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This paper discusses the relevance of the “part‐time marketer” concept to customer perspectives on relationship marketing. It reports key findings on this topic produced by primary research involving customers from ten UK high‐street names. Foremost amongst these findings are; customer expectations prior to interaction with part‐time marketers, customer perspectives on the role and management of part‐time marketers, and the impact of personal experience on service encounters. It assesses what customers want from the members of staff that deal with them and concludes by considering the implications of these ideas for theory builders and planners of retailing strategy.

The Australian brewing sector has been subject to ever‐increasing concentration over recent years. Yet one firm, Coopers Brewery of South Australia, has managed to expand its market share in a highly competitive trading environment. This paper aims to consider how Coopers, one of the few family firms “of stature” in that sector, has succeeded.

The paper adopts a case‐study approach to illustrate the various factors which have contributed to the firm's success. Fieldwork took place at Coopers' headquarters in Adelaide and secondary data sources are also drawn upon.

With fifth‐generation family members in charge at the company, Coopers has been able to distinguish itself from its main competitors in the sector, two multinational conglomerates with a combined market share of around 90 per cent. Coupled with investment in production facilities, the case‐study firm's expansion into new domestic and international markets has proved to be profitable. Part of Coopers' success lies in the niche marketing strategies it has employed – strategies which emphasise the company's unique products and stress their history and traditions. The concept of the extended family is highlighted through the company's approach to its consumers and staff members. Philanthropic activities also enhance the company's reputation in the community at large.

For managers, the case provides clear indications of the various successful niche marketing strategies which a family business in the brewing sector has adopted.

The case provides evidence of how one company has been able to draw on its traditions whilst at the same time maintaining its relevance to the market.

The aim of this paper is to review the debate on the purpose, focus and necessity of UK undergraduate marketing education.

Assumptions in this debate are challenged by the collection and analysis of interview data from practitioners, alongside additional data from UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in respect of their current marketing programmes.

The results indicate that there is a large degree of commonality between the offerings at UK HEIs, and that some significant gaps between the teaching offered by the academy, and the knowledge and abilities required by practitioners do exist.

The data sets have limitations of depth and scope. Further research is needed in which the details of marketing education and the requirements of marketing practice are examined more closely, and at levels other than undergraduate, and in countries other than the UK.

This paper should be of interest to marketing programme managers, and also to marketing module co‐ordinators as a basis on which to consider the future development of their educational practices.

The collation of data about marketing modules offered by UK HEIs will be of interest to most marketing teachers. Further value will be obtained if this paper is used as part of the re‐engineering of a marketing programme.

Attempts to define “relationship marketing” have been varied and many, neatly reflecting the diverse academic and socio‐political backgrounds of RM scholars. This paper lists 26 such definitions, collected as a by‐product of a literature review. Presented alongside this resource are the results of applying a content‐analysis‐based methodology to these definitions. These results suggest that seven RM “constructs” enjoy general support. In a discussion of this, it is concluded that any integration of disparate RM theories implied by these findings is at best superficial and at worst misleading. It is further suggested that “true” and complete integration of RM theory must wait until a coherent understanding of these fundamental concepts has been developed. From the 26 definitions listed, one is judged as being more comprehensive and generally acceptable, and a new definition is presented as an inducement to further discussion.

Reports on a study into the company turnaround process in the Australian heavy engineering industry. Provides insights into the company regeneration phenomenon with particular emphasis on the marketing approaches taken by turnaround companies. The methodology employed in the study is qualitative in nature, which is appropriate in terms of the aims of the research, and the number of companies actively engaged in turnaround at any one time. Successfully turned around firms appear to engage in a process of “market manipulation”, as they fight to survive, give new meaning to their world, and develop their destiny in a very competitive marketplace.

The management of children′s literature is a search for value and suitability. Effective policies in library and educational work are based firmly on knowledge of materials, and on the bibliographical and critical frame within which the materials appear and might best be selected. Boundaries, like those between quality and popular books, and between children′s and adult materials, present important challenges for selection, and implicit in this process are professional acumen and judgement. Yet also there are attitudes and systems of values, which can powerfully influence selection on grounds of morality and good taste. To guard against undue subjectivity, the knowledge frame should acknowledge the relevance of social and experiential context for all reading materials, how readers think as well as how they read, and what explicit and implicit agendas the authors have. The good professional takes all these factors on board.

To reflect on the stewardship of Marketing Intelligence & Planning (MIP) over the past 25 years with special attention to the purpose and mission of the journal.

A viewpoint contribution from the past, present and future editors of MIP, with considerations of the journal's focus, scope and rationale.

The requirement for academic research in marketing to be relevant to the practise of marketing is just as great as it was when the journal was founded.

Considered advice for contributing authors – especially those at or near the beginning of their academic careers.