Introduction to Marketing: Theory and Practice

Drawing on disciplines such as economics, sociology and psychology, Introduction to Marketing encourages readers to critically analyse marketing frameworks, and discuss alternative options. Consideration is given to marketing problems, and students are invited to debate issues surrounding these, such as potential causes and effects, rather than be presented with prescriptive solutions. A chapter on responsible marketing has been added for the new edition, addressing topics such as ethics, corporate responsibility and sustainability, and assessing the impact of these topics on the field of marketing. Content on services marketing has now been integrated throughout the book, reflecting the changing nature of services and acknowledging the move towards service based industries.

The new edition maintains a four part structure, beginning with the fundamentals of the marketing environment and outlining what marketing really is. Part two considers customers and how they are central to marketing activities, and part three looks at the marketing mix. The text concludes by bringing the key themes together with discussion of marketing management of marketing and marketing in an international context. Through reading the text students will gain a holistic understanding of marketing and how one area may impact on another.

A wealth of pedagogical features including case studies and application boxes highlight the link between theory and practice. Key issues surrounding the internet and social responsibility are integrated throughout the text, ensuring students understand the importance and relevance of outside influences on a company's marketing decisions and actions.

The textbook is accompanied by an online resource centre and all resources will be updated for the new edition. Suggested answers to case study review questions have been added to the lecturer part of the site for this edition. The online resource center features comprise:

Online Resource Center

Lecturer resources:
Suggested answers to case study review questions Suggested answers to chapter review questions Additional discussion points PowerPoint slides Lecturer guidelines to accompany the PowerPoint slides Test bank of questions

Student resources:
Additional suggested reading Case studies with questions Additional chapter review questions Multiple choice questions Web exercises Web links

Adrian Palmer is Professor of Services Marketing at the University of Gloucestershire. Previously he was Professor of Tourism and Marketing at the University of Ulster.

Prior to joining Academia he held management positions within the transport and travel industry. He has published widely on the subjects of buyer-seller relationships, customer loyalty and service quality. He is a member of the editorial boards for the European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management, and Journal of Services Marketing.