The Influence of Content Marketing on Purchase Decisions

Jasenka Haleuš — 2026-06-09

Research Question (RQ): This study addresses how content marketing can be clearly defined and applied, particularly for organizations that are in the early stages of adoption or have not yet implemented it, with emphasis on its key elements, interaction with consumers, and its influence on consumer purchase decision-making.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of content marketing on consumer purchase decisions. The aim of the research was to highlight the importance of content marketing in terms of strategic marketing planning and its impact on achieving effective and competitive marketing organizations.

Method: The research is based on a primary empirical quantitative approach. It was conducted on a sample of 128 students and younger employed persons from the city of Zagreb. Various scientific research methods were used, including analysis and synthesis, abstraction and concretization, generalization and specialization, inductive and deductive methods, classification, description, and statistical methods. For hypothesis testing, univariate and bivariate analyses were applied, particularly correlation and regression analysis.

Results: The research results showed a statistically significant and positive influence of content marketing on consumer purchase decisions (p < 0.001). Regression analysis confirmed the predictive ability of content marketing in shaping purchase decisions, which also confirmed the research hypothesis.

Organization: The findings of the research have important practical implications for managers and marketing experts, as they show that content marketing is an effective strategy for increasing company performance, creating greater value for consumers, and achieving competitive advantage in the market.

Society: The research highlights the role of digital communities and viral communication in shaping new social dynamics that extend beyond individual consumer behavior to broader societal interactions.

Originality: The originality of the research lies in the development of a simple research model for examining the influence of content marketing on purchase decisions. The study contributes to the understanding of this relatively new field and opens possibilities for the further development of this research domain.

Limitations / Further Research: The study is limited by a relatively small sample size and cross-sectional design, which restricts generalization and longitudinal analysis. Future research should include larger samples and longitudinal approaches.

Economic Aspects of Protecting Trade Secrets in the Circular Economy

Magda Lužar — 2026-06-09

Research Question (RQ): This article discusses aspects of trade secret protection from a circular economy perspective. It focuses on three research questions: (1) how firms manage the tensions between information sharing and the protection of key knowledge, (2) what are the key economic factors and methods by which firms assess the benefits and risks of knowledge disclosure, and (3) what strategies firms use to economically manage the risks associated with trade secret protection.

Purpose: The aim is to explore the economic dimensions of trade secret protection in a circular economy. The focus is on the tensions between collaboration and knowledge protection, the economic factors that guide disclosure decisions, and risk management strategies.

Method: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The analysis included peer-reviewed articles published in the years 2016-2025, in English, in the fields of environmental science, sustainability, business sciences and economics. After a multi-stage selection process, 35 articles were included in the final analysis.

Results: The analysis shows that tensions between knowledge protection and sharing are widespread and are reflected in dilemmas between short-term competitiveness and long-term sustainability. Economic factors and valuation methods are diverse. Companies use traditional financial indicators to assess decisions: return on investment and economic value added. In practice, they are complemented by sustainability valuation approaches, e.g. life cycle analysis, environmental accounting and measuring consumers' willingness to pay. Risk management strategies are based on a combination of formal mechanisms, dominated by contracts and licenses, informal approaches involving trust and ethical commitments, and technological solutions, such as digital traceability and blockchain. The effectiveness of these strategies is closely linked to institutional incentives that reduce risks and encourage cooperation.

Organization: The findings offer guidance to business leaders for a balanced management of knowledge protection in circular business models. The research highlights the importance of systematically evaluating the economic benefits and risks of information disclosure and establishing appropriate mechanisms to reduce the uncertainty of collaboration.

Society: It is important to emphasize institutional mechanisms to support secure knowledge exchange, which has broader implications for sustainable development, as it enables more efficient use of resources, reduced environmental impacts, and greater corporate responsibility towards society and the environment.

Originality: Businesses often direct economic decisions towards maximizing private benefits, which limits the potential for the transformative effects of circularity. Sustainable transformation requires institutional mechanisms that reduce the costs of cooperation and increase the security of knowledge exchange.

Limitations / further research: The research is limited to peer-reviewed articles in English published between 2016 and 2025 and indexed in two databases, and the analysis is based on secondary sources. Further research could include in-depth case studies, cross-country comparative analyses, and empirical testing of the impact of institutional mechanisms on firms' willingness to share and protect knowledge in circular business models.

Challenges of the Future

The Influence of Content Marketing on Purchase Decisions

Economic Aspects of Protecting Trade Secrets in the Circular Economy