Research - Betriebswirtschaftslehre, insbesondere Marketing und Digital Transformation

Research at the Chair of Marketing and Digital Transformation

We conduct internationally recognised research on management-relevant relationship marketing topics. The aim of our research is to generate new insights from our relationship marketing perspective that will benefit marketing research and practice as well as society.

Research profile

The Chair of Marketing and Digital Transformation conducts research into relationship marketing. Relationship marketing has become a standard in marketing research and practice over the last few decades and deals with the activities of companies that serve to establish, develop and maintain successful relationships with customers and other stakeholders. Our overarching research interest is to better understand the effects of relationship marketing instruments and to derive recommendations for their optimal use. In terms of a comprehensive perspective, we systematically investigate why and under what conditions both intended positive and unintended negative relationship marketing effects occur. Our research focuses on the diverse opportunities and challenges of digital transformation for customer relationships.

Our research has four characteristic features:

The theoretical foundation of our research is important to us. A behavioral science frame of reference is applied in our research projects.
We have strong methodological expertise in the investigation of causal relationships using experimental designs in laboratory and field environments. In our research projects, we use a broad repertoire of quantitative analysis methods (e.g. structural equation modeling, propensity score matching).
Our practical orientation is reflected in numerous corporate collaborations. Our research projects focus on the management relevance of the problem under consideration and the development of concrete recommendations for action for companies and their decision-makers.
Our research is also characterized by its international orientation. In our projects, we work together with a broad network of national and international research partners and are involved in initiatives such as the Sales & Marketing Strategy (SAMS) Institute, which promotes networking and cooperation between marketing research and practice.

Main research areas

Our professorship's research can be divided into two main areas. Firstly, we look at how loyalty arises in customer relationships and how it can be managed in the long term. Secondly, we are researching the effects of digital transformation on customer relationships.

Customer relationships and customer loyalty

Customer loyalty is an important target figure for companies when it comes to establishing, developing and maintaining successful customer relationships in the long term. With our research, we want to find out how customer loyalty is created and how companies can increase or destroy customer loyalty with their activities. In addition, we show how companies should design various relationship marketing instruments (e.g. loyalty programmes, rewards) in order to achieve the most positive effect on customer loyalty. In various research projects, we address the following research questions, among others:

What are the positive and negative influences of loyalty programmes on customer loyalty?
What effect does the social context have on customer behaviour when redeeming points in loyalty programmes?
What different roles do loyalty programmes play over the course of the customer journey and over different phases of the customer relationship?
What role does status play in loyalty programmes?
To what extent can "green" loyalty programmes with sustainable options for collecting and redeeming points promote sustainable customer behaviour?
To what extent can gift purchases influence the loyalty of gift buyers towards the company?
How does customer inertia influence customer loyalty?
What influence do remodelling measures in stationary retail have on existing customer relationships?
How do add-on services affect customer onboarding?

Selected publications

Henderson, C. M.; Steinhoff, L.; Harmeling, C. M.; Palmatier, R. W. (2021). Customer Inertia Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49 (2), 350-373 [VHB rating 2024: A] [Link]
Kim, J. J.; Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2021). An Emerging Theory of Loyalty Programme Dynamics, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49 (1), 71-95. [VHB-Rating 2024: A; Finalist 2021 JAMS Best Paper Award] [Link]
Steinhoff, L.; Zondag, M. M. (2021). Loyalty Programmes as Travel Companions: Complementary Service Features across Customer Journey Stages, Journal of Business Research, 129, 70-82 [VHB-Rating 2024: B] [Link]
Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Witte, C. (2019). Gift Purchases as Catalysts for Strengthening Customer-Brand Relationships, Journal of Marketing, 83 (5), 115-132 [VHB-Rating 2024: A+] [Link]
Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2016). Understanding Loyalty Programme Effectiveness: Managing Target and Bystander Effects, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 44 (1), 88-107. [VHB-Rating 2024: A] [Link]
Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Garnefeld, I. (2015). Managing the Bright and Dark Sides of Status Endowment in Hierarchical Loyalty Programmes, Journal of Service Research, 18 (2), 210-228 [VHB-Rating 2024: A] [Link]

