In a hyper-connected world, the CMO is an explorer and experimenter

In the age of hyperconnection, strategic marketing must abandon rigidity and linearity in favor of a fluid, iterative, and abductive approach. In other words, it must rely on plausible hypotheses formulated from uncertain signals, and continuously tested through experimentation, observation, and adjustment.

This is the central idea of Market strategies in a hyper-connected world by Alessandro Arbore (Bocconi University Press, 2025). The author proposes a model of strategic thinking that takes into account the growing volatility of competitive environments and the transformations brought about by digitalization and artificial intelligence.

According to Arbore, companies must shift from a deductive, linearly planned approach to a continuous exploration process that integrates market listening, rapid experimentation, and adaptive capacity. Marketing, once seen as an operational function, regains its role as a lever of strategic leadership.

The book is organized into five chapters. The first outlines the evolution of strategic marketing and introduces the need for a more “liquid” approach based on abduction and iterative learning. The second chapter deals with the concept of the competitive cycle, which consists of three phases—positioning, movement, and imitation—unfolding in a circular, non-linear logic. The central chapters (3 and 4) examine the typical strategies of firms that lead or follow these cycles, analyze the advantages of first movers versus second movers, and introduce metrics to measure strategic performance and the contribution of marketing to value creation. The final chapter explores defensive strategies, which are needed during phases of stabilization or competitive consolidation.

The book analyzes the role of digital technologies, particularly generative artificial intelligence. Arbore presents an interpretive model that distinguishes between cases in which AI can replace human intervention (structured, efficiency-oriented tasks), those in which it can add new capabilities (tasks inaccessible due to cost or complexity), and those in which it can support and enhance managerial skills (unstructured tasks with high strategic or creative content). The book also emphasizes that AI adoption should not occur without human oversight, especially in marketing, where intuition, reputation, and tacit knowledge play a central role.

The volume is aimed at managers, consultants, and researchers interested in understanding how marketing strategies can evolve in highly turbulent competitive environments. It may also be of interest to entrepreneurs, and digital professionals, thanks to its accessible yet rigorous language and its continuous reference to real-world cases. Market strategies in a hyper-connected world offers an up-to-date conceptual framework, supported by graphic models, theoretical references, and examples drawn from various industries, and helps readers grasp the logic that drives competition and innovation in the digital economy.

• Publisher: Bocconi University Press
• Date of publication: 2025
• ISBN/EAN: 9791280623362
• Pages: 256

ALESSANDRO ARBORE is Professor of Market Strategy at SDA Bocconi, Director of the ‘Strategic Marketing’ program, and former Director of the Marketing Area. Over the last thirty years, he has conducted scientific research, executive training, and professional projects for many international B2C and B2B companies, with a particular focus on market dynamics in the digital age.