Describing marketing practices using the social theory of practice

Abstract

The world of Marketing is a multifaceted broad discipline and over recent years it has fundamentally changed. Marketing is consistently evolving and many authors are calling for a new definition. A shift in thinking is necessary in order to identify new opportunities and re-examine the conventional models. The recent Contemporary Marketing Practice series of research has looked at describing Marketing practices within the marketing context. This programme analyses the multiple disciplines within marketing. It does not, however deconstruct or examine marketing practices. It merely examines the multiple marketing activities but does not consider practice theory. The social theory of practice provides an opportunity to examine Marketing using a ‘practice lens’. Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to investigate Marketing practices using the theory of social practice. This theory defines practices as understanding, procedures and engagement and these three components have been applied to the marketing context. This research uses case study methodology in a large financial services organisation to explore marketing practices in more detail. This provides a deeper understanding of these components within the marketing department. It was found that the social theory of practice provides a rich exploration into the field of marketing highlighting a new way to describe marketing. The practices etymology and terminology have been explored using the anatomy of practices as defined by the social theory of practice to ensure construct validity and a common platform for academics and practitioners. The report provides a framework that aims at describing and optimising marketing practices and concludes with recommendations and future research. Copyright