Customer relationships and digital transformation

The digital transformation is having a profound impact on all areas of life, and it also harbours a wide range of opportunities and challenges for customer relationships. Our research aims to analyse how the digital transformation is changing customer relationships. As technology advances, a wide range of new relationship marketing tools are emerging that are making relationships between customers and companies increasingly seamless, connected and personalised. At the same time, the issue of data protection is moving centre stage; companies must not only comply with regulatory requirements, but also address the needs of their customers with regard to the protection of their data. Overall, there is a shift from human-human to human-machine interactions, with mixed effects on customer relationships. In various research projects, we are addressing the following research questions, among others:

What are the key characteristics of digital customer relationships?
How is the importance of relationship marketing changing in the digital transformation?
How can data protection regulations be implemented by human and digital agents in customer interactions?
What challenges and trade-offs arise from the triadic relationship between companies, customers and legislation?
What influence do multiple data releases along the customer journey have on customers' data protection awareness?
What role do data protection labels play in customers' data protection awareness and customer behaviour?
How do personal versus digital interactions affect customer behaviour in the sharing economy?
How do rewards influence customer behaviour on digital platforms in the sharing economy?
How do digital agents in customer service (voicebots, chatbots) affect the communication behaviour of customers?

Selected publications

Ozuna, E.; Steinhoff, L. (2024). "Look me in the eye, customer": How do face-to-face interactions in peer-to-peer sharing economy services affect customers' misbehaviour concealment intentions? Journal of Business Research, 177, 1-22 [VHB-Rating 2024: B] [Link]
Steinhoff, L.; Martin, K. D. (2023). Putting Data Privacy Regulation into Action: The Differential Capabilities of Service Frontline Interfaces, Journal of Service Research, 26 (3), 330-350. [VHB-Rating 2024: A] [Link]
Martin, K. D.; Kim, J. J.; Palmatier, R. W.; Steinhoff, L.; Stewart, D. W.; Walker, B. A.; Wang, Y.; Weaven, S. K. (2020). Data Privacy in Retail, Journal of Retailing, 96 (4), 474-489 [VHB Rating 2024: A; Winner 2021 Davidson Award] [Link]
Palmatier, R. W.; Steinhoff, L. (2019). Relationship Marketing in the Digital Age, New York and Abingdon: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. [Link]
Steinhoff, L.; Arli, D.; Weaven, S.; Kozlenkova, I. V. (2019). Online Relationship Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47 (3), 369-393. [VHB Rating 2024: A; Finalist 2019 JAMS Best Paper Award] [Link]

Publications

Our research is published in high-ranking international journals in the marketing discipline and has already received several awards. We are regularly represented at international scientific conferences with our ongoing research projects.

Articles in peer-reviewed journals

VHB rating 2024: A+

Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Witte, C. (2019). Gift Purchases as Catalysts for Strengthening Customer-Brand Relationships, Journal of Marketing, 83 (5), 115-132 [Link]

VHB-Rating 2024: A

Steinhoff, L.; Martin, K. D. (2023). Putting Data Privacy Regulation into Action: The Differential Capabilities of Service Frontline Interfaces, Journal of Service Research, 26 (3), 330-350. [Link]

Henderson, C. M.; Steinhoff, L.; Harmeling, C. M.; Palmatier, R. W. (2021). Customer Inertia Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49 (2), 350-373. [Link]

Kim, J. J.; Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2021). An Emerging Theory of Loyalty Programme Dynamics, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49 (1), 71-95. [Finalist 2021 JAMS Best Paper Award] [Link]

Martin, K. D.; Kim, J. J.; Palmatier, R. W.; Steinhoff, L.; Stewart, D. W.; Walker, B. A.; Wang, Y.; Weaven, S. K. (2020). Data Privacy in Retail, Journal of Retailing, 96 (4), 474-489. [Winner 2021 Davidson Award] [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Arli, D.; Weaven, S.; Kozlenkova, I. V. (2019). Online Relationship Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47 (3), 369-393. [Finalist 2019 JAMS Best Paper Award] [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2016). Understanding Loyalty Programme Effectiveness: Managing Target and Bystander Effects, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 44 (1), 88-107. [Link]

Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Garnefeld, I. (2015). Managing the Bright and Dark Sides of Status Endowment in Hierarchical Loyalty Programmes, Journal of Service Research, 18 (2), 210-228. [Link]

