ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the role and relevance model of marketing in Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The model aims to explain how and why SMEs approach the action of marketing the way they do. The role of marketing examines the level of marketing activity in an organisation. The role and relevance model of marketing in SMEs has been thoroughly investigated and tested. The use of marketing techniques varied from sophisticated marketing planning activities that were translated into detailed implementation plans to almost openly hostile approaches to marketing often precipitated by local authority interventions. The local authority has considerable control over the marketing activities of the company in that taking advantage of marketing opportunities is actively discouraged. The role and relevance model of marketing remains fairly robust but with a few shortcomings due to the concentration on classical marketing strategy and practices and the omission of postmodern marketing such as networking, internet marketing, e-commerce, and e-business.
