This introductory chapter described marketing as one of the major strategic tools available to the business organization. It began with a basic definition and expanded to a set of propositions of marketing. Simply, marketing is based on the mission statement of the organization; is dependent on the effective management of other functional areas; contains a functional area guided by its own philosophy; is the functional area that is concerned with market exchanges; and is likely to be successful when the philosophy, tasks, and manner of implementing available technology are coordinated and complimentary.
The chapter also discussed several characteristics shared by organizations that correctly implement marketing. Referred to as the Cs of marketing, they include consumer contact, company capabilities, communication, cross-functional contact, and community contact. Companies share these characteristics; the following factors divide marketing into specific types: macromarketing and micromarketing; services and goods marketing; for-profit and nonprofit marketing; mass and direct marketing; local, regional, national, and international marketing; and consumer goods and business-to-business marketing.
The chapter concluded with a discussion of the four levels of strategic management with considerations applicable to marketing: corporate, functional, marketing, and marketing mix.
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