HR Competency Challenges in Developing Marketing Strategies: A Bibliometric Review

In today's dynamic business landscape, the synergy between human resources (HR) and marketing strategies is pivotal for organizational success. This bibliometric review investigates the challenges encountered by HR professionals in contributing to the development of effective marketing strategies. By analyzing 980 research papers published between 1981 and 2024, this study highlights the substantial impact of HR competencies on marketing strategy formulation and implementation. The analysis identifies key thematic clusters, influential literature, and emerging trends, shedding light on areas for future research and managerial practice. Findings emphasize the importance of aligning HR strategies with broader organizational goals and adapting to evolving market dynamics to foster sustainable business success


INTRODUCTION
In the dynamic landscape of modern business, the intersection between human resources (HR) and marketing strategies has become increasingly pivotal [1]- [3].As organizations strive to remain competitive, the efficacy of their marketing efforts relies heavily on the competence and strategic acumen of their HR departments [4], [5].However, navigating the complexities of this relationship presents a myriad of challenges, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the evolving role of HR in shaping marketing strategies.Through a bibliometric review, this research endeavors to delve into the existing literature to elucidate the challenges faced by HR professionals in contributing to the development of effective marketing strategies.
The convergence of HR competencies and marketing strategies is underpinned by the recognition that human capital serves as a fundamental driver of organizational success.In this context, the roles traditionally assigned to HR have expanded beyond administrative functions to encompass strategic contributions across various organizational domains [6]- [9].As marketing strategies increasingly prioritize customer-centric approaches and personalized experiences, HR plays a critical role in cultivating talent capable of executing such strategies effectively [10].
Consequently, exploring the challenges encountered by HR professionals in aligning their competencies with the demands of modern marketing practices is imperative for enhancing organizational performance and competitiveness.
Despite the evident importance of HR competencies in shaping marketing strategies, the literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of the challenges faced by HR professionals in this domain [10]- [12].Existing studies often focus on specific aspects of HR or marketing in isolation, overlooking the intricate interplay between these disciplines [13], [14].Consequently, there exists a gap in understanding the nuanced challenges and opportunities inherent in leveraging HR competencies to drive marketing success.By undertaking a bibliometric review, this research seeks to address this West Science Interdisciplinary Studies  gap by synthesizing existing knowledge and identifying key themes, trends, and research gaps to inform future scholarly inquiry and managerial practice.
The integration of HR competencies into the development of marketing strategies presents multifaceted challenges for organizations.Despite the acknowledged importance of this intersection, the existing literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of the specific hurdles faced by HR professionals in effectively contributing to marketing strategy formulation and implementation.This research aims to conduct a bibliometric review to systematically analyze the extant literature on HR competency challenges in developing marketing strategies, with the goal of identifying key themes, gaps, and trends to inform future research directions and managerial practices.
By elucidating the challenges encountered by HR professionals in aligning their competencies with the demands of modern marketing strategies, this research contributes to enhancing organizational effectiveness and competitiveness.Additionally, it provides valuable insights for HR practitioners, marketing professionals, and organizational leaders seeking to optimize the integration of HR capabilities into their marketing endeavors, ultimately fostering sustainable business success in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

HR Competency
HR competency refers to the skills, knowledge, and attributes that individuals need to effectively perform their job in the field of human resources.It is crucial for HR professionals to have the necessary competencies to adapt to new environments, such as the adoption of new technologies [15].Competencies include task skills and skill transfer skills that are deep and inherent in a person and can be used to predict various work situations, especially in today's digital era [16].HR competencies play a significant role in improving employee performance and organizational culture, which in turn contributes to the overall success of the organization [17].Competency-based human resources planning is essential for aligning the workforce with business objectives and addressing any gaps in skills and competencies [18].HR specialists face challenges in seeking employment, and technology has an impact on the HR field [19].

Marketing Strategies
Marketing strategies are a set of business activities designed to determine prices, promotions, and distributions that satisfy current and potential consumers [20].These strategies aim to embed the industry and its products in the minds of customers, with the goal of winning a market through segmentation, targeting, and positioning [21].
Segmentation involves dividing the market based on geographic and demographic factors [22].Targeting is not specific to certain groups but encompasses the entire community [23].Positioning focuses on mountain bikes, targeting those who prefer strong and durable bikes [24].Marketing strategies play a crucial role in developing an attractive product, hiring an effective sales team, and improving the financial performance of a company.They involve identifying market segments, understanding consumer needs, and conducting market research.Effective marketing strategies adapt to changes in the external environment and utilize the company's internal potential.

