ARC: Connections: ELMAR: Posting

Shelby Hunt advises that his monograph entitled, Marketing Theory: Foundations, Controversy, Strategy, Resource-Advantage Theory, will be available from M.E. Sharpe in February, 2010.

[Publisher]

CONTENTS
 	
Preface 			
	
PART 1: THE NATURE OF MARKETING AND SCIENCE

Prologue

1	Introduction
	1.1 	Three Contradictions?
	1.2	Objectives of Monograph
	1.3	The Nature of Marketing
		1.3.1	The Scope of Marketing
		1.3.2	Is Marketing a Science?
	1.4	The Nature of Science
	1.5	The Unity of Scientific Method
		1.5.1	Discovery Versus Justification
	1.6	Conclusions on Marketing Science
	1.7	The Three Dichotomies Model: An Evaluation
		1.7.1	The Positive/Normative Dichotomy in Philosophy of Science
		1.7.2	Is the Positive/Normative Dichotomy False?
		1.7.3	Is the Positive/Normative Dichotomy Dangerous?
		1.7.4	Is the Positive/Normative Dichotomy Unnecessary?
		1.7.5	Is the Positive/Normative Dichotomy Meaningless?
		1.7.6	Is the Positive/Normative Dichotomy Useless?
		1.7.7	Is All of Marketing Thought Normative?
1.8	The Three Dichotomies Model as a General Taxonomical Framework for Marketing
1.9 	Plan of Monograph
Questions for Analysis and Discussion
Notes

2  	On the Marketing Discipline 
	2.1 	On Marketing as…
		2.1.1 	…A University Discipline
		2.1.2	…An Applied Discipline
		2.1.3	…A Professional Discipline
		2.1.4	…A Set of Responsibilities
			    To Society
			    To Students
			    To Disadvantaged Students: A Special Responsibility
			    To Practice
			    To the Academy
		2.1.5	Conclusion on the Nature of the Marketing Discipline
	2.2	The Defining Marketing Controversy
		2.2.1 	On the 2007 Definition of Marketing
	2.3	The Defining Marketing Research Controversy
		2.3.1	Research Questions in Marketing
		2.3.2	Conclusion on the Nature of Marketing Research
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes


PART 2: THE FOUNDATIONS OF MARKETING THEORY

Prologue 

3  	On the Morphology of Explanation 
	3.1	Explanations in Marketing
	3.2	Criteria for Evaluating Explanatory Models
	3.3	Deductive-Nomological Explanation
	3.4	Statistical Explanation
		3.4.1	Theories of Probability
		3.4.2	Statistical Explanation and the Social Sciences
		3.4.3	Deductive-Statistical Explanation
		3.4.4	Inductive-Statistical Explanation
			    An Evaluation of I-S Explanatory Model
	3.5	Are Logical Empiricist Models of Explanation Adequate?
		3.5.1	Is the D-N Model Dead?
		3.5.2	Is the I-S Model Dead?
	3.6	The Pattern Model
	3.7	Functionalist Explanation
		3.7.1	Uses of the Terms Function and Functional Explanation
		3.7.2	Preliminary Problems of Functional Explanation
		3.7.3	The Logic of Functional Explanation
		3.7.4	Functionalism in the Context of Discovery
	3.8 	Summary and Conclusions
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

4  	Explanation:  Issues and Aspects
	4.1	Explanation, Prediction, and Retrodiction
		4.1.1	Explanations as Potential Predictions
			    Dubin's Power Paradox
			    Five Levels of Prediction
		4.1.2	Predictions as Potential Explanations
		4.1.3	Are Explanations and Predictions Potential Retrodictions?
	4.2	Causal Explanations
		4.2.1	The Notion of Causality
			    Cause and the Philosopher's Fallacy of High Redefinition
		4.2.2	Evidence for Causation
	4.3	Explanatory Incompleteness, Explanation Chains, and Infinite Regress
		4.3.1	Marketing Explanation Chains
	4.4	Other Forms of Explanatory Incompleteness
		4.4.1	Enthymemes
		4.4.2	Partial Explanations
		4.4.3	Explanation Sketches
	4.5	The Fundamental Explananda of Marketing
	4.6	A Product Life Cycle Explanation
	4.7	A Consumer Behavior Explanation
		4.7.1	A Reconstruction of the Explanation
		4.7.2	Structural Analysis of the Explanation
	4.8	A Price Discrimination Explanation
	4.9	A Wheel of Retailing Explanation
		4.9.1	The Wheel of Retailing and Competition for Differential Advantage
	4.10	Summary and Conclusions
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

5  	On the Morphology of Scientific Laws
	5.1	Role of Laws in Marketing Research
	5.2	The First Criterion: Generalized Conditionals
	5.3	The Second Criterion: Empirical Content
	5.4	The Third Criterion: Nomic Necessity
	5.5	The Fourth Criterion: Systematic Integration
		5.5.1	Role of Empirical Generalizations
	5.6	Summary
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

