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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms 
of the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0

1 Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, Ukraine (corresponding author)
E-mail: bahorka.m.o@dsau.dp.ua
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8500-0362
ResearcherID: G-1646-2019
2 Sumy National Agrarian University, Ukraine 
E-mail: tanya_ustik@ukr.net
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9967-0669
3 Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, Ukraine
E-mail: kvasova.l.s@dsau.dp.ua
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7146-3788
ResearcherID: AHE-3250-2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2661-5150/2022-3-3

THE PLACE OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES  
IN THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Mariia Bahorka1, Tetiana Ustik2, Liudmila Kvasova3

Abstract. The purpose of the article is to establish the place of marketing in crisis management of the  
enterprise, to study the role of the main aspects of crisis marketing in modern enterprises; mastering the 
components of marketing crisis management of enterprises, to avoid the vulnerability of the enterprise 
to crisis phenomena and eliminate their consequences. The methodological basis of the study was the 
generalization of the results of applied research in the field of economics, scientific works of domestic and 
foreign scientists, which highlight the fundamental theories of competitive advantage, competitiveness  
and marketing management. Results. The article conducts a study on determination of the place of marketing 
in anti-crisis management of an enterprise, establishes the role of main aspects of anti-crisis marketing at 
modern enterprises; mastered the mechanism of marketing anti-crisis management of enterprises, the  
purpose of which is to form a strategy for overcoming the crisis and eliminating the consequences of crisis 
phenomena. Practical results. Given the constant changes in the environment of their functioning, enterprises 
should develop marketing programs that provide for measures to be taken to stabilize the market situation 
and overcome the insolvency crisis. Value/originality. In the understanding of the authors, crisis management 
should cover all subsystems of enterprise management: operational, technical, financial, and especially 
strategic, marketing, personnel. In the understanding of the authors, crisis management should cover all 
subsystems of enterprise management: operational, technical, financial, and especially strategic, marketing, 
personnel. It is recognized that marketing in crisis management is not just one of the subsystems of the 
enterprise, but the basis that ensures the sustainability of all its other departments. 

Key words: anti-crisis management, anti-crisis marketing, marketing activities, anti-crisis program, marketing 
strategy.

JEL Classification: М30, М11, M31, Р23

1. Introduction
The operating conditions of domestic enterprises 

are directly related to the high level of instability and 
uncertainty of the external environment, especially 
external factors that affect the economic and 
management processes of enterprises. Sometimes 
these factors are destructive, which can lead to the 
liquidation of enterprises. This can be prevented 
by timely implementation of crisis management 
system in enterprises, with the transformation of 
basic management methods into an integrated form 
of marketing crisis management. The interaction of 

strategic and tactical marketing goals is extremely 
important in crisis management.

In difficult times for the economy, most businesses 
face a number of problems. Marketing budgets  
become especially vulnerable. This is a time when 
organizations are more than ever focused on short-
term results, and some think only about survival.  
That is why during the recession it is important to 
remember about marketing priorities that will help not  
to miss opportunities and avoid irreversible mistakes.

Therefore, an urgent problem for modern enterprises  
is the search and implementation in practice of 



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such forms and methods of management, which, in 
combination with marketing measures, could prevent 
crisis phenomena, as well as contribute to the risk 
protection of enterprises.

The outlined problem is the subject of research of 
many domestic scientists, who in their publications 
consider its various aspects, in particular: researcher 
Pogrebnyak A. Yu. (2015) presented a mechanism of 
crisis management based on the synergy between all 
its elements, to identify, prevent and overcome crisis  
phenomena, under the influence of external and  
internal environment factors.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that among 
scientists who study the role of marketing in crisis 
management of the enterprise, there is no consensus  
on the definition of the category "crisis marketing". 
There is a statement that marketing in a crisis is called 
"anti-crisis", although the wording of its goals and 
objectives remains unchanged. The authors disagree 
with this statement and believe that the conditions 
of functioning of enterprises directly correlate with 
marketing goals, programs, strategies.

Therefore, most marketing categories that take 
place in practice require clarification and scientific 
substantiation.

2. Anti-crisis marketing as a component  
of strategic management

The main purpose of anti-crisis management of 
the enterprise is to provide such conditions for the 
functioning of the enterprise, under which the crisis 
phenomena of financial, production, marketing, 
personnel nature can be minimized, neutralized and 
eliminated by implementing certain measures.