METHODS
This bibliometric review utilized a structured methodology to investigate the landscape of research on HR competency challenges in developing marketing strategies.A comprehensive search was conducted across major academic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, employing relevant keywords such as "HR competency," "marketing strategy," and variations thereof.The search was limited to articles published between 1981 until 2024.A total of 1000 articles were initially retrieved and subsequently screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the identification of 980 eligible articles for inclusion in the analysis.Data extraction focused on key bibliometric indicators such as publication year, term occurrences, citation analysis, and thematic content.Citation analysis and co-citation analysis were performed to discern influential works and intellectual networks within the literature.This bibliometric review followed established methodologies to ensure a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the available scholarly literature on the topic.Table 1 provides comprehensive bibliometric metrics derived from the analysis of 980 research papers published between 1981 and 2024, focusing on HR competency challenges in developing marketing strategies.Over this period, these papers garnered a total of 232,200 citations, resulting in an impressive average of 236.94 citations per year and 144.17 citations per paper.Notably, the average number of citations per author stands at an astonishing 149,993.29,reflecting the significant impact and influence of the contributing authors within the field.On average, each author has contributed to approximately 587.14 papers, indicating a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to research in this area, with an average of 2.14 authors per paper.The hindex of 229 and g-index of 474 underscore the substantial impact of the research output, with hI,norm and hI,annual metrics further highlighting the productivity and influence normalized by the publication year and author productivity.Additionally, the hA-index of 60 emphasizes the enduring impact of individual authors within the research community.Moreover, the table provides insights into the distribution of papers with accumulating citation counts, revealing significant contributions with increasing citations over time, as indicated by the papers with accumulated citations at 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20-year intervals.In this network visualization, the terms are clustered by color, each indicating a thematic group related to HR competencies and strategic management:

Network Visualization
1. Red Cluster: Central to the image, terms like "human resource competency," "training," "knowledge," and "service" suggest a focus on the development of HR competencies, training programs, and the knowledge base required for effective human resource management.2. Green Cluster: Terms such as "human resource development," "hrd," "sme's," and "sustainability" indicate a theme around HR development, particularly in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and sustainable practices within HR. 3. Blue Cluster: This cluster includes "strategic human resource manag," "strategic contribution," "new competency," and "information technology," pointing to the strategic role of HR in organizational success and the integration of new competencies and IT in HR strategies.4. Yellow Cluster: With terms like "core competency," "human resources competency," and "entrepreneurial competency," this cluster seems to emphasize the core and entrepreneurial skills that HR professionals need to foster within organizations. 5. Purple Cluster: Including "market orientation," "shrm," "firm performance," and "relationship," this cluster might represent the intersection of strategic human resource management with market orientation and its impact on firm performance.
These clusters together suggest a comprehensive framework within the HR field, encompassing the development of HR competencies, strategic integration of HR in business operations, the impact of HR on firm performance, and the importance of aligning HR strategies with broader business goals.foundational concepts in strategic human resource management, such as 'core competency,' 'human resource development,' and the 'strategic role' of HR. 2. Green (middle years): The focus appears to shift towards the application and importance of these concepts in practice, possibly looking at the 'hr manager,' 'relationship,' and 'firm performance.' 3. Yellow (later years around 2016): The trend seems to move towards more advanced applications and integrations, such as 'new competency,' 'information technology,' and the evolving role of 'hr professionals' within the strategic framework.2006) with an impressive 13,290 citations, followed by "Managing Human Resources" by W.F. Cascio (2015) and "Strategy and Human Resource Management" by P. Boxall and J. Purcell (2022) with 6,144 and 5,706 citations respectively.These seminal works cover various aspects of human resource management, providing valuable insights into practices, strategies, and their integration with organizational objectives.Other influential contributions include "Human Resource Champions: The Next Agenda for Adding Value and Delivering Results" by D. Ulrich (1996) and "Human Resource Management" by D. Gary (1994), which have significantly contributed to shaping the discourse in the field.Additionally, the table includes works such as "Marketing Strategy-Performance Relationship: An Investigation of the Empirical Link in Export Market Ventures" by S.T. Cavusgil and S. Zou (2004) and "A Framework for Marketing Management" by P. Kotler (2001), highlighting the intersection of marketing strategy with HR practices.These impactful literatures serve as essential references for scholars and practitioners alike, guiding research and strategic decision-making in the dynamic domain of HR management and marketing strategy.

Table 1 .
Research Data Metrics

Table 3 .
The Most Impactful Literatures

Table 3
presents the most impactful literature on the topic of HR competency challenges in developing marketing strategies, based on citation counts.Topping the list is "A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice" by M. Armstrong (