Validation of a Competitive Marketing Model for Achieving Competitive Advantage of Iranian Cosmetic and Personal Care Products in the Iraqi Market
Keywords:
Competitive marketing, Competitive advantage, Cosmetic and personal care products, Grounded theory, Structural equation modeling, Iraqi marketAbstract
The objective of this study was to develop and validate a competitive marketing model that explains how Iranian cosmetic and personal care products can achieve sustainable competitive advantage in the Iraqi market. This study adopted a mixed-methods sequential exploratory design grounded in a pragmatic paradigm. In the qualitative phase, a systematic grounded theory approach was employed using semi-structured interviews with academic and industry experts in marketing and the cosmetic and personal care sector, selected through purposive and theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Qualitative data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding to develop a conceptual competitive marketing model. In the quantitative phase, a structured questionnaire derived from the qualitative findings was administered to 384 marketing experts and practitioners. Structural equation modeling was applied to assess the measurement and structural models, evaluate model fit, and test the hypothesized relationships among constructs. Inferential results indicated that causal factors had a positive and significant effect on the core phenomenon of competitive marketing. Contextual factors and intervening factors both exerted significant positive effects on competitive marketing strategies. Furthermore, competitive marketing strategies showed a strong and significant impact on marketing outcomes related to competitive advantage. Model fit indices confirmed that the proposed structural model demonstrated an excellent fit with the empirical data, supporting the validity of the hypothesized relationships. The findings confirm that achieving competitive advantage in the Iraqi market requires an integrated competitive marketing system that aligns internal marketing capabilities with contextual and intervening environmental conditions and translates them into coherent strategic actions and outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ali Shariati, Babak Hajikarimi, Farid Asgari (Author)
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