Methodological maturity in the data definition phase of marketing analytics: a qualitative analysis of 40 stakeholders

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dc.contributor.authorGorostiza, Iñaki
dc.contributor.authorBuján Carballal, David
dc.contributor.authorOyarbide Zubillaga, Aitor
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-02T06:07:31Z
dc.date.available2026-06-02T06:07:31Z
dc.date.issued2026-01-31
dc.date.updated2026-06-02T06:07:31Z
dc.description.abstractMarketing analytics rises or falls on one quiet moment: the data definition phase, when teams decide what to measure and how. Despite its centrality, the field lacks a standardized methodology for doing this well. This study asks how practitioners actually run data definition and what distinguishes mature from ad-hoc practice across agencies, in-house teams, and freelancers. Evidence comes from 40 semi-structured interviews analyzed inductively with reliability checks. Four dimensions consistently shape outcomes: process formality, stakeholder collaboration, documentation and tooling, and recurring failure points such as definitional drift, onboarding friction, and governance gaps. Comparative patterns show agencies emphasize standardization, in-house results hinge on leadership and culture, and freelancer-driven gains fade without internal ownership. The study introduces a five-level Data Definition Maturity Model that specifies practical capabilities, aligned KPI glossaries, facilitated definition workshops, versioned metric repositories, and privacy checkpoints. Higher maturity reduces “whose numbers are right” disputes, speeds consensus, and improves analytic reliability. The contribution is a shared language and actionable roadmap for a phase too often improvised; we argue that rigorous data definition is a necessary precondition for reliable analytics and AI-ready marketing data ecosystems.en
dc.identifier.citationGorostiza Esquerdeiro, I., Buján-Carballal, D., & Oyarbide-Zubillaga, A. (2026). Methodological maturity in the data definition phase of marketing analytics: a qualitative analysis of 40 stakeholders. International Journal of Market Research, 68(3), 402-422. https://doi.org/10.1177/14707853261420776
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/14707853261420776
dc.identifier.eissn2515-2173
dc.identifier.issn1470-7853
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14454/6128
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherSAGE Publications Ltd
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2026
dc.subject.otherAI readiness
dc.subject.otherData definition
dc.subject.otherData quality
dc.subject.otherGovernance
dc.subject.otherMarketing analytics
dc.subject.otherMaturity models
dc.subject.otherStakeholder collaboration
dc.titleMethodological maturity in the data definition phase of marketing analytics: a qualitative analysis of 40 stakeholdersen
dc.typejournal article
dcterms.accessRightsmetadata only access
oaire.citation.endPage422
oaire.citation.issue3
oaire.citation.startPage402
oaire.citation.titleInternational Journal of Market Research
oaire.citation.volume68
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