6  	Scientific Laws:  Issues and Aspects 
	6.1	The Time Issue
		6.1.1	Equilibrium Laws
		6.1.2	Laws of Atemporal Coexistence
		6.1.3	Laws of Succession
		6.1.4	Process Laws
	6.2	Axioms, Fundamental Laws, and Derivative Laws
		6.2.1	Bridge Laws
	6.3	Extension and Universality
		6.3.1	Singular Statements
		6.3.2	Existential Statements
		6.3.3	Statistical Laws
		6.3.4 	Universal Laws
	6.4	Summary and Conclusions
	6.5	Problems in Extension: The Psychophysics of Prices
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

7  	On the Morphology of Theory
	7.1	The Notion of Theory
	7.2	Misconceptions of Theory
	7.3	The “Systematically Related” Criterion
		7.3.1	Formal Language Systems
		7.3.2  	Axiomatic Formal Systems	
		7.3.3  	Rules of Interpretation	
		7.3.4  	Issues in Formalization
		7.3.5  	The “General Theory of Marketing”:  A Partial Formalization
		7.3.6  	The Theory of Buyer Behavior:  A Partial Formalization
	7.4	The “Lawlike Generalizations” Criterion
	7.5	The “Empirically Testable” Criterion
		7.5.1  	The Nature of Empirical Testing
		7.5.2  	The Empirical Testing Process
		7.5.3  	On Confirmation
7.6	Summary
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

8  	Theory:  Issues and Aspects 
	8.1	Classificational Schemata	
		8.1.1  	Logical Partitioning
		8.1.2  	Grouping Procedures
		8.1.3  	Criteria for Evaluating Classificational Schemata
	8.2	Positive Versus Normative Theory
8.3	Deterministic Versus Stochastic Theory
	8.3.1  	The Nature of Deterministic Theory
	8.3.2  	Uncertainty in Explanation
	8.3.3  	Determinism and Marketing Theory
8.4	The Nature of General Theories
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes


PART 3:  CONTROVERSY IN MARKETING THEORY

Prologue

9  	On Scientific Realism and Marketing Research  
	9.1	Why Relativism was Rejected
	9.2	Historical Development of Realism
		9.2.1 	Quantum Mechanics, Realism, and Positivism
	9.3	Scientific Realism: Four Fundamental Tenets
	9.4	Implications of Scientific Realism
		9.4.1	Physics
			    The “Lessons” of Quantum Mechanics
		9.4.2	Biology
		9.4.3	Marketing and the Social Sciences
	9.5	Scientific Realism and the Success of Science
		9.5.1 	Explaining the Successful Eradication of Smallpox
			    Background
			    Scientific Realism's Explanation
	9.6	Scientific Realism and Scientific Progress
	9.7	Scientific Realism Contrasted with Logical Empiricism
	9.8	Scientific Realism Contrasted with Constructive Empiricism
	9.9	Scientific Realism and Critical Realism
		9.9.1 	The Critical Realism of Niiniluoto
		9.9.2  	The Critical Realism of Sayer
	9.10	Conclusion
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

10  	On Science/Nonscience, Qualitative Methods, and Marketing Research
	10.1	The Sciences  Versus  Nonsciences Controversy
		10.1.1	Relativism and the Nature of Science
				    On Relativism and The Nature Of Science: For Reason
		10.1.2  	Revisiting the Nature of Science Arguments
		10.1.3  	Is the Relativist Nature of Science Argument a Straw Man?
		10.1.4  	Weak-Form Relativism	
	10.2	The Positivism Versus Qualitative Methods Controversy
		10.2.1  	Misconceptions About Positivism
			    Quantitative Methods
			    Causality
			    Determinism and the Machine Metaphor
			    Reality and Reification
			    Functionalism
		10.2.2  	On Antipositivism: For Reason.  
			    Positivism Versus Contemporary Antipositivism
		10.2.3  	Paradigm Dominance in Marketing, Management, and Consumer Research	
		10.2.4  	The Dominance of Positivism: A Postmodern View
		10.2.5  	Logical Empiricism as the Dominant Paradigm
				    Confusions about Logical Empiricism 
				    Does Logical Empiricism Dominate?  
			10.2.6 	Conclusion: For Reason
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

11  	On Truth and Marketing Research
11.1	The Nature of Truth 
11.2	Truth and Scientific Realism
	11.2.1 	A Scientific Realist Model of Truth	
		    Successes, Failures, and the External World
	11.2.2 	Truth Is Not an Entity
	11.2.3 		Consistent with Marketing Science Practice
	11.2.4 		Inconsistent with Logical Positivism, Logical Empiricism, and Falsificationism
	11.2.5 		Not with Certainty
	11.2.6 		Not Equal to Pragmatic Success
11.3	Relativistic Truth
11.4	Critical Relativism and Truth
	11.4.1   	The Falsity of Realism Argument
		    On the Falsity of Realism Argument:  For Reason
	11.4.2   	Reticulational Philosophy and Truth  
		    On Reticulational Philosophy: For Reason
	11.4.3   	Truth and “Utopianism”
		    On Utopianism: For Reason
11.5	The Philosophers' Fallacy Revisited
11.6	TRUTH and truth
	11.6.1  	Postmodernism and Dogmatic Skepticism
	11.6.2. 	On Marketing and Noncontradiction: For Reason
11.7	Truth, Reality Relativism, and Idealism
	11.7.1  	Relativistic Reality
	11.7.2  	On Relativistic Reality: For Reason
11.8	For Truth
	11.8.1    	Trust, Science, Realism, and Ethics
		    Trust and Ethics
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

