Designing an Ambidextrous Marketing Model with an Approach to Domestic Market Development in Rail Freight Transportation
Keywords:
Rail transportation, ambidextrous marketing, sustainable development, structural equation modeling, value creation, knowledge managementAbstract
Rail transportation, due to advantages such as reducing fuel consumption, increasing safety, and lowering pollution, is one of the key instruments for sustainable development. However, in Iran, this industry has not sufficiently developed due to factors such as infrastructure deterioration and the lack of application of modern marketing approaches. The present study was conducted with the aim of designing an ambidextrous marketing model for the development of the domestic rail freight market. This study employed a mixed-methods research design, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with rail transportation industry experts and analyzed using grounded theory. In the quantitative phase, data were collected using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). Data analysis showed that technological factors, organizational and managerial characteristics, and service speed were identified as key causal conditions for ambidextrous marketing. Value creation and knowledge management strategies played a significant mediating role in achieving financial and social outcomes. It was confirmed that ambidextrous marketing can establish a balance between exploiting existing capabilities and exploring new opportunities, ultimately leading to improved organizational performance. The study demonstrated that designing and implementing an ambidextrous marketing model can contribute to the development of the domestic rail freight market and enhance the competitiveness of this industry. This model, with an emphasis on balancing exploration and exploitation, provides a comprehensive approach for improving the financial and social performance of organizations. The use of advanced technologies, organizational learning, and customer-oriented culture are among the influential factors in the success of this model.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Javad Noroozi (Author); Ali Asghar Eyvazi Heshmat (Corresponding author); Rasoul Sanavifard (Author)

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