A Longitudinal Thematic Analysis of Technology Integration in Marketing

This study conducts a longitudinal thematic analysis of the integration of technology in marketing across the 1980s, 90s, 00s, 10s and 20s. Findings reveal that each decade witnessed the adoption of technologies that significantly enhanced both pedagogical and content knowledge within the discipline. The rapid adoption of AI this decade will further revolutionize marketing pedagogy and practice. Accordingly, this study uses gen AI to thematically analyze the evolution of technology in marketing education over the past 45 years. Guided by Nolan’s (1979) stages-of-growth theory, this study employs gen AI-assisted thematic analysis to map the longitudinal evolution of technology adoption in marketing education, from early computer-assisted instruction to contemporary AI integration. The findings demonstrate how technology adoption in marketing education has progressed through discernible stages, punctuated by periods of disruption, with clear implications for faculty currently navigating AI integration. The study provides a longitudinal, theory-driven account of technological integration in marketing education to inform and utilize the present AI wave in marketing pedagogy, by employing a novel method for responsibly incorporating gen AI into large-scale, text-based longitudinal research.