Frontiers of the marketing paradigm in the third millennium

The domain and theories of marketing have been expanding since the origins of the discipline. Since the 1970s marketing science has been organized around the exchange paradigm. Marketing concepts apply to all forms of exchange, whether it is goods, services, personages, places or ideas, and whether it is between individuals, for-profit and nonprofit firms, governments and NGOs. Marketing theories evolved from a firm oriented view to encompass the exchanging dyad. More recently the paradigm expanded to a network level of explanation, and relational theories have come to the fore. But even as the field struggles to grasp its new fields of explanation, there is a Kuhnian shift happening at its boundaries. The shift significantly bends the marketing worldview as well as the theoretical tools and methodologies we use to study it. In this paper we develop a three-tiered explanation of the emerging field of marketing—its subphenomena (consumer experiences and sensory systems), its phenomena (marketing networks), and its superphenomena (sustainability and development).     

Identification and classification of problems associated with evaluating social marketing efforts

The social, cultural, and economic climate of the 1980's present real pressure on social program administrators to evaluate their marketing efforts. Evaluation of social programs presents an array of problems or obstacles about which the social marketer must be aware. This paper identifies and categorizes these problems within a meaningful framework. The typology presented classifies social marketing program evaluation problems as being conceptual, macro- and micropolitical, and methodological. An understanding of the nature of these problems should assist the social marketer in overcoming their effects.     

A taxonomy of marketing planning styles

This study examines marketing planning styles among a sample of organizations in the health care industry. A taxonomy of marketing planning styles—limited marketing planners, constituency-oriented marketing planners, and comprehensive marketing planners—is derived and then related to the literature on planning. Differences among the marketing planning styles are tested based on hypotheses relating to planning comprehensiveness. The results suggest that: (i) marketing planning styles differ fairly distinctly in their attention to selected elements of the environment; and (ii) the marketing planning style employed is related to the level of competition and to organization size and complexity.     

Is purchasing management to buying as marketing is to selling?

This article examines the hypothesis that marketing concepts and techniques can be as useful to purchasing managers performing the buying function in the 1970s and 1980s as they were to advertisers and sales managers engaged in marketing in the 1950s and 1960s. Relevant concepts are briefly reviewed, and results of a survey of purchasing managers are reported. The data suggest the potential—but not actual—value of marketing-oriented thinking for purchasing managers.     

Demarketing strategy in shortage marketing environment

Although demarketing is widely offered as a potentially effective strategic response to the environment of economic shortages, empirical assessment of its application in either domestic or global markets is lacking. This paper explores the relationship between the incidence of economic shortages and demarketing activity performance in six African countries. The study results suggest the existence of several forms of shortage marketing environments which reflect different approaches to demarketing. The paper concludes with observations on methods firms employ to adapt their marketing programs in an environment of scarcity within seller-dominated economies.     

Determinants of retail profit performance: A consideration of retail marketing strategies

The influence of retail marketing strategies on profit performance was investigated for a sample of thirty-five retail firms for the nine year period from 1970–1978 (n=315). Sales growth, market share, the capital-to-labor-ratio, and average inventory were found to be significantly associated with profit performance as hypothesized. Findings suggest that the keys to evaluating and selecting retail marketing strategies are: the impact on sales growth, market share, capital-to-labor ratios, and the average inventory level. Managerial implications are presented.     

Social responsibility an alternate strategy of marketing

The emphasis of marketing over the years has continuously shifted to meet the changes in the environment. The most recent emphasis of marketing seems to be on social responsibility. Although academicians and practitioners alike have been advocating implementation of social responsibility in marketing planning only a few scattered cases in which social responsibility has been put into practice are available to this date. The author, in discussing the social responsibility of marketing, examines its present status and suggests that marketers should not view the demand of social responsibility as a liability to them, but rather see it as a useful strategy to improve one's competitive condition and image in the market place.     

