Marketing Theory: The Present Stage Of Development

Abstract

Amidst controversies surrounding recent concepts and theory in the discipline, hov does marketing theory measure up in terms of maturity? Such an assessment is long overdue. A periodic appraisal of the state-of-the art in marketing theory is an essential, if not indispensable condition for the maturing of the discipline. Evaluated against four major stages of theory development, marketing theory appears to have accomplished no more or less than its sister disciplines in social sciences. A cramp in the progress of maturity has been contributed by some methodological and attitudinal problems which may be overcome by adopting some objective perspectives toward marketing theory in general, thus expediting its further development.