Neuromarketing in Malaysia: Challenges, limitations, and solutions

Abstract

Neuromarketing has induced great interest in academia and professionals due to the benefits of this field in providing more accurate information about consumers' unconscious/subconscious responses, which is beyond traditional marketing methods such as questionnaires to improve marketing theory and practices. However, although neuromarketing research has developed abroad, its research in both academic and professional is still very limited in Malaysia. This paper aims to explore the experts' perceptions of why the use of neuromarketing is not performing at its required and the solutions to improve neuromarketing implementation in the Malaysian market. For data collection, semi-structured interviews with 16 experts who matched the set criteria have been adopted. Once the data had transcripted and then categorized into units with common themes. The findings revealed that most interviewees have agreed about several issues which limited the expansion of the neuromarketing implementation in the Malaysian market, such as lack of tools, experts, funding, and ethical issues. Thus, participants have suggested some potential solutions to overcome the limitations and challenges such as collaboration between colleagues, universities, and industry, compliance with the laws and regulations, and funding. The authors have recognized a gap of knowledge in this area; therefore, these findings have significantly contributed to the existing body of the literature and invite more studies to elucidate the situation. Moreover, qualitative research is required to test and measure items revealed from this study's findings.