Future Trends Shaping International Marketing Research: A Horizon-Scanning Agenda for 2026–2030

Abstract

International marketing research is entering a period of rapid reconfiguration driven by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), tightening data and AI governance, platform-mediated market access, and intensifying sustainability and geopolitical constraints. This article synthesizes emerging trajectories and proposes a structured research agenda for 2026–2030. Using a horizon-scanning logic, we map (1) technology-shift trends (GenAI, synthetic data, multimodal analytics, immersive interfaces), (2) institution-shift trends (AI/data regulation, cross-border data governance, sanctions and industrial policy), (3) market-shift trends (creator economy, social commerce, cross-border e-commerce re-platforming), and (4) society-shift trends (trust, misinformation, inclusion, more-than-human sustainability). We develop a multi-level conceptual framework linking macro forces to firm capabilities and consumer outcomes, and we offer methodological guidance for international marketing scholars, including designs that combine experiments, trace data, comparative institutional analysis, and ethical auditing. The paper concludes with priority research questions and implications for theory building, measurement, and responsible scholarship.