VHB-Rating 2024: B

Ozuna, E.; Steinhoff, L. (2024). "Look Me in the Eye, Customer": How Do Face-to-Face Interactions in Peer-to-Peer Sharing Economy Services Affect Customers' Misbehaviour Concealment Intentions?, Journal of Business Research, 177, 114582. [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Liu, J. (S.); Li, X.; Palmatier, R. W. (2023) Customer Engagement in International Markets, Journal of International Marketing, 31 (1), 1-31. [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Zondag, M. M. (2021). Loyalty Programmes as Travel Companions: Complementary Service Features across Customer Journey Stages, Journal of Business Research, 129, 70-82. [Link]

Payne, A.; Frow, P.; Steinhoff, L.; Eggert, A. (2020). Toward a Comprehensive Framework of Value Proposition Development: From Strategy to Implementation, Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 244-255. [Link]

Eggert, A.; Frow, P.; Payne, A.; Steinhoff, L. (2020). Understanding and Managing Customer Value Propositions: Introduction to the Special Issue, Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 242-243. [Link]

Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2013). Primacy versus Recency Effects in Extended Service Encounters, Journal of Service Management, 24 (1), 64-81. [Link]

VHB-Rating 2024: C

Böhm, E.; Eggert, A.; Garnefeld, I.; Holzmüller, H.; Schaefers, T; Steinhoff, L.; Woisetschläger, D. M. (2022) Exploring the Customer Journey of Voice Commerce: A Research Agenda, Journal of Service Management Research, 6 (4), 216-231. [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W.; Martin, K. D.; Fox, G.; Henderson, C. M.; Saint Clair, J. K.; Yan, S.; Lee, J.-Y.; Perko, T.; Harmeling, C. M. (2022). Commentaries on Relationship Marketing: The Present and Future of Customer Relationships in Services, Journal of Service Management Research, 6 (1), 2-27. [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2021). Commentary: Opportunities and Challenges of Technology in Relationship Marketing, Australasian Marketing Journal, 29 (2), 111-117. [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Witte, C.; Eggert, A. (2018). Mixed Effects of Company-Initiated Customer Engagement on Customer Loyalty: The Contingency Role of Service Category Involvement, Journal of Service Management Research, 2 (2), 22-35. [Link]

Monographs

Palmatier, R. W.; Steinhoff, L. (2019) Relationship Marketing in the Digital Age, New York and Abingdon: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. [Link]

Steinhoff, L. (2014). Loyalty effect of the gift of preferred customer status - A theoretical and empirical-experimental analysis, Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler. [Link]

Articles in edited volumes

Ozuna, E.; Bergel, M.; Brock, C.; Steinhoff, L. (2023). Sustainable Service Management in Tourism, in: Bruhn, M.; Hadwich, K. (Eds.): Shaping Change in Service Management, Volume 1: Innovation Perspective - Digitalisation Perspective - Sustainability Perspective, Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler, 523-542. [Link]

Eggert, A.; Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2014) How Profound Is the Allure of Endowed Status in Hierarchical Loyalty Programmes?, in: Geyer-Schulz, A.; Meyer-Waarden, L. (eds.): Customer & Service Systems, Special Issue: Customer Empowerment, 1 (1), Karlsruhe: KIT Scientific Publishing, 31-36. [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2014). Three Perspectives for Making Loyalty Programmes More Effective, in: Geyer-Schulz, A.; Meyer-Waarden, L. (eds.): Customer & Service Systems, Special Issue: Customer Empowerment, 1 (1), Karlsruhe: KIT Scientific Publishing, 147-152. [Link]

Contributions to refereed working paper series

Steinhoff, L.; Fang, E.; Palmatier, R. W.; Wang, K. (2016) Dynamic Effects of Loyalty Rewards for Contractual Customers, Marketing Science Institute (MSI) Working Paper Series, [16-121]. [Link]

Henderson, C. M.; Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2014). Consequences of Customer Engagement: How Customer Engagement Alters the Effects of Habit-, Dependence-, and Relationship-Based Intrinsic Loyalty, Marketing Science Institute (MSI) Working Paper Series, [14-121]. [Winner 2016 Robert D. Buzzell MSI Best Paper Award] [Link]

Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2013) Understanding the Effectiveness of Loyalty Programmes, Marketing Science Institute (MSI) Working Paper Series, [13-105]. [Link]

Contributions to peer-reviewed conference proceedings

Witte, C.; Steinhoff, L. (2025). Unlocking Spiritual Value: Magical Experiences of Commercial Services, 2025 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Phoenix.

