Crafting Shape in a Fluid World - The Intersection of Marketing and External Forces

This volume highlights the evolving role of marketing in a rapidly changing environment by exploring how marketers can adapt foundational principles, emerging perspectives, and interdisciplinary insights to create meaningful impact in an increasingly fluid world. Featuring full papers presented at the 2026 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference held in Savannah, GA, USA, contributors explore how technological advancement, shifting economic and geopolitical conditions, and heightened attention to sustainability and ethics are reshaping consumer value perceptions and marketing strategy. The chapters address theoretical and methodological innovations for navigating disruption, the growing role of AI and automation, and marketing’s response to global challenges such as supply chain instability, regulatory change, and diversity initiatives. Collectively, the volume highlights how marketers balance enduring principles with adaptive strategies in a global economy undergoing profound transformation.

Founded in 1971, the Academy of Marketing Science is an international organization dedicated to promoting timely explorations of phenomena related to the science of marketing in theory, research, and practice. Among its services to members and the community at large, the Academy offers conferences, congresses, and symposia that attract delegates from around the world. Presentations from these events are published in this Proceedings series, which offers a comprehensive archive of volumes reflecting the evolution of the field. Volumes deliver cutting-edge research and insights, complementing the Academy’s flagship journals, the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (JAMS) and AMS Review.