SW New Mexico News

Marketing can serve as a powerful catalyst for building a business or brand, but there's a depth of strategic intricacies beyond what initially meets the eye. One faculty member in the College of Business has been delving into the field of strategic marketing, thanks to his entrepreneurial background and interest in strategic issues.

K.T. Manis, an assistant professor of marketing, has been with the College of Business since 2022, but his research didn’t start there. “The role of technology and innovation adds a unique dimension to my work – a passion I’ve cultivated over the years.”

In 2018, Manis earned his Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration and, in 2022, he earned a Ph.D. in Marketing, both from Texas Tech University. Since joining NMSU, Manis was nominated and elected to the Employee Council, where he serves as the website coordinator on the executive committee. He’s been a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, and some of his work appears in the Journal of Business Research, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Business Logistics, and Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management.

The heart of his research aligns with his background, which he shared is an asset in shaping curriculum and enhancing students’ educational experience.

“Because most of my research is strategy oriented, I find it easier to incorporate my research into the course MKTG 503: Marketing Management,” he said. “For example, when discussing the connection between consumer behavior and marketing strategy, I incorporate the findings from my co-authored work in the Journal of Macromarketing, ‘The Interplay between Advertising and Society: An Historical Analysis.’ I also use my research program on firm-level capabilities to introduce students to different types of organizational capabilities and illustrate their importance.”

He added that while much of his work is less consumer-oriented, he’s incorporated his work on materialism and innovativeness into his other marketing course, MKTG 311V: Consumer Behavior when discussing personality traits.

“Above all, across all my courses, I am dedicated to providing students with essential research skills because a robust foundation in research is indispensable for making well-informed business decisions,” Manis shared.

While shaping future marketers’ understanding of their potential roles and responsibilities, Manis leads several projects related to different areas of his research program.

“One project focuses on international capabilities which extends my work on capabilities-based research,” he explained. “This project aims to provide a systematic review of the international capabilities literature which will be used to classify different types of international capabilities and develop a comprehensive model of antecedents outcomes and moderators.”

He also is working on other projects that aim to uncover propositions regarding how artificial intelligence can enable marketers at different organizational levels and their tasks.

“The other essay conceptualizes and operationalizes ‘technology-enabled strategic marketing capability,’ then tests it as a key mediator in a comprehensive model of antecedents outcomes and moderators,” he said.

While conducting innovative research may be bumpy at times Manis shared that NMSU provides many valuable opportunities and resources for faculty and graduate students to engage in various endeavors.

“The Marketing Department within the College of Business has a fantastic behavioral lab that can be used to conduct behavioral studies in a controlled environment,” he said. “Additionally the College of Business extends a rich array of databases and specialized tools tailored to diverse research interests. These resources serve as crucial aids offering a vast toolbox for researchers to delve deeper into their specific areas of inquiry.”

NMSU not only provides tools to conduct successful research but also has funding opportunities to advance studies such as the Fulton Mini-Grant. “The Fulton Mini-Grant has been instrumental in helping my colleagues and me undertake research using Nexus Data Labs for text mining,” Manis shared. “In summary the resources and support provided by NMSU’s College of Business help faculty uncover groundbreaking insights that push the boundaries of business research.”

Manis added that the College offers more than just an education for students; it offers a dynamic research community that provides cutting-edge knowledge faculty expertise practical application and skill development.

“The coursework within the College incorporates real-world challenges allowing students to apply their theoretical knowledge to solve business problems,” he said. “This practical approach not only enriches student understanding but also hones their problem-solving skills.”

Overall Manis shared that his overarching goal when conducting research is aligned with NMSU's mission by publishing in leading business journals on topics that practitioners scholars find interesting relevant useful.

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