Marketing as the main component in the  
management system includes a number of measures 
of analytical, strategic and organizational nature, the 
basis of which is a complex of marketing, in particular 
commodity, pricing, sales and communication policies 
based on the results of a comprehensive study of 
the market and consumer behavior. The authors 
are deeply convinced that marketing is a modern  
business philosophy that changes the thinking of 
entrepreneurs, employees and consumers. Any 
enterprise, faced with the complexity of market 
mechanisms, faces the problem of creating a model 
of its behavior that would harmonize its activities  
in the market. This model can be associated with 
indicators of quantitative results to be achieved, or 
with the implementation of certain activities, such as 
entering a certain market, developing a new product, 
etc. It is developed based on the results of market 
research, correlation of market trends and needs with 
the company 's capabilities.

Marketing activities are a set of measures that  
involve the collection and analysis of information 

in order to study product markets and identify  
consumer demand factors to minimize risk, in order 
to make strategic decisions on product, pricing, 
sales and communication policies of the company.  
The role of marketing activity is significantly  
increasing for the enterprise during the crisis period. 
This is due to the fact that it is during this period  
that effective marketing measures are needed that 
will help maintain demand for products or services, 
find new market niches, modernize product policy,  
change or expand the vector of activity, etc. (Natrus, 
Xaminich, 2016).

Since management is considered as a process of 
interdependent functions, at the pre-crisis stage of 
management formation it is necessary to investigate 
the factors that could prevent a crisis situation,  
develop strategic business plans for marketing, control 
risk factors, which will avoid possible losses and  
negative consequences.

Holovach K. S. and others note that the combination 
of a system of measures of legal, organizational and 
technical nature is the basis of anti-crisis management, 
which is currently in the process of formation  
(Holovach, Golovach, Trofimchuk, 2020).

In the author's understanding, anti-crisis manage-
ment should cover all subsystems of enterprise 
management: operational, technical, financial, and 
especially strategic, marketing, personnel.

Thus, the process of crisis management can be 
characterized by the following features:
− use of enterprise resources in conditions of mobile 
and dynamic response to changes;
– implementation of anti-crisis solutions based on 
program-targeted integrated approaches;
− taking into account the time factor, especially in the 
process of making managerial decisions;
− operative intervention in the event of a danger of 
crisis;
− use of qualitative characteristics in making anti- 
crisis decisions (Tkachenko, Mykhailenko, 2013).

Marketing is the main component of the enterprise 
subsystems, namely the base that ensures the stable 
operation of all its departments. On this basis, in 
the conditions of the crisis state of the enterprise 
or for preventive measures to prevent it, traditional  
marketing tools are used, but the tasks of marketing 
activities acquire new specific features, the main 
of which is the marketing anti-crisis program. 
The objectives of marketing activities should be  
consistent with the corporate strategy of the 
enterprise and adjusted depending on changing 
conditions. Marketing activities within the 
framework of crisis management include: identifying 
market opportunities, minimizing market threats, 
increasing market share, retaining loyal customers,  
product positioning and others (Zhurenko,  
Dergalyuk, 2018).



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Depending on fluctuations in environmental 

factors and changes in the operating conditions  
of the enterprise, the tasks of marketing activities  
are subject to constant adjustment.

Marketing as a functional subsystem of enterprise 
management plays a key role in the system of its  
crisis management, and marketing policy serves as 
the basis for strategic planning of all aspects of the 
enterprise.

Anti-crisis marketing involves identifying market 
opportunities in order to quickly implement them  
in the interests of the enterprise. It is important to 
understand that some market opportunities are  
invisible during the stable operation of the enterprise, 
and during the crisis their use can help the company  
to survive and take a profitable position in the market.

The authors are convinced that anti-crisis  
marketing involves the rapid change of all components 
of marketing in accordance with changes in the  
external environment, which helps to maintain 
maximum competitiveness of the company in market 
conditions.

The mechanism of crisis marketing at the enterprise 
as a management system provides for the presence 
of the object (crisis phenomena) and the subject 

of management (responsible bodies of crisis  
management, for example, the head of the marketing 
service, etc.) formation of targeted management 
processes (subsystem of monitoring the enterprise 
environment, subsystem of planning and forecasting: 
determination of the stage, parameters, volume 
and scale of the crisis phenomenon, development, 
implementation and control of anti-crisis strategies, etc.

