William Lazer

Global Marketing Management: At the Dawn of the New Millennium

Dramatic global economic changes are under way at the dawn of the new millennium, such as the new Euro currency, Asian economic downturn, instantaneous flows of capital, new global conglomerates, and the growth of the Internet. These changes will have a profound impact on global marketing management, including increasing risk and uncertainty, real-time information management, and rapid response to global developments. Cross-impact analysis will become a more important tool for dealing with uncertain interactions among complex forces. The managerial mindset will have to grasp the big picture, think outside the box, discount the present to create the future, and move far beyond benchmarking. This will lead to changes in decision-making orientations, including a shift from relatively stable environments and mechanistic management approaches to more turbulent environments and systemic management approaches and a shift from hard facts for solving problems to virtual facts for problem prevention.

Wroe Alderson: father of modern marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show that Wroe Aldersons contributions to marketing thought earn him recognition as the “Father of Modern Marketing.”Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of writings by and about Alderson, a thorough examination of the history of marketing thought literature, and the personal remembrances of one of the authors, are drawn upon to organize Aldersons numerous contributions to the marketing literature into a small number of categories. Such an organization is expected to provide a big picture overview of Aldersons significant impact on marketing thought.Findings – Aldersons contributions to the marketing discipline can be organized into three broad categories, which collectively produced a tectonic shift in academic thinking about marketing: from distribution (macro) to marketing management (micro); from economics to the behavioral sciences; and from description and classification to explanation and theory building. These epic transformations have bec...

Product rejuvenation strategies

Abstract If you had just kept it a little longer, that old suit would have come back into style and, with a few alterations, you could have worn it again. Likewise, most companies have quite a few abandoned products which might need only a few alterations to make them marketable again.

Soviet marketing issues: A content analysis of Pravda

Abstract The results are reported of a content analysis of marketing and marketing-related items appearing in Pravda over the five-year period January 1, 1977 to December 21, 1981. References are analyzed by topic, the likely reasons for current Soviet interest in marketing are explored, and attention is directed to those marketing-mix decisions and issues of concern.

William Lazer: reflections on my career

Purpose – This paper seeks to record the authors personal reflections on his career as a marketing scholar.Design/methodology/approach – Personal reflections are provided in an autobiographical approach.Findings – The authors career as a student, teacher, and scholar are described in some detail.Originality/value – This paper records events and memories that might otherwise be forgotten. No other such account has been published of William Lazers career.

Can an Ethical Situation Be “Not a Question of Ethics”?

This research concerns the perceptions and decisions of lodging sales and marketing executives in dealing with ethical marketing issues. Respondents were given 10 vignettes, representing ethical dilemmas in the 5 categories of ethical behavior (coercion and control, personal integrity, physical environment, paternalism, and conflict of interest) identified by previous researchers. The findings appear to indicate that sales and marketing executives may not consider the ethical element of a situation as they make decisions. All of the vignettes embodied ethical choices. Results indicate a need for lodging sales and marketing executives to develop and adhere to ethical guidelines for the unique situations they face.

Marketing Education and the Lexicon of Marketing

This article deals with marketings lexicon, with the impact of the terminology and special language which marketing educators use on both the marketing discipline and education. It discusses the etymology of marketing, some of the existing definitional issues, and alternative approaches to defining marketing and its specialties. Suggestions for improving the lexicon and benefits for marketing education are explored.

Effects of the Cancer Scares: The Residue of News Impact:

fl THE RESEARCH DATA LINKING CIGARette smoking to lung cancer, which began to receive publicity in 1950 and exploded into torrents of print in 1953, 1954 and 1957, opened an unprecedented source of field study material. Probably never before had health news of such serious import and such immediate implications for the daily life of the average person received such wide and controversial publicity, and probably never before had there existed such clear-cut measurable indications of impact. Information about the immediate impact of the “cancer scares” is already avai1able.l In the study reported here, we approached the problem after initial impact had long subsided. Since we were concerned with the long-term effects, a brief review of events may be in order. The Events o f 1953-1954 Early in 1953, articles on the possible danger of smoking appeared in

A 21st Century Perspective on Executive Marketing Education

On the threshold of this new millennium, marketing educators face challenging questions about the development of future executive education courses and programs. What role will the courses and programs play in academic institutions? How will that differ from current approaches and offerings? What objectives will they be designed to achieve? How will they be delivered? What will the content be? What basic approaches will be used? How will new technologies be incorporated? This paper is an exploratory work in progress. It is a discussion of ideas, a sharing of insights, a first approximation. It is intended to generate dialogue among concerned and interested Journal readers. It is not written as a definitive statement on 21st Century executive marketing education. We hope that readers will take the time to review the materials critically. We also hope that they will share their insights concerning issues raised in the propositions regarding future executive marketing education developments.

Reflections on the American Marketing Association Doctoral Consortium

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the founding and impact of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Doctoral Consortium and to give credit to those responsible for developing this very successful academic program.Design/methodology/approach – The paper comprises personal reflections and historical narrative.Findings – The founding of the AMA Doctoral Consortium was led by Thomas Stoudt and was later ensured continuity through the support of Jagdish Sheth. The Consortium went through two markedly different eras. Similarities and differences between the early consortia from 1966 through the mid‐1970s and those since the mid‐1970s are presented to give a sense of how the Consortium has changed over its 45‐year history.Originality/value – This brief note is the first attempt to document the founding and history of what has become an important institution in the marketing academy.