From Marketing Mix to Relationship Marketing: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Marketing

Most empirical work on product symbolism has paid relatively little attention to how products are used by consumers in everyday social life. This paper argues that the subjective experience imparted by the consumption of many products substantially contributes to the consumer's structuring of social reality, self-concept, and behavior. Moreover, the consumer often relies upon the social meanings inherent in products as a guide to the performance of social roles, especially when role demands are novel. While marketing theory traditionally views products as post hoc responses to underlying needs, the focus here is on conditions under which products serve as a priori stimuli to behavior. By integrating concepts adapted from symbolic interactionism, this approach stresses the importance of product symbolism as a mediator of self-definition and role performance.

The role of products as social stimuli: A symbolic interactionism perspective.

Discusses the nature and sometimes negative consequences of the dominating marketing paradigm of today, marketing mix management, and furthermore discusses how modern research into, for example, industrial marketing and services marketing as well as customer relationship economics shows that another approach to marketing is required This development is supported by evolving trends in business, such as strategic partnerships, alliances and networks Suggests relationship marketing, based on relationship building and management, as one emerging new marketing paradigm of the future Concludes that the simplicity of the marketing mix paradigm, with its Four P model, has become a straitjacket, fostering toolbox thinking rather than an awareness that marketing is a multi‐faceted social process, and notes that marketing theory and customers are the victims of today′s mainstream marketing thinking By using the notion of a marketing strategy continuum, discusses a number of consequences of a relationship‐type ma

From Marketing Mix to Relationship Marketing

Discusses the nature and sometimes negative consequences of the dominating marketing paradigm of today, marketing mix management, and furthermore discusses how modern research into, for example, industrial marketing and services marketing as well as customer relationship economics shows that another approach to marketing is required. This development is supported by evolving trends in business, such as strategic partnerships, alliances and networks. Suggests relationship marketing, based on relationship building and management, as one emerging new marketing paradigm of the future. Concludes that the simplicity of the marketing mix paradigm, with its Four P model, has become a strait‐jacket, fostering toolbox thinking rather than an awareness that marketing is a multi‐faceted social process, and notes that marketing theory and customers are the victims of today’s mainstream marketing thinking.

Keynote paper From marketing mix to relationship marketing ‐ towards a paradigm shift in marketing

The marketing mix and its 4Ps have remained the marketing paradigm for decades. In the article it is argued that the foundation for this paradigm is weak and that it has had negative effects on marketing research and practice. Contemporary research into services marketing and industrial marketing demonstrates that a new approach to marketing is required. This new approach is based on building and management of relationships. A paradigm shift in marketing is under way. The thoughts and actions of marketing academics and practitioners should not be constrained by a paradigm from the 1950s and 1960s.

Quo Vadis, marketing? Toward a relationship marketing paradigm

more competent public officials or doing better analysis of public programs" (p. 5). In contrast, he urges the more consistent use of market and market-like incentives and notes, "Quite apart from the maximizing characteristics elaborated in formal economic theory, the buyer-seller relationships of the marketplace have substantial advantage as a form of social organization" (p. 16). He does not have in mind a universal application of market incentives and organization but is greatly concerned about (I) the lack of such application when it would clearly be preferable, and (2) the consequences of the ever-

Modern retailing: Theory and practice

Dissatisfactions of consumers with household appliances and consumers' attempts to get action to overcome their dissatisfaction are frequently discussed and reported. However, only limited empirical research that permits generalization is available. This study provides additional insight into characteristics of consumers experiencing dissatisfaction with some household appliances as well as a profile of those consumers who express their dissatisfactions and those who don't and the places turned to by those consumers who do complain.

An Exploratory Behavioral and Socio-Economic Profile of Consumer Action About Dissatisfaction with Selected Household Appliances

An Exploratory Note on the Shopping Behavior of the Low Income Senior Citizen

Marketing: Principles and Strategy

Relationships between social class perceptions and major retail center patronage decisions are analyzed in this article. The analysis is a departure from traditional trading area delineation studie...

Joseph Barry Mason

Papers

Modern retailing: Theory and practice

An Exploratory Behavioral and Socio-Economic Profile of Consumer Action About Dissatisfaction with Selected Household Appliances

An Exploratory Note on the Shopping Behavior of the Low Income Senior Citizen

Marketing: Principles and Strategy

A Research Note on Major Retail Center Patronage