As part of anti-crisis marketing measures, an anti-
crisis program should be developed. The development 
of a comprehensive anti-crisis program is aimed at 
carrying out a set of measures to overcome the crisis 
in all subsystems of the enterprise (sales, financial, 
production, organizational, supply, personnel manage-
ment, marketing).

3. Development of a comprehensive  
anti-crisis program

The anti-crisis program is considered as a  
coordinating document that covers a set of  
economically and scientifically sound measures 
(marketing, financial and other) aimed at overcoming 
(preventing or leveling the impact of ) crisis  
phenomena at the enterprise, the content of which 

Stages of developing a marketing plan in the framework of crisis management

Coordination of marketing activity goals with the overall 
goal of anti-crisis management of the enterprise

Marketing audit

Overview of the current marketing situation

Justification of dangers and opportunities

Justification of the problem and formulation of tasks

Adjustment of marketing goals based on the results
of marketing audit 

Development of proposals and a plan of marketing 
activities taking into account the adjusted goals

Monitoring the implementation of the plan and assessing the
level of achievement of marketing goals within the framework

of the anti-crisis management program of the enterprise

Identification of alternative plans
for marketing activities

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Figure 1. Stages of creating a marketing plan within the crisis management program

Source: developed by the authors taking into account the source (Hlukhenka, 2019)



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depends on the type, scale of the crisis and the  
conditions of functioning of enterprises of various 
organizational and legal forms. 

As part of the anti-crisis program, a marketing plan  
is being drawn up. 

In the conditions of anti-crisis management of the 
enterprise there is a complex interaction of marketing 
and management tools at enterprises.

Marketing programs are aimed at stabilizing the 
market situation and overcoming the insolvency crisis.

Marketing anti-crisis programs can be part of the 
strategic and tactical plan of the organization's way  
out of the crisis or crisis situation.

The authors agree with the widespread statement 
that the basis of anti-crisis plans of enterprises  
should be marketing measures. On this basis, crisis 
marketing is a component of marketing in crisis 
management (Figure 2).

There is no doubt that factors of both external 
and internal environment can disrupt the stable  
functioning of the enterprise, affect the level of all 
indicators of its activity, destabilize the work of  
internal departments. In such situations, it is  
important to develop a mechanism for implementing 
measures that will help to resist the spread of crisis 
phenomena.

The internal and external environment of the 
enterprise creates a potential threat of the impact of 
crisis factors (such processes and phenomena that 
adversely affect the activities of the enterprise, lead 
to an imbalance of the production and management 
system and frequent failures and further formation 
of crisis situations in various subsystems of the  
enterprise and beyond) on its activities. The negative 
impact of crisis factors is manifested in the form of 
signs of crisis: deterioration of the main indicators of 
economic activity of the enterprise, negative dynamics 
of indicators of development of the enterprise, 
deterioration of financial indicators, decline in  
demand, outflow of customers, etc.

It should be emphasized that in most cases 
managerial anti-crisis decisions are made quickly on 
an intuitive level, as a result, it is difficult to predict 
their consequences. Therefore, at the pre-crisis stage, 
marketing research plays a significant role, during the 
crisis – marketing communications, pricing strategies 
and creative means, in the post-crisis period – strategies 
of diversification and development of innovations,  
the practical significance of which is the possibility of 
using by domestic enterprises at the present stage.

Diagnosis of crisis factors can be carried out 
using modern methods of diagnosing the marketing 

Anti-crisis management of the enterprise

Anti-crisis 
financial 

Anti-crisis 
strategic 

Anti-crisis 
investment 

Anti-crisis 
personnel 

Anti-crisis risk 
management

Anti-crisis marketing Anti-crisis 

Market research

Analysis of the 
external environment

Development of
a marketing strategy

Forecasting

Planning

Motivation

Organization

Control

managementmanagement 

management management

Anti-crisis 
management of 

innovations

management

Formulation of goals 
and objectives

Complex formation 
marketing events

Figure 2. Anti-crisis marketing as a component  
of the enterprise crisis management system

Source: developed by the authors



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environment, such as SWOT- and PEST-analysis.  
When conducting the analysis, first of all, the factors 
of the marketing macro- and microenvironment 
in which the organization operates are taken into  
account (Gurzhij, 2011). Economic factors have the 
most negative impact on the deepening of the crisis.

