ABSTRACT
Marketing does not take place in isolation. This chapter outlines the wide range of contexts which affect and are affected by marketing activities. Many of these, such as society, culture and the media, are outside the organizations undertaking the marketing work. Others are inside the organization, which raises key issues about where marketing takes place and who does it. Another question is what are markets? We will see that they can be viewed in different ways, and the perspective that is chosen fundamentally affects how marketing operations are analysed and conducted. This section also reviews the values, ethics and history of marketing itself which lie behind the activities that today are undertaken in its name.
