Don Dixon: a scholar of marketing and gentleman of the first order

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and synthesise some of the main contributions of Donald F. Dixon to marketing theory and the history of marketing thought.

Design/methodology/approach

Personal experience, as well as a review of the major papers and the book Dixon co‐authored are used to highlight the development of his thought and contributions.

Findings

Dixon championed a broad hierarchical systems approach to understanding marketing and was able to identify the origins of concepts and ideas in history in a way that showed his depth of scholarship, the deep intellectual history of marketing thought and the misrepresenting of earlier theories that are present in some modern writings.

Originality/value

Dixon's contributions are of major importance but not well known in marketing. It brings together some of his major contributions and indicates their value.

Citation

Wilkinson, I. (2011), "Don Dixon: a scholar of marketing and gentleman of the first order", Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 96-107. https://doi.org/10.1108/17557501111102445