Introducing Marketing
This text provides a good introduction to marketing and covers many of the core concepts of marketing. Basic principles are described well with occasional models to support. However, the text without doubt requires an update, as there is very limited coverage of digital marketing, which has become a core element of marketing within the last decade. Digital theory needs to be incorporated into just about every chapter of the study text and case studies need updating to reflect the increasingly digital world within which businesses and marketers operate.
This said, the text is worthy of recommendation to students to explain the core principles of marketing e.g. segmentation, market research, planning, consumer behaviour etc. I particularly like the detail on New Product Development in Chapter 7
I would like to see more marketing models introduced, such as Pestel, Porters 5 Forces, TOWS, 4Ps and 7Ps and
Ansoff. These are seen to be some of the core models/frameworks adopted by marketers, even at an introductory level.
I would also like to see a little bit about Corporate Social Responsibility and Reputation Management, to feel that a comprehensive introduction to the marketing function has been covered
I did not feel the text to be biased in any way. A good range of organisations were referenced in case studies and there did not appear to be any inaccuracies or errors
The structure of the chapters is appropriate and relevant. It would not be too onerous an update to include more about digital marketing and the occasional reference to an introductory marketing model. This, along with some updates to case studies and references, would immediately improve the relevance and longevity of the text.
The style of writing is clear and easy to understand. If anything, there is just a little too much text and a lack of diagrams/models to support the written word. More imagery would be useful for students who are visual learners, who may struggle with the predominance of the written word in this book.
Consistency was a strength of this text. The capsules, key terms, summary and questions within and at the end of each chapter provided a useful and consistent guide for the reader.
When reading the first chapter, it did at times feel like a succession of headings which did not always seem linked, culminating in a mass of small snippets of facts about marketing being thrown together, which felt somewhat overwhelming and may scare off the student reader. As chapters progressed however, the sections where much more relevant and less cluttered, providing a clearer route through the chapter.
Topics were presented in the order that I would expect for an introductory marketing text. The only exception to this is that I would like to have seen the book culminate in the development of a marketing plan, rather than having this quite early in the text.
I had no problem navigating the book and there were no disruptive features as I worked through the chapters
I did not identify any grammatical errors in the book
I did not identify any cultural insensitivity within the text. The chapter on marketing in global markets was culturally sensitive and very appropriate.
Despite its limitations, I would still recommend this text to students who wish to gain a basic grasp of the principles of marketing, with the caveat that an additional text on digital marketing would need to be read alongside. I feel that the structure of the book lends itself to a fairly straightforward update and would very much welcome this, to strengthen my recommendation to students