The Marketing Dilemma

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to explore the ongoing and continuing debate regarding the role of marketing in an organisation - profit or not-for-profit, public or private - in a climate where the disciplines' contribution is seen as decreasing in importance. Design/methodology/approach - An eclectic but well-informed summary of some of the key issues involved based on extensive experience as practitioner, consultant, and academic researcher. Findings - Too much emphasis is given to the "Tip of the Marketing Iceberg - advertising/promotion/public relations - and what marketers 'do' to customers with insufficient consideration of its strategic role as the interface between an organisation and its customers that creates 'mutually satisfying exchange relationships (Baker, 1976).' "In other words marketing is, or should be, a force for good and, because of its understanding of consumption and human behaviour, has the potential to make a major transformational contribution to achieving the goals of social business, including sustainability, environmental protection and enhanced human welfare. Originality/value - Too many marketers, academics and practitioners alike, are so closely involved with specific problems and issues that they cannot see the wood for the trees and reflect on the real challenges faced by the marketing profession as a whole. It is argued that we all need to move away from the prevailing marketing management school of thought and "promotional" marketing and concentrate instead on the fundamental issues of improving welfare through the adoption of transformational marketing and an emphasis on social business.