Actor engagement management in multi-actor settings

Contemporary marketing increasingly relies on engagement from diverse actors beyond the firm–customer dyad. Yet existing research offers limited guidance on how to strategically manage multi-actor engagement. We develop a framework for Actor Engagement Management (AEM), comprising three foundational activities: Setting engagement scope, Evaluating actor engagement, and Facilitating actor engagement behaviors. We then identify four ideal types of AEM that translate the theoretical framework into actionable managerial approaches in complex, multi-actor settings comprising differing degrees of role heterogeneity among engaging actors and varying network distance from the focal firm. This study responds to calls for a deeper understanding of engagement management and contributes to the evolution of marketing thought by extending engagement theory into complex, multi-actor domains. Specifically, it (1) positions AEM as a strategic approach that is shaped by the complexity inherent in multi‑actor environments, (2) advances a systemic, dynamic view on AEM, (3) unravels the impact of multi-actor complexities on AEM, and (4) highlights the relevance of disengagement for AEM.