As a discipline, marketing is in the process of
transition from an art which is practised to a
profession with strong theoretical foundations.
In doing so it is following closely the precedents
set by professions such as medicine, architecture
and engineering, all of which have also been
practised for thousands of years and have built
up a wealth of descriptive information concerning the art which has both chronicled and
advanced its evolution. At some juncture, however, continued progress demands a transition
from description to analysis, such as that
initiated by Harvey’s discovery of the circulation of the blood. If marketing is to develop it,
too, must make the transition from art to applied
science and develop sound theoretical foundations, mastery of which should become an
essential qualification for practice.
