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This article advocates that networking is an inherent tool of marketing that is wholly compatible with entrepreneurial decision-making characteristics in relation to marketing activities in SMEs.

Considers how to research small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs’ decision making in the context of their own environment, in order to reach some in‐depth understanding of such phenomena. Previous work has called for the use of more appropriate methods for understanding and assessing SME management decision making. The discussion takes account of the characteristics of SME entrepreneurs, academic researchers’ approach to carrying out research and the contribution that can be made by consultant researchers with experience of SMEs. A research design incorporating the contribution of all three parties (entrepreneurs; academics; practitioner consultants) is described, detailing the research process in action. Finally the advantages of such a research design is illustrated.

Through the application of Hirst’s “forms of knowledge” theory, it is shown that the Shakers’ nineteenth century management principles had many similarities to Deming’s tenets. For example, Shakers were committed to perfection in work, taking their time in pursuit of quality. Training was accomplished through sharing community expertise, apprenticing, and rotating jobs. Also, equality and cooperation were encouraged among the “brothers” and “sisters.” This example of management history research provides a baseline from which management concepts can be understood and potential mistakes avoided.

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/EUM0000000004748. When citing the article, please cite: Angela M. Rushton, David J. Carson, (1985), “The Marketing of Services: Managing the Intangibles”, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 19 Iss: 3, pp. 19 - 40.

The importance of customer service to the small firm together with how small firms can maximize their inherent strengths in this respect are considered. Current customer service theories, which have developed with larger organizations in mind, are examined to assess how they may be adapted to have relevance for the smaller business. A conceptual model of customer service for small firms is outlined and applied to findings from an empirical study of 28 small firms.

A group of researchers met in Charleston, South Carolina, USA to discuss the past and future of the marketing/entrepreneurship interface. The purpose of this paper is to summarize main discussions from the three‐day summit.

Roughly 16 hours of presentations and discussions were digitally recorded. The lead author reviewed the recordings making copious notes, which were organized into 17 themes for further analysis. Future research directions based on discussion around the most poignant themes are reported.

The paper presents nine categories of discussions around the interface including: the four research perspectives; “the future is in the past;” marketing; entrepreneurship; small business marketing; entrepreneurial marketing; practical significance; context of research; and modeling.

Throughout the nine sections, this paper highlights considerations for future research. It suggests that scholars conducting research at the interface consider the theoretical perspective of their research to improve collective theory building and better positioning. It suggests that scholars also consider the firm and industry context of their empirical research. Finally, it suggests a number of research questions.

The paper suggests that during the research design phase, scholars make efforts to consider the practical significance that will result from their research. In particular, they should consider that research in start‐ups (all businesses start somewhere) and small businesses (the vast majority of all enterprises) can have widespread impacts.

This paper provides a unique approach to conceptually organizing marketing/entrepreneurship interface research and provides an abundant source of ideas for future research.

Considers the more recent literature concerning the measurement of service quality, and questions whether there has been real research progression.

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the concept of innovative marketing and how it manifests itself in the context of small‐to medium‐sized enterprises.

The literature relating to the characteristics of SMEs, and innovative marketing are reviewed to identify the key elements of innovative marketing and SMEs. This review and the key elements identified contribute to an overall conceptualisation of innovative marketing for SMEs.

The discussion considers and provides a description of innovative marketing in SMEs. Innovative marketing does not just relate to products, new product development, and technological development but is also evident in other aspects of marketing related activities and decisions and is very specific to the context and needs of the SME.

The focus of this paper is on taking the relevant themes from the literature and considering them in the light of SME marketing and in the context of SME business activities.

This paper advocates the merits of a holistic qualitative research method and analysis as being the most penetrative method for determining the decision making process of SME owner‐managers. This holistic method is refined in use and illustrated in an example of assessing the processes and outcomes of SME decision making in respect of the “product” aspects of marketing activity. The methodology allows the range of important issues that may be expected to be inherent in how entrepreneur owner‐managers DO marketing to be identified; and to determine the quality of this decision making. This methodology could be used for other applications in a variety of marketing circumstances, and, indeed, a key feature of the methodology outlined in this paper is its flexibility and adaptability.

Like Wired, Ray Gun is one of those magazines which doesn't fit easily in any one place on me newsagents' shelves — shifting each month to a new section as the shopkeeper tries to work out whether it is a pop, leisure or even an arts publication. Claiming to be the ‘Bible of Music and Style’, Ray Gun also heralds the ‘End of Print’. Inside, each article consists of text which is either blended into or superimposed on pictures. Disjointed paragraphs in a variety of typefaces — some of which are barely readable — are produced in a collage format. The overall effect is one of a desktop publishing system which has crashed, sending its contents to the laser printer in a random format. Despite the content being difficult to read it can be assumed — as it has reached issue 23 — that the magazine itself is read. Ray Gun's prediction of the end of print betrays its own belief in having discovered something new and exciting. Exciting it may be, but throughout the eighties artists in Europe, in particular Wulf Rheinshagen of Germany, were producing work which now looks strikingly similar to the magazine pages designed by David Carson.