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BOOK REVIEWS
Competing For a Saturated
Market...
AMERICAN MARKETING, by William J. Shultz.
(San Francisco, California: Wadsworfh Publishing Co., Inc., 1961. Pp. xxvi, 655.
$7.95.)
This book is intended to serve as a text
for beginning marketing courses. Comments
on the jacket allege that . . . the approach of
this text is managerial. It should be stated
at the outset that this claim by the publisher
is misleading, because in no sense is this text
consonant with the newer management approach in collegiate marketing teaching. Virtually no emphasis is placed on analytical
tools, concepts gleaned from disciplines related
to marketing, and ways of thinking about
marketing problems. Moreover, the content is
completely descriptive with the emphasis
placed on "what" is done, rather than on
"why" it is done or, more to the point, whether
it "should be done."
American Marketing, contrary to claims of
the publisher, embraces the traditional approach to the study of marketing organized
around the marketing of commodities, functional analysis, and marketing' institutions.
There is little benefit in enumerating titles
of the 30 chapters, but it should be noted that
each chapter includes review and discussion
questions, short problems, and a fairly extensive bibliography. The problems, however,
usually comprise several sentences of facts on
a limited situation followed by questions, and
thus seem to be of relatively little benefit in
helping to develop students' analytical abilities.
Since Professor Shultz has chosen to espouse
the traditional point of view, he is competing
in a market which is virtually saturated with
widely-used texts. The comments on the jacket
claim, among other things, that the author has
"differentiated his product" by a comprehensive discussion of the "frequently slighted"
areas of consumer psychology, product planning, and marketing management. The publisher's claims and the content of the text,
however, diverge significantly.
In the first place, consumer psychology is
discussed basically around a list of motives.
Only the briefest mention is made of the
complex environmental influences on behavior.
Thus the important topic of motivation is developed only in part, and the presentation
hardly warrants the designation that it is comprehensive in scope.
Moreover, the chapter on product policy for
the most part includes only a discussion of
new products, product design, and packaging.
There is no mention of such important issues
as sources of ideas, implementation of ideas,
adaptation of product to market forces, and
cost and revenue considerations.
The chapter on marketing management is
weak, especially since this text is supposedly
managerially oriented. Only 13 pages are devoted to discussion of problem solving, the
integrated approach to marketing problems,
and organizational considerations. Much is
left unsaid; and marketing management is
too important to be slighted in this manner.
While American Marketing clearly does not
live tip to the claims of its publisher, it is
true that the author's coverage of topics in
general is acceptable. Chapters on marketing
institutions and the marketing of commodities are very good, in that complex topics are
covered in a brief yet comprehensive manner.
Perhaps the greatest virtue of this volume
is the brevity and conciseness of the author's
style, especially when one compares his exposition with the detail of some competing
texts.
While space limitations prevent a detailed
evaluation of the text, it must be pointed out
that the author presents an inadequate discussion of marketing policies. The problem
lies in what is not said. Those who adopt this
text undoubtedly will need to supplement the
policy chapters extensively with appropriate
outside readings.
The reviewer feels particularly that the discussion of pricing is inadequate. The author
develops the topic in terms of economic theory,
yet never truly relates theoretical concepts to
pricing practice. In fact, only one paragraph
is devoted to oligopoly, a key concept in understanding contemporary price policy. Furthermore, no mention is made, for example, of
elasticities, the rule of environmental factors
in the price decision, consumer priority schedules, and the applicable tools of managerial
economics. Finally, he never even hints at the
complexity of pricing decisions, and hence
may leave misleading impressions with the
student. The sorts of omissions mentioned in
this context will be found in most of the policy
chapters.
It is also important to observe that the discussion is oriented almost entirely toward the
firm. Seldom does the author allude to the
controversy concerning social effects of mar-
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JOURNAL OF MARKETING
keting efforts. It seems necessary to prepare
students to defend marketing as a valid area
of economic endeavor against often illogical
attacks. Little is done to make students aware
of governmental regulation of marketing activities. The Robinson-Patman Act is scarcely
mentioned, for example. The author seems to
have little justification for neglecting such
vital issues.
The emphasis in this text is on building
students' inventory of knowledge, and the coverage is basically adequate as has been noted.
Perhaps the greatest shortcoming of this book
is the failure to relate facts in such a manner
as to provide unifying concepts to guide decision making. As a result, the author does
October, 1961
not convey the real excitement and challenges:
of marketing. Moreover, brevity of style,
while often a virtue, has led Professor Shultz
to omit enough key concepts that A,nerica:i
Market/h-icj, contrary to the publisher's claims,
will not qualify as a useful and comprehensive
reference book. To sum up, the author is to
bo commended for attempting to cover a complex topic in a concise yet inclusive fashioti,
but it cannot be said that American Maiketivij
represents an especially noteworthy contribution to the literature when viewed in terms of
competing- texts.
JAMES F. ENGEI.
University
of Michigan
Salesmen: yVtariagemerit Representatives . . .
SALES ADMINISTRATION: PRINCIPLES AND PROBLEMS,
4th Edition, by Bertrand R. Canfield.
(Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1961. Pp. xv, 637. $7.95.)
This third revision of a long-recognized
standard text in sales management does a
good job of bringing up-to-date some of the
many changes in marketing concepts and
methods of the past five years. It is definitely
a sales department-oriented book, starting
with the sales organization and working in
excellent detail through sales personnel matters into selected related areas of marketing
management.
The text's progress of study from the job
description through recruiting, selection, and
training into compensation and supervision is
logical and covers all essential areas well. The
material on training salesmen is particularly
well done. The general tone throughout emphasizes the critical need for good communications between various parties concerned at
all levels and effective coordination between
functional departments as well as individuals.
In addition to the sales training and supervision topics, these also are handled exceptionally well: objectives of the salesman; co-ordination of selling with advertising; territory
design and coverage; salesmen's reports and
records; and distributor-dealer relations. The
newer chaptei's and topics, particularly those
on recentlv-added consideratioTis under the
marketing management concept, are timely
and adequate.
There are the usual possibilities for minor
criticisms, such as occasional duplication of
similar materials under related but different
titles, but those are excusable and may serve
to accentuate certain basic considerations to
advantage. This is not a highly academic or
theoretical book. It should be of interest to
the businessman as well as to teachers and
students. It could stand more reference to the
needs for and uses of research. It can well be
used as a course guide, assuming' supplementary outside reading materials on specific
areas in terms of the instructor'.s preferences
and goals.
In summary, this text, will continue to
serve well those who prefer to base the sales
or marketinff administration course on the
importance of the salesman's behavior in his
work with the customer as management's representative. With the human element in selling increasingly at a premium as a requirement for "professional" success in these contacts, thei*e is a permanent place in the business curriculum for this approach.
KENNETH LAWYEH
Westpifi. Reserve
Uniremity