调味品企业营销困境的成因及对策分析——从我国酱油中小企业的角度出发

通过介绍我国酱油市场和中小企业的现状，运用市场营销理论对企业的内外部经营环境和营销手段等诸方面进行分析，着力讨论企业如何利用自身优势，借助外部资源，结合先进的营销理论，制定适合企业自身的市场营销策略，力求寻找到适合中小企业进行市场开拓的最佳市场营销策略。     

Institutional pressures and marketing ethics initiatives: the focal role of organizational identity

Institutional theory implies that normative societal expectations create pressures for organizations to respond acceptably to important institutional constituents. Although the role of the institutional environment on marketing has been studied, the organizational mechanisms by which firms respond to societal pressures remain under-investigated. We suggest that an important determining factor involves organizational identity, which drives firm response to societal norms and facilitates its quest for legitimacy. Accordingly, this study contributes to organizational theory in marketing by casting identity as the focal mechanism in the firm’s response to the institutional environment. Marketing ethics and CSR issues frame this research given natural synergies with institutional and organizational identity theories and evidence that increasingly, firms must respond to societal expectations involving ethics in their marketing practices. Using game theoretical models and economic experiments, we find that the influence of the institutional environment emerges through firm identity, affecting resource allocation to ethical product augmentation.     

Analyzing interpersonal communications in industrial marketing negotiations

Given the importance of analyzing interpersonal communications is marketing negotiations, a multidimensional content analytic coding system is presented. First, specific tests of the instrument’s validity and reliability are provided. Then, in an application of the scheme in a controlled environment, insights are provided regarding what types of interpersonal communication strategies and tactics are used by marketing negotiators.     

Success-producer and failure-preventer marketing skills: A social learning theory interpretation

This study examines organizations that emphasize differing types of marketing skills. It is based on a national survey of Health Maintenance Organizations. The organizations are first classified into groups based on their distinctive marketing skill configurations. Six groups were identified. Next, differences between these organization types are examined with respect to organization strategy, characteristics of the chief marketing executive, organizational environment, and performance. These results suggest that more successful organizations develop particular constellations of marketing skills. The results generally appear consistent with a social learning theory perspective on marketing skill development.     

Modeling rationality in marketing decision-making with game theory

Game theory may be used to gain insight into interfirm competition and the marketing decision-making process. This paper is aimed at the reader unfamiliar or only vaguely familiar with game theory and begins with a review of game theory terminology useful to marketing applications. Attention then focuses on the meaning of rational behavior in less-than-perfect conditions, which is a critical issue in the application of game theory to practical business situations (what may appear to be irrational behavior under conditions of complete information may be reasonable given the complex competitive environment typical of marketing decision-making situations). The paper concludes with an appraisal of the use of game theory as a decision-making model for managers.     

体验营销--企业新的战略工具

20世纪90年代以来,顾客价值被视为继行业竞争力、资源能力、核心竞争力之后企业竞争优势的新来源。如今,体验经济方兴未艾,企业面临的营销环境发生了较大的变化,实施体验营销成为新形势下企业的必然选择。体验营销可为顾客带来新的价值——体验价值,从而能为企业赢得顾客忠诚,成为企业构筑竞争优势的新的战略工具。     

Relationship marketing and the consumer

Conclusion Collectively, the responses of the individuals interviewed reveal that there is a multitude of reasons for participating in a marketing relationship. Although many of the reasons are cognitive in nature, many others are affective. This affective “dimension” of relationship marketing remains unexplored but would seem to offer great promise for explaining the long-term nature of a firm-consumer relationship. Moreover, a liberal interpretation of the collective responses of the interviewed individuals suggests an alternative fundamental axiom of relationship marketing consistent with the definition of Angeles (1992): Consumers enter into a marketing relationship because they expect to receive positive value from their participation. Acceptance of this axiom would seem to suggest a conceptualization and research agenda much broader and potentially more productive than that associated with the axiom currently being offered. Sheth and Parvatiyar have raised a question that, despite its obviousness in retrospect, has yet to be addressed satisfactorily. Hopefully their article will prove to be the genesis of an answer. Although no one is likely to agree with all of their propositions, or even their speculation that relationship marketing will ultimately improve marketing productivity, Sheth and Parvatiyar have done the discipline a service by focusing attention on a neglected topic. Indeed, what they have effectively done is to challenge the discipline to debate what they believe to be the fundamental axiom of relationship marketing in consumer markets. Regardless of the outcome of this debate, marketing knowledge will have advanced. A former editor of theJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science and theJournal of Marketing Research, he is currently working on a new formula for determining sample size in surveys.     

