* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Is a Marketing Man Just a Marketing Man?
Advertising management wikipedia , lookup
Product planning wikipedia , lookup
Market segmentation wikipedia , lookup
Sales process engineering wikipedia , lookup
Social media marketing wikipedia , lookup
Bayesian inference in marketing wikipedia , lookup
Food marketing wikipedia , lookup
Neuromarketing wikipedia , lookup
Marketing communications wikipedia , lookup
Marketing channel wikipedia , lookup
Affiliate marketing wikipedia , lookup
Target audience wikipedia , lookup
Sports marketing wikipedia , lookup
Marketing research wikipedia , lookup
Digital marketing wikipedia , lookup
Multi-level marketing wikipedia , lookup
Youth marketing wikipedia , lookup
Target market wikipedia , lookup
Guerrilla marketing wikipedia , lookup
Ambush marketing wikipedia , lookup
Integrated marketing communications wikipedia , lookup
Sensory branding wikipedia , lookup
Marketing strategy wikipedia , lookup
Viral marketing wikipedia , lookup
Advertising campaign wikipedia , lookup
Direct marketing wikipedia , lookup
Marketing plan wikipedia , lookup
Multicultural marketing wikipedia , lookup
Marketing mix modeling wikipedia , lookup
Green marketing wikipedia , lookup
Is a Marketing Man Just a Marketing Man? D. M H 4 I C A N If "marketing man" is a stilted, undignified, and archaic term for those engaged in marketing work— as the author of this article claims—^what can be done about it? How about a new name for marketing practitioners and teachers? Journal of Marketing, Vol. 28 (April, 1964), pp. 8-9. HEN a person is asked to identify himself in the marketing WOnefield, it is difficult to find an adequate designation. can always say, "I am a marketing man," But this might imply that one sells fruits and vegetables at some busy intersection. It is no more dignified or professional than to refer to a physician as a "medicine man" or a lawyer as a "law man," Fortunate in this respect are those people associated with fields of knowledge which end in "y"—such as botany, psychology, or agronomy. By simply dropping the "j^' and adding "ist," these names are turned into botanist, psychologist, and agronomist. The "ist" sufi&x is defined as "one who holds to certain principles or doctrines," The "ing" suffix usually is added to a verb form to show continuous action—as in "do, doing" and in "act, acting," Sometimes it is added to a noun to make an active term—as in "market" to "marketing," indicating a process or operation. When the individual conducting the operation is to be defined, the "ing" sufiix has to be changed, preferably not in the awkward fashion of adding "man" to it. But what suffix can replace "ing," and convey the meaning of one who adheres to certain principles and practices? The use of "eer" has been suggested, to make "marketeer"; but this suffix may not have a good connotation because of its kinship with "privateer," "buccaneer," and "profiteer." On the other hand, it is eminently respectable in the case of "engineer." The suflSx "ian" is also used to indicate "pertaining, to" some system or doctrine. In some cases "ian" is used, and in others a "c" is added, to make "cian"—as in "econometrician," where "metric" has been added to connote measurement, A purer form of this suffix is found in "pediatrician," "optician," and "theologian," Two suffixes lend themselves readily to words which add "ing" to describe the function. The agent is here expressed by dropping the "ing" and adding "er." An example is "singing, singer," one who sings—hence, "marketing, marketer." This suffix forms a noun which designates a person by his occupation or labor, as in "carpenter," "hatter," or "teacher." It is also to designate an agent, as "employer." The other sufBx "ant" means a particular function—as in the case of "accountant." This ending does not lend itself to a combination with the root "market," giving "marketant." Robert Bartels believes a term more appropriate than "marketing man" should be used to distinguish the student of marketing 8 Is a Marketing Man Just a Marketing Man? phenomena,^ "Marketing man" is rather descriptive of the practitioner; but he says, "Those engaged in the development of the scientific aspects of marketing might better be called 'marketologists,' "^ By the same token they might be called "marketonomists," because of the extent to which economic principles underlie their theories. By adding various suffixes to the stem, it becomes obvious that some of them are applicable, although the result may not be especially euphonious in all cases: 1. The "or" suffix gives us "Marketor," meaning one who performs the function of marketing, 2. "er" suffix gives us "Marketer," which designates a person by his occupation or labor. 3. The "ant" suffix gives us "Marketant," again used to indicate agency. 4. The "ist" ending gives us "Marketist," one who holds to certain principles or doctrines, 5. The "ian" would have to have interposed "ic" or "ric" for euphony and thus give us "Marketrician," one pertaining to some system or doctrine. To add "one concerned with the application of measurement by the use of mathematics or statistics," the word would have to be changed to "Marketmetrician," 6. Another possibility would be to return to the Latin origin, selecting the word "mercatus" (meaning "trading" or "market") and using an appropriate suffix. The "or" suffix, for example, would give us "Mercator," 7. The suggestion of Bartels that of "Marketologist"—is a distinct possibility. Professional Attitudes Even though the question may be raised as to whether or not marketing is a profession, it may be dealt with in that respect only for purposes of the present discussion. There are several ways in which a particular body of knowledge can be judged a profession or not,* i Robert Bartels, "Sociologists and Marketologists," JOURNAL OP MARKETING, Vol, 24 (October, 1959), pp. 37-38. B Same reference as footnote 1, at p. 38. 8 Steuart Henderson Britt, "Advertising—Is It a Business or Profession?" Printers' Ink, Vol, 255 (May 18, 1956), pp. 27-29, 1, Licensing 2, Prescribed course of study 3, Examinations 4, Professional degree 5, Limitation in numbers 6, Internship 7, Ethics 8, Professional association 9, Accreditation 10, Public attitudes The traditional professions of law, medicine, and theology have been accepted as representative. In recent years the list has been expanded, at least from the point of view of occupational status, to include many others such as university professors, dentists, engineers, and pharmacists. Professional attitudes always call for a consideration of a particular behavior within the ethical framework of the society served. For the sake of marketing, a change in the public image as well as in that of the academic community is desirable and probably essential. Any person engaged in marketing, whether as practitioner or academician, must maintain a professional attitude in his conduct. This position is essential, whether he is serving a company or dealing with students. There should be no apparent difference in these two functions in this respect. People engaged in marketing might well do something about the word "marketing," The suggestions offered should provide some material for thinking through this question. In any event, the phrase "marketing man" is a stilted, undignified, and archaic term for those engaged in marketing work. •ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Richard D. Millican is Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Illinois. Prior to entering the academic field he was a copywriter in newspapers and manufacturing on the West Coast. He is the author of "How Shall W e Educate for Advertising?" sponsored by the Pacific Coast Council of the American Association of Advertising Agencies.