Growth hacking. From theoretical understanding to practical application: a special issue editorial

This editorial introduces the special issue on growth hacking by critically reviewing the fragmented academic contributions to the field to date. We trace the evolution of scholarly attention from the first three exploratory studies published between 2019 and 2020, through a complete absence of contributions until 2024, when eight new studies emerged. Despite this recent surge, the body of knowledge remains nascent, revealing a significant gap between the growing prominence of growth hacking in managerial practice and its still embryonic theorization in academia. The special issue brings together 12 articles organized into three thematic areas: the drivers and antecedents of growth hacking, its processes and implementation within firms, and its outcomes and implications for performance. Each contribution is discussed in an integrated manner, combining theoretical focus, empirical setting, and methodological approach. The editorial concludes by synthesizing six key directions for future research, including stronger theoretical development, a clearer distinction between growth hacking in startups and established firms, and a deeper engagement with the ethical implications of data-driven experimentation at scale.