How to get marketing back in the boardroom: Some thoughts on how to put right the well known malaise of marketing

Abstract

Purpose

To show how the marketing discipline has lost its boardroom credibility by its own short sightedness over the past half century, and suggest how the situation might be redeemed.

Design/methodology/approach

Personal reflection, based on long, broad and deep experience.

Findings

Whereas success is measured in capital markets in terms of shareholder value‐added, balanced against risks associated with future strategies, the time value of money and the cost of capital, marketing management avoids such issues – this despite the fact that most of the capital value of companies resides in intangibles, the very things on which their actions have an impact.

Practical implications

Senior practitioners, business‐school academics and marketing consultants will have to change their attitudes and behaviour if the marketing function is to be restored to the boardroom.

Originality/value

A call to arms.

Citation

McDonald, M. (2006), "How to get marketing back in the boardroom: Some thoughts on how to put right the well known malaise of marketing", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 426-431. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500610682836