DEVELOPING AI-ENABLED DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES FOR B2B INTERNATIONAL MARKETING: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF PETROCHEMICAL FIRMS IN NORWAY AND CHINA

Artificial intelligence (AI) transformed marketing practices. However, its application in international B2B remains unexplored, especially in culturally diverse industries. Therefore, the study aimed to explore how petrochemical companies in Norway and China build AI-enabled dynamic marketing capabilities for B2B international marketing, focusing on strategic integration and cultural, behavioral, and organizational outcomes. Based on an interpretive qualitative design, 16 marketing personnel representing Norwegian and Chinese petrochemical companies were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis showed that Norwegian companies incorporated AI into strategic decision-making, market sensing, and customer targeting. In contrast, Chinese companies applied AI to operational efficiency and process scalability. The adoption behaviors were influenced by cultural factors, where Norwegian professionals emphasized transparency and user autonomy. Meanwhile, Chinese employees depended on managerial approval and hierarchical fusion. In both cases, implementing AI results in role changes where workers could shift to strategic participation. However, culturally specific resistance and adaptation strategies emerged in both countries’ adoption of AI. The results indicate that AI policies should be culturally customized to boost implementation and strategic performance. The study contributes to the theory of dynamic capabilities by adapting cultural mediation and providing insights that managers can use to deploy AI in international B2B marketing with high levels of cultural uniformity.