前言
This book aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the subject of marketing. While it covers most of the topics found in other texts it also provides a solid theoretical background which can act as a springboard to discuss contemporary issues and controversies within marketing theory and practice.
The text is focused on the mainstream functionalist account based on psychological theory, rather than alternative sociological and anthropological texts on offer. As psychology acts as the bedrock of most explanations of consumer behaviour, a range of psychological theories have been examined, with limited discussion of the associated controversies. In this respect Freudian theory, behaviourism and cognitive learning theory are detailed in an early chapter. This preliminary exposition informs the subsequent coverage of involvement and brand loyalty, where different theoretical explanations, such as cognitive and behaviourist theories, are discussed alongside synthetic accounts. The overall aim is to disabuse students of the belief that there is only one way of understanding marketing activities and to enable them to compare and contrast different accounts.
While the text is written from a European perspective, reflecting the point of origin of its contributors, it is intended for use by students from any country or background.
The text has been developed and written by Marilyn Stone, Heriot-Watt University and John Desmond, St Andrews University, ably supported by J.B. (Ian) McCall and by Sarah Dougan. Although all the others have discussed at length the text, particular responsibility for the individual chapters has been as follows. John Desmond: Chapter 1, ‘Marketing: development and scope of the subject’, Chapter 2, ‘Strategic marketing and the planning process’, Chapter 3, ‘Consumer buyer behaviour’, Chapter 4, ‘Industrial buyer behaviour’ (supported by Marilyn Stone), Chapter 5, ‘Segmentation, targeting and positioning (supported by Sarah Dougan)’, Chapter 6, ‘Branding’, Chapter 7, ‘Product’ (supported by Sarah Dougan and Marilyn Stone), Chapter 9, ‘Promotion’ (supported by Marilyn Stone), and Chapter 11, ‘Virtual Marketing’. Marilyn Stone: Chapter 5, ‘Marketing research’ (supported by John Desmond), Chapter 10, ‘Place: channels of distribution’, and Chapter 13, ‘Marketing planning and implementation’. J.B. (Ian) McCall and Marilyn Stone: Chapter 8, ‘Pricing’. Once the draft chapters were prepared, the authors read each other’s contribution to link the chapters of the text. Examples have been drawn from a range of countries and situations, which it is hoped will help students to relate to the issues being discussed. Marilyn Stone undertook the overall editing of the text.