Meta-Theory Development in Marketing

Abstract

The pwpose of this paper is to attempt at developing a meta-theory of marketing primarily as a pedagogical exercise. Such a task will have to be undertaken with a sense of humility keeping in mind the ever-expanding scope and complexity of marketing. A meta-theory seeks to unify perspectives (Ryan and O' Shaughnessy 1980) and understand the totality and interactions of marketing (Kelley 1980). At the outset, a meta-theory will have to be distinguished from sub-theories the scope of which is limited to selected sub-activities of marketing.