Investigating the Strategic Behavior of Competitive Intelligence on Green Marketing Performance in a Strategic Industry

Abstract

Iran, as the world’s second largest producer of natural gas and a key player in the Middle East energy sector, has a prominent role in the development of the oil and gas industry. However, the environmental challenges arising from the activities of this industry highlight the need for an innovative and sustainable approach. This study examines the role of Competitive Intelligence (CI) in enhancing Green Marketing (GM) in a gas refinery in Iran. This study, using a descriptive-survey method and using a questionnaire as a data collection tool, attempts to examine the importance of CI in realizing green marketing. Non-probability sampling is used, and 73 refinery experts were selected as the sample. Data analysis is conducted using SPSS and PLS software. The results show that CI has a positive and significant effect on GM and in the areas of marketing strategy, internal marketing, green products, and communications. These findings identify CI as a key tool for enhancing sustainable performance in the oil and gas industry, and refineries should implement the GM approach at strategic, semi-strategic, and tactical levels to succeed in greening. This study also faced limitations such as limited access to accurate data and sampling adjustment to a specific refinery. Finally, it is suggested that refinery managers, in addition to paying attention to CI, fully believe in the importance of GM in resource management and pollution reduction. This study, by providing new findings, contributes to a deeper understanding of how CI and GM interact in the oil and gas industry and can be used as a foundation for future studies in this area.