Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) & Customers' active role in the third millennium (needs & concerns): with a look at the direct selling industry

Abstract In the 21st century, the world is going through a time of severe and rapid transition. The marketing model can be viewed as an equilibrium to the macro-economic framework. The macroeconomic changes will cause the consumers' behavior and marketer's qualification standards changes that lead to a necessary marketing shift. The companies' relationship with their customers needs improvement, and consumers should be at the heart of the enterprise to generate value for all participants. In recent years, organizations have recognized Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) as a significant role in gaining a competitive advantage. In CKM, customers become partners of the organization, and with the acquisition, sharing, and development of their knowledge, both parties make a profit (Sulaiman et al., 2011) (Sarhadi, 2013). CKM involves bringing the customer perspective into the knowledge management equation even though customers are reluctant to engage in voluntary knowledge sharing (Desouza et al., 2008). There is more need for entrepreneurship knowledge of customers and current marketers for sustainable CKM flow between companies and customers. However, there are some concerns about sustainable CKM that are discussed in the first chapter. Then in the second chapter, there is a discussion of the Amway company's case study. Amway was founded in 1959, and company sales were 8.8 billion US dollars last year. Through its Multilevel Marketing (MLM) plan, more than 450 products are distributed worldwide in 102 countries. Amway's relationship with its customers is different. They can set up their own business through the Amway business platform and be an Independent Business Owner (IBO). These junior business owners need to learn entrepreneurship to be successful in their own businesses. MLM's unique structure and the Amway training system will provide essential pieces of training. This study will see if the MLM training system is more economical and practical than current corporate marketing. In the end, we try to check the accuracy of some hypothesis based on Overt Participant Observation and Amway case study with the help of different available tools. Hypotheses are: • H1: Customers will have an active role in the future of marketing, so they need further entrepreneurial knowledge. • H2: Amway particular business plan (MLM) will promote a sufficient CKM level • H3: Amway innovation and sales success have a positive correlation with its CKM level • H4: MLM business plan can be a good sample and guideline for interested amateur companies in CKM • H5: MLM business plan can be continued and succeeded in the 21st century • H6: Amway business plan can fill the future employment gap (automation and artificial intelligence effect) in the future • H7: There is a significant difference between these three groups Entrepreneurial Intention: 1) people who do not have Marketing and Network Marketing experience 2) people who just have Marketing experience 3) people who have Network Marketing experience • H8: People with Network Marketing experience have a better entrepreneurial intention level than other groups For the first hypothesis, there is theoretical analysis available from different resources in the first chapter. Then for verifying the next five assumptions, qualitative analysis, Case Study, and Interviews are used in the second and third chapters, and finally, for the last two ones, quantitative analysis based on questionary applied in the third chapter.