Alberternst, B.; Steinhoff, L., Woisetschläger, D. M. (2025) Responsible Loyalty Programmes: How Redemptions for a Cause Impact Customer Loyalty, 2025 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Phoenix.

Ozuna, E.; Steinhoff, L. (2023). Customer Misbehaviour in the Peer-to-Peer Sharing Economy: The Mixed Role of Face-to-Face Interactions, Proceedings of the 52nd European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Odense.

Küpper, K.; Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2023) Evaluation of Product Testing Programmes as an Effective Marketing Tool - Negative and Positive Effects of Rejections in Product Testing Programs, Proceedings of the 52nd European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Odense.

Ozuna, E.; Steinhoff, L. (2023). Face-to-Face Interactions in Peer-to-Peer Sharing Economy Services: An Effective Barrier to Customer Misbehaviour?, 2023 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Nashville.

Alberternst, B.; Giesler, M.; Steinhoff, L. (2023). The Consumerisation of Care: How Capitalism Is Co-Opting Solidarity, 2023 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Nashville.

Alberternst, B.; Steinhoff, L.; Eggert, A.; Giesler, M. (2022). Theorising Marketplace Solidarity Systems: From Consumer-Firm Dyads to Structures of Mutual Support, 2022 AMA Summer Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Chicago.

Becker, M.; Wiegand, N.; Steinhoff, L.; Baidina, K. (2022) The Role of Self-Rewarding Behaviour in Cashback Loyalty Programs, Proceedings of the 51st European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Budapest.

Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L.; Küpper, K. (2022). How Do I Tell Them? Analysing Companies' Provision of Rejection Reasons in Product Testing Programs, 2022 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Las Vegas.

Alberternst, B.; Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Giesler, M. (2021). Understanding and Measuring Consumer Solidarity as a Collective Bond, Proceedings of the 50th European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Madrid.

Alberternst, B.; Steinhoff, L.; Eggert, A.; Giesler, M. (2021). Consumer Solidarity: A Social-System Perspective on the Glue that Holds Society Together, 2021 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, St. Petersburg.

Reimer, T.; Steinhoff, L.; Leyer, M. (2020). "Dear Stranger, This Looks Good on You": The Effect of Ambiguous Interactive Virtual Presence on Store Loyalty in Offline Retailing, 2020 Winter AMA Conference Proceedings, San Diego.

Steinhoff, L.; Zondag, M. M. (2019). Enhancing Loyalty Programme Effectiveness by Stimulating Member Activity along the Customer Journey, Proceedings of the 48th European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Hamburg.

Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Witte, C. (2018). Are Gift Purchases an Effective Driver of Customer Loyalty?, 2018 Winter AMA Conference Proceedings, New Orleans.

Steinhoff, L.; Zondag, M. (2018). Enhancing Loyalty Programme Effectiveness by Engaging Members along the Customer Journey, 2018 Winter AMA Conference Proceedings, New Orleans.

Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Witte, C. (2017). The Loyalty Effect of Gift Purchases, 2017 Winter AMA Conference Proceedings, Orlando.

Witte, C.; Steinhoff, L.; Eggert, A. (2016). The Power of Gift Purchases in Strengthening Customer-Company Relationships, Proceedings of the 45th European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Oslo.

Eggert, A.; Steinhoff, L.; Witte, C. (2015). You Might Want to Engage Your Customers, But Choose Them Wisely: The Mixed Effects of Company-Initiated Customer Engagement on Customer Loyalty, 2015 AMA Summer Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Chicago.

Steinhoff, L.; Palmatier, R. W. (2013). The Effect of Loyalty Programmes on Target and Bystander Customers: A Customer Portfolio Perspective on Loyalty Program Performance, Proceedings of the 42nd European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference, Istanbul.

Eggert, A.; Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2012). The Bright and Dark Side of Endowed Status in Hierarchical Loyalty Programmes, 2012 AMA Summer Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Chicago.

Eggert, A.; Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2012). Endowed Status in Hierarchical Loyalty Programmes, 2012 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, St. Petersburg.

Eggert, A.; Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2011). Identifying Valence as a Contingency Variable for the Primacy-Recency Controversy, 2011 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Austin.

Hunter, G.; Garnefeld, I.; Steinhoff, L. (2011). Can Retailers Improve Loyalty by Empowering Consumers?, 2011 AMA Winter Marketing Educators' Conference Proceedings, Austin.