In the text book “Principles of Marketing” Kotler et al (2008, p.7) define marketing as ‘an activity, a set of institutions and processes for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners and society at large.’ This definition of marketing presented in the textbook accurately describes marketing in today’s times. It broadens one’s understanding of marketing beyond that of advertising, promoting or selling, to that of other vital factors such as the production concept, the product, the selling concept and the marketing concept which are necessities for success in today’s times. (Kotler et al, 2008). Figure 1.8 gives a summary of the extended marketing mix:(Kotler et al, p,21, 2008)
The academic journal article “The History of Marketing thought as reflected in the definitions of marketing” does not give a specific definition of marketing, however, Cooke, Rayburn and Ambercrombie (1992), examine the definition of marketing over the history, through four different viewpoints, and they are, Economic Utilities Viewpoint, Consumers Viewpoint, Societal Viewpoint and Managerial Viewpoint.
To clarify this, Cooke, Rayburn and Ambercrombie (1992, p. 15-16) provide two simple definitions which combines the above viewpoints, ‘Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups get what they need and want through creating and exchanging products of value with others’ (Kotlers, Cited in Cooke, Rayburn and
Cited: * Cooke, E.F., Rayburn, J.M., Abercrombie, C.L. 2004, Journal of Marketing Theory & Practice; Fall2004, Vol. 12 Issue 4, p29-38, 10p, Viewed 13th March 2010, Business Source Complete, EBSCOHost.