Strategic management
4
MANAGEMENT DECISION 32,2
Has today’s dominant marketing mix paradigm become a strait-jacket? A relationship building and management approach may be the answer.
From
Marketing Mix to Relationship
Marketing:
Towards a Paradigm Shift in Marketing
Christian Grönroos
Management Decision, Vol. 32 No. 2, 1994, pp. 4-20
© MCB University Press Limited, 0025-1747
The marketing mix management paradigm has dominated marketing thought, research and practice since it was introduced almost 40 years ago. Today, this paradigm is beginning to lose its position[1-3]. New approaches have been emerging in marketing research.
The globalization of business and the evolving recognition of the importance of customer retention and market economies and of customer relationship economics, among other trends, reinforce the change in mainstream marketing.
Relationship building and management, or what has been labelled relationship marketing, is one leading new
This article is based on an invited paper presented at the 1st
International Colloquium in Relationship Marketing, Monash
University, Melbourne, Australia, 1-3 August, 1993.
approach to marketing which eventually has entered the marketing literature[2, 4-14]. A paradigm shift is clearly under way. In services marketing, especially in Europe and Australia but to some extent also in North America, and in industrial marketing, especially in Europe, this paradigm shift has already taken place. Books published on services marketing[15-17] and on industrial marketing[18-20] as well as major research reports published are based on the relationship marketing paradigm. A major shift in the perception of the fundamentals of marketing is taking place. The shift is so dramatic that it can, no doubt, be described as a paradigm shift[21].
Marketing researchers have been passionately convinced about the paradigmatic nature of marketing mix management and the Four P model[22]. To challenge
MANAGEMENT DECISION 32,2
Has today’s dominant marketing mix paradigm become a strait-jacket? A relationship building and management approach may be the answer.
From
Marketing Mix to Relationship
Marketing:
Towards a Paradigm Shift in Marketing
Christian Grönroos
Management Decision, Vol. 32 No. 2, 1994, pp. 4-20
© MCB University Press Limited, 0025-1747
The marketing mix management paradigm has dominated marketing thought, research and practice since it was introduced almost 40 years ago. Today, this paradigm is beginning to lose its position[1-3]. New approaches have been emerging in marketing research.
The globalization of business and the evolving recognition of the importance of customer retention and market economies and of customer relationship economics, among other trends, reinforce the change in mainstream marketing.
Relationship building and management, or what has been labelled relationship marketing, is one leading new
This article is based on an invited paper presented at the 1st
International Colloquium in Relationship Marketing, Monash
University, Melbourne, Australia, 1-3 August, 1993.
approach to marketing which eventually has entered the marketing literature[2, 4-14]. A paradigm shift is clearly under way. In services marketing, especially in Europe and Australia but to some extent also in North America, and in industrial marketing, especially in Europe, this paradigm shift has already taken place. Books published on services marketing[15-17] and on industrial marketing[18-20] as well as major research reports published are based on the relationship marketing paradigm. A major shift in the perception of the fundamentals of marketing is taking place. The shift is so dramatic that it can, no doubt, be described as a paradigm shift[21].
Marketing researchers have been passionately convinced about the paradigmatic nature of marketing mix management and the Four P model[22]. To challenge
References: Economics and Business Administration, Helsingfors, Finland, 1992, pp NY, 1988. Planning, Vol. 20 No. 4, 1987, pp. 10-20. Marketing Technique Center, Stockholm, Sweden, 1987. Gummesson, E., The Part-time Marketer, Center for Service Research, Karlstad, Sweden, 1990. Stockholm University, Sweden, 1993. Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Helsingfors, Finland, 1989. Decision, Vol. 29 No. 1, 1991, pp. 7-13. Service and Marketing Together, Butterworth, London, 1991. Göteborg, Sweden, 1993. Institute and in the UK by Studentliteratur/ChartwellBratt), 1982. MA, 1990. Competing through Qual ity, Free Press/Lexington Books, Lexington, MA, 1991. London, 1986.