ABSTRACT
Marketing is a term that is used in everyday parlance, but its technical definition tends to vary according to whether it is treated as an independent discipline or as a managerial process. The various elements at the center of the marketing enterprise collectively are referred to as the marketing mix, defined as "the set of marketing tools the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target market". Marketing is inter-disciplinary in that it spans across, and can be said to have evolved from, a variety of other academic fields, including the behavioral and social sciences, communications, and economics. Psychology encompasses the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Marketing research approaches and techniques continue to evolve along with developments in emerging technologies, providing new opportunities for researchers and marketing practitioners to gain insight into consumer decision making and behavior.
