Marketing knowledge myopia

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not marketing academics practise what they preach. Are they marketing‐oriented in their main business of knowledge creation and dissemination?

Design/methodology/approach

The epistemological marketing literature and performance at producing true marketing knowledge are critically reviewed. Practitioner marketing knowledge is investigated through the literature, personal contacts and a simple direct research study.

Findings

The paper finds that only one kind of knowledge, so‐called “marketing science”, is now regarded as valid. Unfortunately, this kind of knowledge can only be built through extensive and independent testing. After 50 years of following this approach, the output is very small, very expensive and largely of no interest to practitioners because marketing knowledge means something quite different to them. Marketing academics have become myopic as to what marketing knowledge is, and they have become production‐oriented, with the objective of producing as much of it as possible.

Practical implications

There is a need to stop trying to tell practitioners what to do and to shift one's research emphasis to conceptual humanism, postmodern science, direct and action research, tools for practitioners, marketing facts, and educating the whole student.

Originality/value

The paper has made an attempt to change the course of marketing academic literature.

Citation

November, P. (2008), "Marketing knowledge myopia", European Business Review, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 435-457. https://doi.org/10.1108/09555340810897952