Transforming management processes: advertising research

Purpose The main goal of the study was to examine the adaptive potential of the transformative advertising research (TAR) concept at its selected levels, which would help to better understand the transformation processes of advertising in the current dynamic advertising ecosystem, its role, mission, expectations of consumers and the society, emerging risks and limits, and to reveal the possibilities of transformed advertising in order to achieve individual, institutional and social well-being. Design/methodology/approach The primary research, which was conducted in the two neighbouring post-communist countries of Eastern Europe, helped to point out the necessity to investigate cultural contexts in advertising ecosystems and, through them, to explain the limitations, risks and issues of the transformation processes. The primary research was conducted on a sample of 4,436 respondents (CZ = 2,726 (61.45%), SK = 1,710 (38.55%)). Sample selection was based on quota sampling regarding the explored populations. Advertising was investigated in the three developmentally and contextually different dimensions. Findings Differences in advertising perception were identified across age and social-status categories in both countries. The relationship between advertising perception and disinformation perception was also proven, as well as the confirmed assumption that neutral perception of advertising is associated with neutral attitudes towards shopping behaviour. When respondents perceived advertising as a social institution, this perception was associated with a positive impact on shopping behaviour, while advertising perceived as propaganda was associated with a negative impact on shopping behaviour. Social implications Advertising perceived as a social institution was associated with higher health literacy, while advertising perceived as propaganda or neutrally perceived was associated with lower health literacy. This relationship was more visible in the Slovak Republic than in the Czech Republic. Originality/value The TAR concept used in our research allowed us to better understand and address the complexity of advertising in today's dynamic world, to perceive the need to investigate the transformational processes of advertising in different cultural contexts, in differentiated population groups, as well as at various systemic levels and reveal further strong research potential of this concept.