Part 1: Core Concepts (2 Marks)
Definition of Marketing
According to Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong, “Marketing is the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return.”
According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
Customer Value & Satisfaction
- Customer Value: The customer’s evaluation of the difference between all the benefits (economic, functional, psychological) and all the costs (monetary, time, energy, psychic) of a marketing offer relative to competing offers.
- Customer Satisfaction: The extent to which a product’s perceived actual performance matches a buyer’s prior expectations. Performance
Expectations Dissatisfaction; Performance Expectations Satisfaction; Performance Expectations Customer Delight.
Part 2: Structural Frameworks (10 Marks)
1. Evolution of Marketing Management Philosophies
THE 5 MARKETING MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHIES
- PRODUCTION CONCEPT (Early 20th Century)
- Focus: High production volume, mass distribution,
- low costs. Assumes buyers want cheap, available.
- PRODUCT CONCEPT
- Focus: Continuous product improvements & quality.
- Risk: “Marketing Myopia” (Love product, not need).
- SELLING CONCEPT (1930s-1950s)
- Focus: Aggressive selling, hard-pressure promotion
- Assumes consumers will not buy without coercion.
- MARKETING CONCEPT (1950s-Present)
- Focus: Customer-centric; identify target needs
- and deliver satisfaction better than rivals.
- SOCIETAL MARKETING CONCEPT (Modern Paradigm)
- Balances 3 pillars: Company Profits, Customer
- Want Satisfaction, and Long-Term Public Welfare.
Part 3: Distinction Tables
Comparison: Selling Concept vs. Marketing Concept
| Basis of Comparison | Selling Concept | Marketing Concept |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Point | Factory / Production plant. | Target market and customer community. |
| Primary Focus | Existing manufactured products. | Customer needs, values, and problems. |
| Means / Method | Aggressive selling, heavy advertising, and sales pitches. | Integrated marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). |
| End Goal | Profits through immediate sales volume maximization. | Profits through long-term customer satisfaction & retention. |
| Customer Orientation | Inside-out perspective; product pushing. | Outside-in perspective; customer pull. |
Part 4: Worked Problems & Exam Traps
Common Board Exam Trap: Theodore Levitt’s Marketing Myopia: Do not define marketing by the physical products a company manufactures! Railroad companies went bankrupt because they believed they were in the “railroad business” rather than the “transportation business”. Always define marketing from the standpoint of underlying customer need fulfillment.