The evolving marketing concept,competitive intensity and organizational performance

Marketing educators generally assume in their teaching that there is little inconsistency between adherence to the marketing concept and the stakeholder concept. Some assume that the latter is a logical extension of the former but there has been no empirical analysis of this issue. In this paper, research based on the perceptions of Fortune 500 executives is presented which focuses on this issue. Of particular concern are their views concerning the future business environment, organizational conduct and expected performance in 1995. This data is used to empirically examine the inseparability of the marketing concept and stakeholder concept. In addition, the relationship of the competitive environment upon these philosophies as well as upon perceived organizational performance is empirically investigated and discussed.     

营销双元性、吸收能力与企业营销绩效

基于资源编排理论，高水平的营销开发与营销探索并不一定能够给企业带来更高的营销绩效。有鉴于此，本研究将营销双元性界定为营销开发与营销探索的平衡，同时在营销活动中进行开发与探索，并检验企业吸收能力对营销双元性的销售增长效应的调节作用。对广东省227家中小外向型民营企业进行问卷调查，并结合二手财务数据进行实证研究，结果表明：（1）营销双元性对企业销售增长的影响呈向上的凹形曲线；（2）高水平营销开发的企业中，营销双元性对销售增长的二次效应更强，即营销双元性对销售增长具有积极影响；（3）营销开发与营销探索通过营销双元性间接对企业销售增长产生影响。     

The anatomy of the macro marketing system

The anatomy of the macro marketing system is developed through the use of a systems methodology. This conceptual model provides academics with a frame of reference for fleshing out the marketing system as it develops over time. Beyond depicting its parts and their interrelationships, the treatise emphasizes a fundamental premise orienting change within the marketing system. Contemporary economic conditions necessitate that the marketing system operate as an aggregate mechanism for the maintenance of minimum costs. This furnishes practitioners with a basis for anticipating the transformation that will take place if the marketing system is to offer its denizens higher quality life styles in the future.     

Export marketing strategy implementation,export marketing capabilities,and export venture performance

Since exporting is the most popular mechanism by which firms engage with international markets, understanding the drivers of export market performance is key to explaining firms’ international competitiveness. The literature posits that the effective implementation of planned export marketing strategy is a key determinant of the performance of firms operating in international markets. Yet little is known about the specific nature and drivers of export marketing strategy implementation effectiveness. In this study we build on the implementation literature in marketing and strategic management to develop a new conceptualization of export marketing strategy implementation effectiveness. Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory, we empirically examine the export marketing capability antecedents and performance consequences of export marketing strategy implementation effectiveness in the context of manufacturing firms that are exporting to international markets. Results indicate that effective implementation of planned export marketing strategy contributes to export market and financial performance, and that marketing capabilities play an important role in enabling effective marketing strategy implementation in export venture operations.     

Improving customer-focused marketing capabilities and firm financial performance via marketing exploration and exploitation

Evidence within the marketing literature has shown that marketing capabilities are important drivers of firm performance. However, very little is known about how firms improve their marketing capabilities via the embedding of new market knowledge. Organizational learning theory provides us with a theoretical lens through which we can examine how existing customer-focused marketing capabilities may be improved and new customer-focused marketing capabilities may be created via marketing exploitation and exploration capabilities. In addition, this study investigates whether ambidexterity in marketing exploration and exploitation exists and finds that firms cannot do both at high levels without risking a negative impact on customer-focused marketing capabilities. This study also presents findings demonstrating how improving the two customer-focused marketing capabilities in our study, brand management and customer relationship management, impacts objective financial performance.     

Resource-based theory in marketing

The use of resource-based theory (RBT) in marketing research has increased by more than 500% in the past decade, which suggests its importance as a framework for explaining and predicting competitive advantages and performance outcomes. This article provides a comprehensive review of RBT, including a contemporary definitional foundation for relevant terms and assumptions and a synthesis of empirical findings from marketing literature. This multidimensional analysis of RBT also evaluates extant marketing research according to four perspectives: the marketing domains that use RBT, the characteristics and uses of market-based resources that differentiate it from other research contexts, the extension of RBT to the “marketing exchange” as a unit of analysis, and the connection of RBT to related theories. This analysis also reveals some common pitfalls associated with prior research, offers tentative guidelines on how to improve the use of RBT in marketing, and suggests research directions to advance the theorization and empirical testing of RBT in the future.