ABSTRACT
The question has been posed: “Does Marketing Need Reform?” It’s a question that is likely to generate as many responses as there are folks who take the time to mull over the query. Inherent in the question is the supposition that something is wrong or amiss with the current state of marketing. After all, the dictionary defines reform as “improve by some alteration” and “change from worse to better” (www.m-w.com). Given that definition, we argue that, yes indeed, marketing does need reform, but it’s more a matter of refocus than cataclysmic change. The reform that we believe is needed is a rediscovery of the importance and impact of the people component of the marketing enterprise. Whether it’s the individuals who enact an organization’s marketing effort or the customers themselves, the significance of the human element as a critical component of marketing has somehow eroded in the academic field of marketing. It’s time to restore people to their proper place in marketing.
