Theoretical and Methodological Foundations of Researching Marketing Risks in Ensuring the Competitiveness of Digital Business Structures

Abstract

Purpose. The study aims to substantiate the theoretical and methodological foundations for analyzing marketing risks faced by business structures amid the digitalization of the economy. The paper determines the role of these risks in ensuring the long-term competitiveness of enterprises by integrating cybersecurity factors into brand equity.

Methods. The methodological framework of the research comprises a complex of general scientific and specialized approaches. Classic concepts of competition are re-evaluated using systemic and situational approaches. The sources of market advantages are identified through the lens of resource-based and institutional analysis. To construct the architecture of cyber-marketing risks, methods of logical generalization, decomposition, and structural-functional modeling are applied, while Thomas Saaty's Analytic Hierarchy Process serves as the methodological basis for the integral assessment of digital threats.

Results. The paper expands the conceptual understanding of marketing threats within the modern macroeconomic environment. The author provides an original definition of the "cyber-marketing risk" definition. This phenomenon is viewed as a specific form of marketing threat arising from vulnerabilities in a company's information and communication infrastructure. Its consequences include unauthorized access, data breaches, or manipulation of customer data, which degrades brand equity, erodes reputation, and leads to a critical loss of market positions. The author proposes a theoretical model linking a company's cyber-protection level with its customer loyalty dynamics (NPS). The systematization of methodological approaches justifies the combined use of qualitative and quantitative indicators, specifically highlighting the Trust Recovery Rate and Cyber Value at Risk (Cyber-VaR).

Conclusions. The study proves that total digitalization virtually blurs the line between technical data protection and a company's commercial success. Cybersecurity transforms from a purely operational IT function into a strategic determinant of competitiveness. The paper substantiates the implementation of the "Safety Branding" concept, which serves as a tool for gaining a proactive competitive advantage in the form of a "trust premium" from consumers. The formulated conclusions and methodological guidelines establish a solid foundation for developing applied marketing risk monitoring systems.