Damien McLoughlin

Markets-as-networks: notes on a unique understanding

Abstract This paper sets out to outline some of the most significant features of the markets-as-networks (MAN) tradition. Our objective is to provide an insight into the movement as well as the body of theoretical knowledge. As these projects are always limited in fact, we have chosen to pursue those aspects of uniqueness that we feel best convey the essence of the tradition. We discuss the MAN tradition in terms of its development, theoretical core, and production of knowledge and its position relative to the dominant tradition within marketing, marketing management. What we hope to portray is a picture of a dynamic, progressive, and exciting research project.

Business Marketing: Perspectives from the Markets-as-Networks Approach

Abstract To us as academics the ideas of the Markets-as-Networks tradition have always seemed to be attractive and engaging. These frameworks have also yielded a positive response from our post-experience students in particular. Invariably their response is “… this is exactly how it happens in my business … ” However, some practitioners view the Markets-as-Networks literature as difficult and inaccessible. In academic circles many beyond the tradition have little knowledge of the central ideas or their wider applications. This paper goes some small way to rectifying this problem, by briefly reviewing the theoretical principles of the Markets-as-Networks approach and their implications for marketing practitioners.

Riding the Practice Waves: Social Resourcing Practices During New Venture Development

This paper investigates how early venture entrepreneurs engage in socially embedded practices to resource their firm. We contribute to an emerging literature that calls for a shift in perspective from “resource” as an object to “resourcing” as a practice. This shift entails a focus away from whom entrepreneurs know toward how they engage with their ventures social contexts. Through the analysis of an in–depth longitudinal case study of a life–science venture, we show that social resourcing practices are more reminiscent of a creative coping with ambiguous and ever–changing environments over time than of “heroic” strategizing. We explore how entrepreneurs mobilize and creatively combine their social resources at hand, seek resources through engaging with other practice nets, negotiate differences between practice nets, and reflectively adapt their resourcing practices toward emerging resource contexts in ways that we describe as “riding the practice waves” of social resourcing.

There can be no learning without action and no action without learning

The purpose of this paper is to present an example of action learning in marketing – the unique postgraduate programme in marketing called the marketing development programme (MDP). This uniqueness arises in three main ways. First, the MDP is open only to those students with no work experience. Second, it employs action learning as the central pedagogy rather than an add‐on. Finally, it is a rolling programme with overlapping intakes and as such appears to have no beginning and no end. There are two important streams of learning to be harvested from such a programme. First, the MDP has for more than 20 years educated young marketers through affording them the opportunity to learn from marketing action within a supportive learning environment. The second is that there can be no action without learning, that is, the MDP has learned from its experience and created new learning for participants as a result. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the MDP for marketing education, theory and practice.

Understanding the Emergence of Markets: A Social Constructionist Perspective on Gay Economy

This paper sets out to explore the construction of a market based on identity. The interest lies upon the emergence and present understanding of the gay male market. To achieve this, an understanding is percolated through social contructionism in general and the areas of ideology, language, and power in particular. The first section of the paper deals with the historical external understandings of homosexuality, which fit into three overlapping phases: the moral, social, and medical. Following on from this, these three phases are then reflected through film. The second section deals with internal formation and is tied into wider social changes. The assent and naturalization of homosexuality is outlined where the possibilities of a gay market emerge. This is then also reflected through film. The final section deals with one of the present preoccupations when dealing with the gay male market, which is the aspect of identity through consumption. This is shown to tie into present wider concerns with the dominance of consumption as the mediator of identity.

The production and distribution of knowledge in the markets-as-networks tradition

The objective of this paper is to provide a background to the Markets-as-Networks research tradition beyond the usual explanation of basic principles. This paradigm has long been recognized as a powerful force for critical, creative and forward-looking research in marketing. The paper tries to assess the impact that this work has had, and begins by positioning the Market-as-Networks tradition as a unique movement within the international marketing research academy. With no formal organization or leadership, no recognized journal and an implicit rather than an explicit agreement about the relevant agenda, it could be said to be more community than association. We go on to assess, using citation analysis, the relative impact of the publications arising from this body of researchers. Prominent IMP literature, including texts and articles, are taken as the sampling frame. The resultant citing of these articles is examined with respect to the journal in which the citing article is published. The Social Science Citation Index ® 1981-1997 is used to explore the impact of the concepts advocated by authors within the markets-as-networks tradition.

Managing quality and network effects in the high-tech market : the case of research and development tools in life science industry

We seek to extend current theory on research and development (R&D) tools and create new insights by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach and drawing from literatures on quality and network effects in the high-tech market. More specifically, we use a unified framework on quality and network effects, and examine two forms of quality effects (third party quality reviews and company-advertised quality) and two types of network effects (network externalities effect and social network effect) in driving the popularity and success of R&D tools. By tracking two categories of R&D tools in the life science industry for a decade, our research provides a sharper understanding of R&D tools and therefore can help R&D tool producers to accelerate the market acceptance of their new tools, which should promote faster innovation and ultimately benefit the whole R&D community.

Commentary on "Business-to-Business Marketing Textbooks: A Comparative Review"

ABSTRACT This focussed issue of Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing on the subject of textbooks, their content and the growing internationalisation of the market prepared by Backhaus, Mell and Sabel is thus to be welcomed. The authors provide fertile ground for thinking about textbooks in three areas in particular. The first is why there are so many textbooks on the market. The second issue relates to the particular challenge posed to textbook authors by students with no experience of business markets. The third issue relates to the coverage of Business Marketing in other textbooks. A cooperative response to these issues from what is a relatively small community of business marketing researchers is identified and discussed.

Origin Green: When Your Brand is Your Supply Chain

Abstract Purpose This chapter presents the case study of Origin Green, the Irish food industry’s national program that committed the entire supply chain to meet sustainability targets and simultaneously branded the efforts and outcomes to increase demand for Irish food products. The brand creation is discussed under headings of building predictability, creating innovative capacity, and facilitating an intimate relationship. Methodology/approach The chapter describes supply chain risk mitigation, brand development, and the relationship between the two, proposing that they should be regarded as simultaneous rather than separate processes. This is followed by the case history of Origin Green. Findings The literatures on risk mitigation and brand equity development are extended by suggesting that the development of each should be regarded as simultaneous rather than consecutive activities. Practical implications The chapter outlines a program for national branding and sustainability and an insight on risk mitigation and branding that should be of interest to policymakers designing such programs and senior leaders considering involvement. Originality/value This chapter will be useful to policymakers considering national or industry-wide initiatives. Further, the chapter demonstrates the opportunity and challenges of systemic approaches to sustainability. The opportunity to brand nations and systems and the need to simultaneously build supply chain and brand for such is an original insight that is of value to strategy and planning. Similarly, at firm level, removing risk from the supply chain and building a brand would be of value.