"Webster-esque" marketing theory [2 of 2]

The Webster theory that best explains the writer’s industry


“Marketing as creating and managing markets,” offers the closest theory to the industry. There is a managerial superstructure, especially with the for profit “franchised” schools, that lends itself neatly to emulating how businesses in general manage marketing.


How the theory applies to the industry

Given the distinctions of the collective moving parts that echo the whole of the marketing concern, again, “marketing as creating and managing markets” demonstrates the theory rather well. From the collective feedback of wider goals in the boardroom to the Assistant Admissions staff assessing enrollment metrics to outside talent brought in to develop a brand (Speak & Hanson , 2008), this appears a close fit.


Why this theory is the best “fit” for the industry

This fit is the best of what Webster displays across the early history of marketing. However, it is not necessarily, that this is the best fit on average (for which a thorough review of theory would need to take place first). In fact, around the margins there is a sense that some of the more niche schools might benefit from a marketing theory that is unique, custom created, etc.


Conclusions

Webster went on to discuss the continued evolution to the current. Unfortunately, much of what he had to share is not as neatly packaged, and therefore not as easily referred to.

Webster, himself, brought up considerations that were never conclusive. Among these needing addressing (that have an impact) include the internal customer.

On page 70 he states, “Clearly, there can be no single answer to the questions ‘What is the optimal form of marketing organization?’ and ‘How should the marketing function be organized?’ And I respectfully disagree. It seems with the increasing computational power is simply a matter of time before an organization takes on this cumbersome task, creating metrics and algorithms more specialized than most of us care to bother getting close to thinking of.

On page 75 he states, “…concentrated on issues of strategy and organization, can often be criticized for its reliance on anecdotal and observational data and the use of much less rigorous forms of analysis.” Yet, where is the space for the value of intuition?


References

Speak , K. D., & Hanson , G. (2008, April 1). Brand Inside Meets Brand Outside (pdf article). Retrieved from : http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=6&sqi=2&ved=0CD8QFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brandtoolbox.com%2Farticles%2FKarl_Gil_Links.pdf&ei=hjxZTe7OPIOEtgfmvrykDQ&usg=AFQjCNFvCGlaC1eBFHBhbxJ0NkeD4ya-Tg&sig2=wcBEnSUhDFVeagGbHHYyIQ

Weitz, B. A., & Wensley, R. (2002). Handbook of Marketing. Thousand Oaks, CA 91320: Sage Publications Ltd.