ABSTRACT
This chapter describes William James Ashley's early study and teaching of marketing in the Commerce Program at Birmingham. Michael J. Baker role in the UK has been equated to that of Philip Kotler in the US, courtesy of his prolific textbook output. The chapter offers a brief history of business education in Britain to provide appropriate context. The first British university degree program in business was offered by the Faculty of Commerce founded in 1901 at the University of Birmingham under the direction of William James Ashley, who served as Dean and Professor of Commerce until 1925. William James Ashley developed and taught courses on the elements of political economy, the history of political economy, and on economic issues. Ashley was the only instructor for the Business Policy course for several years and he chaired the Commerce Seminar with other faculty members.
