Adalbert F.X. Wilhelm - Analysis of Large and Complex Data

One of the earliest definitions of marketing says that Marketing is buying and selling activities. This definition was published in Miss Parloas New Cookbook and Marketing Guide around 1880 (Shaw and Jones ). The domain of marketing discipline, its constructs, theories, and methodologies is presented in Hunts three dichotomies model (1976) who tried to summarize the major aspects of the marketing field of research. He depicted three basic criteria that define marketing as a scientific discipline: (1) research objects (profit and non-profit organizations), (2) the level of analysis (micromacromarketing perspectives), and (3) research objectives (positive and normative marketing). Within this framework, the dominant schools of thought in marketing can be located. Three-dichotomy model helps us to understand the self-identity of marketing and provides a broader context of marketing discipline.

In the evolution of marketing discipline several schools and research paradigms have emerged (Jones et al. presents the dominant schools of thought within the marketing discipline.

The variety of approaches can be summarized in three dominant views (paradigms).

The variety of marketing schools outlined above implies many different methodological orientations, ways of construct definition, and approaches to model building. To simplify this view we can distinguish between two dimensions: (1) the type of causal explanation (predictionpostdiction) and (2) the nature of marketing constructs (descriptiverelational). The first dimension represents the way of causal explanation. In predictive, experimental, and nomothetic approach the objective is to predict future (new) phenomena based on the present (existing) data. In postdictive, historical and idiographic approach, one can explain the past and originated causes on the basis of present data. The second dimension deals with the nature of marketing variables. Descriptive variables are subject-oriented and are used to describe the positional characteristics of subjects under study, like socio-demographic, attitudes, preferences, and values. Relational variables in marketing describe the results of interactions, joint actions of the partners (mutual trust, information asymmetry, loyalty, etc.).

In the classification depicted in Fig., the four basic methodological stances of marketing models can be identified.

The first (upper left) represents the predictive models based on descriptive marketing constructs. This is the mainstream of managerial marketing, and market-based relationship management (M-B RM). The BPM, consumer metrics indices are defined to measure variables like market shares, preferences and choices, consumer lifetime values (CLV), etc.