, we draw implications for academic curricula.