C58FM - INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
'CRITICALLY ASSESS THE ROLE OF MARKETING'
Submitted by: Natasha Blaszk
Submitted to: Mrs C Foxworthy-Bowers
Date: 8th October 2013
BA Business Management
Borders Business Programme
Year 2
Heriot-Watt University
Scottish Borders Campus
In the simplest form, marketing can be defined as '...the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumer requirements profitably'. (Chartered Institute of Marketing, 2001) Marketing is therefore about finding and keeping customers. We all come into contact with marketing in our day to day lives, for example advertising on the radio while we drive to work or when adverts come up on the television when we are watching our favourite programmes. Marketing is all around us. (Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Wong , V., & Saunders, J., 2008) Furthermore, Chairman of Forfas, Eoin O'Driscoll, stressed the important role that marketing and sales personnel play and described them as the true wealth creators and the drivers of innovation.
(McDermott, 2006)Thus, the role marketing is beneficial for today's society owing to its influencing methods.
Some may argue that due to the marketing function operating very closely with the public, this opens it up to some debate:
Probably the most debated comment is that marketers are only interested in persuading customers to buy whether they want the product or not. The general perspective is that marketers are only out to satisfy their own needs and really do not care about the needs of their customers. There are some marketers who are guilty of manipulating customers into making unwanted purchases, however, the vast majority understand that undertaking such tactics will not lead to loyal customers and, consequently, is unlikely to lead to long term success.
Opponents of marketing argue that marketing methods can overemphasise the benefits offered by products. This rings true through...