12  	On Objectivity and Marketing Research
	12.1	The Nature of Objectivity
		12.1.1  	Objectivity and Objectivism
			    On Objectivism: For Reason
	12.2	Logical Empiricism, Falsificationsim, and Objectivity
		12.2.1  	Are the Social Sciences Inherently Subjective?
	12.3	Historical Relativism and Objectivity
	12.4	For Objectivity: The “Negative Case”
		12.4.1	Linguistic Relativism
		12.4.2	Paradigms Are Incommensurable
		12.4.3	Facts Underdetermine Theories
		12.4.4	The Psychology of Perception
		12.4.5	Epistemically Significant Observations
	12.5	For Objectivity: The Positive Case
	12.6	A Realist Theory of Empirical Testing
		12.6.1	The Realist Model
		12.6.2	M?ller-Lyer Revisited
		12.6.3	Threats to Objectivity
		12.6.4	Implications for Marketing and Social Science
	12.7	For a Commencement
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes


PART 4:  TOWARD A GENERAL THEORY OF MARKETING

Prologue

13  	On the Resource-Advantage (R-A) Theory of Competition
	13.1	An Overview of R-A Theory
		13.1.1  	The Structure and Foundations of R-A Theory
13.2	Developing the R-A Theory Research Program
		13.2.1  	The Introductory Period: 1995Ä96
		13.2.2  	The Period of Development: 1997Ä2000
		13.2.3 	The Research Tradition Period: 2001ÄPresent
	13.3	The Foundations of R-A Theory
		13.3.1 	Demand
			    Demand and R-A Theory
		13.3.2 	Consumer Information
			    Consumer Information and R-A Theory
		13.3.3  	Human Motivation
			    Human Motivation and R-A Theory
		13.3.4  	Firm's Objective and Information
			    Firm's Objective, Information, and R-A Theory
		13.3.5  	Resources
			    Resources and R-A Theory
		13.3.6  	Role of Management
			    Management and R-A Theory
		13.3.7 	Competitive Dynamics
			    Competitive Dynamics and R-A Theory
	13.4	Conclusion
	Questions for Analysis and Discussion
	Notes

14  	Competition Theory, Alderson's Market Processes Theory, and R-A Theory
14.1  	R-A Theory Is a General Theory of Competition
	14.1.1  	Explanatory Power
		    Financial Performance Diversity
	14.1.2 	Perfect Competition Theory and R-A Theory
14.2  	Alderson's Theory of Market Processes
	14.2.1 	Developing the Theory of Market Processes
	14.2.2  	Effective Competition Theory
	14.2.3  	Alderson's Functionalist Theory of Market Processes
14.3 	The Theory of Market Processes and R-A Theory 
	14.3.1	Conclusion on Alderson and R-A Theory 
Questions for Analysis and Discussion
Notes

15  	Strategy and R-A Theory 
	15.1  	Business Strategy
		15.1.1  	Industry-Based Strategy
		15.1.2  	Resource-Based Strategy
		15.1.3  	Competence-Based Strategy
		15.1.4  	Knowledge-Based Strategy
	15.2  	Marketing Strategy
		15.2.1  	Market-Segmentation Strategy
		15.2.2  	Market-Orientation Strategy
		15.2.3  	Relationship-Marketing Strategy
		15.2.4  	Brand-Equity Strategy
	15.3  	Strategy and R-A Theory
		15.3.1  	Market-Segmentation Strategy and R-A Theory
		15.3.2  	Resource-Based Strategy and R-A Theory
		15.3.3  	Competence-Based Strategy and R-A Theory
		15.3.4  	Industry-Based Strategy and R-A Theory
		15.3.5  	Market-Orientation, Knowledge-Based Strategy, and R-A Theory
		15.3.6  	Relationship-Marketing Strategy and R-A Theory
		15.3.7  	Brand-Equity Strategy and R-A Theory
	15.4  	Brand-Equity Strategy and Society
		15.4.1  	The Indictment of Branding
			    Antiglobalization Activists
			    Marketing Academe
			    Equilibrium Economics
		15.4.2  	For Brand-Equity Strategy
			    Trademarks in the Soviet Union
			    Conclusion on Brand Equity Strategies and Society
	15.5  	A Final Note
Questions for Analysis and Discussion
Notes

References