The proximity–risk paradox: strategic digital prioritisation under resource constraints in emerging economies

Purpose This study aims to examine how organisations operating under persistent resource constraints prioritise digital promotion strategies across heterogeneous markets. Rather than treating digital promotion as engagement maximisation, the study reframes it as a strategic prioritisation problem shaped by managerial judgement and decision-relevant market signals. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on Strategic Alignment Theory and a diagnostic reinterpretation of Uses and Gratifications Theory, motivational orientations are conceptualised as inputs into managerial prioritisation rather than behavioural outcomes. Binary logistic regression is applied to survey data from 150 domestic and international market participants engaging with destination-related digital content in an emerging economy. Market origin is modelled as a theoretically motivated boundary condition. Findings The findings reveal a bifurcated prioritisation logic. Information-seeking and entertainment motivations drive digital content prioritisation, while personal identity plays a limited role and social interaction does not significantly influence prioritisation decisions at this stage. Market origin moderates these effects: informational content is prioritised in domestic markets for risk mitigation, whereas experiential content is prioritised in international markets for expectation formation. Research limitations/implications This study examines strategic prioritisation under persistent resource constraints within a specific emerging economy context, which may limit direct transferability to settings characterised by greater resource slack or different institutional conditions. However, the proposed prioritisation and sequencing logic is not context-specific and invites examination across industries and comparative market settings. In addition, the analysis focuses on early-stage prioritisation decisions; subsequent phases of digital engagement and implementation may activate different motivational dynamics. Future research could explore how prioritisation logics evolve across stages of commitment and how boundary conditions shape sequencing over time. Practical implications For managers operating under persistent resource constraints, the findings underscore the importance of strategic prioritisation rather than broad digital expansion. Digital promotion decisions should focus on aligning limited resources with motivational signals that are most relevant for early-stage evaluation and commitment formation. Informational and experiential content deserve priority to reduce uncertainty and shape expectations, while social interaction mechanisms can be sequenced to later stages once initial engagement has been established. Adopting such a sequencing-oriented approach enables managers to deploy scarce digital resources more coherently, avoiding premature complexity and improving decision effectiveness under constraint. Social implications The study suggests that disciplined digital prioritisation under resource constraints can contribute to more transparent and reliable information environments for users. By prioritising informational and experiential content that supports evaluation and expectation formation, organisations can reduce uncertainty and misaligned perceptions, particularly in emerging economy contexts. Sequencing digital investments also limits premature reliance on interaction-driven mechanisms that may amplify noise or uneven participation. More broadly, a prioritisation-oriented approach to digital communication encourages responsible use of digital resources and supports trust-building without necessitating continuous expansion of engagement or platform intensity. Originality/value The study synthesises and reorders motivational insights to clarify strategic prioritisation under constraint. It introduces the Proximity–Risk Paradox and demonstrates that value is created through alignment and selective commitment rather than engagement maximisation or digital expansion.