It is possible to distinguish the factors that  
determine the use of marketing tools in the crisis 
management system: market situation, stage of the  
life cycle of the enterprise, management techniques  
and methods, quality characteristics of products, 
resource potential. 

Marketing tools should be implemented in  
accordance with a specific anti-crisis marketing  
program (Figure 3).

The logical result of such a program is the formation 
and implementation of a marketing strategy for crisis 
management.

The chosen marketing strategy should be flexible in 
case of sudden changes in the market. In addition, the 
main factors to be taken into account when developing 
marketing strategies are resource, investment, innovation 
and human resources potential of the enterprise.

When substantiating the strategy, it is necessary 
to analyze, evaluate and make a choice of priorities 
in marketing activities. It is necessary to take into 
account the interrelation of goals and strategies, 
their coherence in time and subordination. Today, in 
order to retain existing customers, as well as attract 
new ones, the concepts of partnership and social and  
ethical marketing, the search for new marketing 
techniques to influence the client are especially  
relevant for domestic enterprises.

4. Conclusions
The results of the study give grounds to draw the 

following conclusions.
In order to preserve and strengthen the company 's 

position, crisis management will be applied,  
i.e., management in conditions of high probability of 
risk. Regardless of the economic situation and the  
stage of the company 's life cycle, it is necessary to  
develop crisis management programs. Such programs 
are aimed at preventing bankruptcy, bringing 
the organization out of the crisis and restoring 

Anti-crisis program Implementation plan of 
anti-crisis measures

Basics of formation and implementation of marketing strategy
of crisis management

The principles of its development

planning; constant control; rapid response; focus; reliability and 
completeness of coverage; predictability; clarity and consistency; 
competence; orientation (focus); multivariate; professionalism; 
maximization of the effectiveness of anti-crisis marketing measures; 
optimization of the ratio of the effectiveness of anti-crisis measures and the 
risk of their implementation

the use of specific marketing tools, means, methods and technologies is 
substantiated to ensure the conditions for achieving sales volumes and market 
share, which contribute to improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the 
enterprise's economic activity, strengthening its financial stability, etc.

Traditional Modern

Segmentation;
Positioning; 

Analysis;
Prognostication 

Integrated marketing 
technologies; 

Internet technologies;
CRM technologies; 

Trade marketing

Figure 3. Marketing support of anti-crisis management

Source: developed by the authors



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competitiveness. Crisis marketing is a part of crisis 
management.

Marketing as a functional subsystem of enterprise 
management plays a key role in the system of its  
crisis management, and marketing policy serves as 
the basis for strategic planning of all aspects of the 
enterprise.

In the pre-crisis period and during the crisis, special 
attention is paid to the development of an effective 
anti-crisis marketing strategy based on market  
research. They help to diagnose opportunities 
and position of the company in the market, 

assess its strengths and weaknesses, identify  
possible threats.

Anti-crisis marketing programs should ensure the 
production and sale of such goods that are in steady 
demand in the market and bring the main profit to the 
enterprise. Also, enterprises should meet the needs 
of consumers to the fullest extent, unlike competing 
organizations, in those areas where they have strong 
competitive advantages. A marketing approach to 
solving the company 's problems during the crisis will 
mitigate the impact of the consequences and continue 
to be active in the market.

References:
Natrus, K. S., & Xaminich, S. Yu. (2016). Anti-crisis marketing as a component of strategic management.  
Economic Bulletin of the University, vol. 31(1), pp. 72–79.
Holovach, K. S., Holovach, O. P., & Trofimchuk, O. L. (2020). Anti-crisis measures and the mechanism  
of their implementation in agricultural enterprises. Agrosvit, vol. 21, pp. 53–60. 
Tkachenko, A. M., & Mykhailenko, A. V. (2013). Anti-crisis component of industrial enterprise management. 
Economic Bulletin of Zaporizhia State Engineering Academy, vol. 4, pp. 119–125. 
Zhurenko, O. V., & Dergalyuk, B. V. (2018). Anti-crisis marketing and stages of its implementation in the 
organization. Development of socio-economic systems in modern conditions: materials of the II International  
scientific-practical conference, pp. 94–96.
Gurzhij, N. M. (2011). The system of marketing risks in the enterprise. Bulletin of Khmelnytsky National University, 
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Received on: 2th of September, 2022
Accepted on: 4th of October, 2022

Published on: 31th of October, 2022