Entreprenöriell marknadsföring i små- och nya företag : En kvalitativ studie om marknadsföring i startups

Sammanfattning: Small businesses have often been neglected in traditional marketing research as it has primarily focused on large, resource-rich companies. Small entrepreneurial companies are characterized by the fact that the entrepreneur is the main coordinator in the company. This differs from larger companies that usually employ specialists who possess expertise in specific areas. In Sweden, 99.2 percent of all companies are classified as small companies, which means that more research on small companies and how they use entrepreneurial marketing is of high relevance. The purpose of this study is to contribute with knowledge about how small- and upcoming B2C-enterprises use entrepreneurial marketing. The study also aspires to increase the understanding of the entrepreneur's role in their business by answering two research questions:  -  How are small- and upcoming B2C-enterprises using entrepreneurial marketing? -  What role does the entrepreneur possess in small-and upcoming B2C-enterprises?  A qualitative method based on semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs of small- and upcoming B2C-enterprises is approached in this study. The selection was carried out via a targeted selection. The study has a deductive approach based on previous research as well as existing theories and models. The collected material has been analyzed using thematic coding.  The study states that the entrepreneur possesses a vital role as their knowledge, intentions and ambitions regarding marketing reflect the marketing pursued by the company. Entrepreneurs in small-and upcoming B2C-enterprises advantageously use organic marketing where the entrepreneur often incorporates customers to a greater extent than as a mere paying actor. The study also establishes that small-and upcoming B2C-enterprises that operate in static markets, and that intend to expand, will benefit from more elaborated marketing strategies.