Marketing’s identity crisis: insights from the history of marketing thought

Adel El-Ansary (), Eric H. Shaw () and William Lazer ()
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Adel El-Ansary: University of North Florida
Eric H. Shaw: Florida Atlantic University
William Lazer: Michigan State University

AMS Review, 2018, vol. 8, issue 1, No 2, 5-17

Abstract: Abstract For almost half a century the broadening and generic concepts of marketing have been the dominant paradigm in the marketing discipline. However, ambiguities in that paradigm have hindered development of a general theory of marketing. This research takes a fresh look at these concepts that some academics regard as causing an identity crisis in marketing. Historical analysis reveals many practical applications, which arise from the broadening/generic paradigm, result in unresolvable theoretical anomalies. Consequently, a new paradigm is proposed. Marketing systems, we argue, provides a logically coherent foundation for building a general theory of marketing.

Keywords: History of marketing thought; Marketing theory; General theory of marketing; Broadening marketing; Generic marketing; Marketing systems; Marketing paradigms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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DOI: 10.1007/s13162-017-0102-y

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