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A Twenty-First Century Guide to Aldersonian Marketing ThoughtFunctionalism: Descriptive and Normative

A Twenty-First Century Guide to Aldersonian Marketing Thought: Functionalism: Descriptive and... Chapter 12 FUNCTIONALISM: DESCRIPTIVE AND NORMATIVE Wroe Alderson This writer has characterized his theoretical position as functionalism and has accepted the implied commitment to the total systems approach. The function- alist in marketing engages in the study of systems with the aim of understanding how they work and how they can be made to work better. As a theorist he de- vises descriptive generalizations of marketing activities and institutions and finds a useful tool in the systems concept. He discovers a number of organized behavior systems in the world of marketing and finds that this recognition of systems of interacting forces aids him in explaining what is going on. He might note, for example, that systems have a tendency to persist over time, behaving as if they pursued a goal of survival. This descriptive theory does not imply that systems are necessarily efficient in seeking any goal, including the goal of survival. The theory recognizes that systems cease to exist despite the efforts of participants to perpetuate them. The theory stresses environmental change and maladjustment which often occurs because of the lag in the adaptive processes of the system. In order to adapt, the control group in the system http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A Twenty-First Century Guide to Aldersonian Marketing ThoughtFunctionalism: Descriptive and Normative

Editors: Wooliscroft, Ben; Tamilia, Robert D.; Shapiro, Stanley J.
Alderson, Wroe
A Twenty-First Century Guide to Aldersonian Marketing Thought — Jan 1, 2006
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Publisher
Springer US
Copyright
© Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006
ISBN
978-0-387-26175-1
Pages
185 –188
DOI
10.1007/0-387-28181-9_12
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

Chapter 12 FUNCTIONALISM: DESCRIPTIVE AND NORMATIVE Wroe Alderson This writer has characterized his theoretical position as functionalism and has accepted the implied commitment to the total systems approach. The function- alist in marketing engages in the study of systems with the aim of understanding how they work and how they can be made to work better. As a theorist he de- vises descriptive generalizations of marketing activities and institutions and finds a useful tool in the systems concept. He discovers a number of organized behavior systems in the world of marketing and finds that this recognition of systems of interacting forces aids him in explaining what is going on. He might note, for example, that systems have a tendency to persist over time, behaving as if they pursued a goal of survival. This descriptive theory does not imply that systems are necessarily efficient in seeking any goal, including the goal of survival. The theory recognizes that systems cease to exist despite the efforts of participants to perpetuate them. The theory stresses environmental change and maladjustment which often occurs because of the lag in the adaptive processes of the system. In order to adapt, the control group in the system

Published: Jan 1, 2006

Keywords: Decision Maker; Normative Theory; Growth Path; Descriptive Theory; Economic Sanction

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