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A rejoinder: Is all social exchange marketing? A reply
Abstract
Our article, “Is All Social Exchange Marketing?”, was a reaction to the works of several authors, only one of which was an
article by Richard Bagozzi, “Marketing as Exchange” (1975). This article is a reaction specifically to Bagozzi's “Is All Social
Exchange Marketing?: A Reply” (1977). Neither this article nor our earlier one is a development of a theory or a framework
for the construction of marketing theory. Thus there were no developments of premises, propositions or formated statements
of relationships in that article or this one which might be miscontrued to be a perspective, framework, or theory of marketing.
First, we challenge Bagozzi to develop a unique theory of marketing exchange as differentiated from more general concepts
of all social, psychological and economic exchanges. Then we defend the purpose and logic of our article against Bagozzi's
fallacious assertions relating to our fallacies of logic and misinterpretations of his works, and we point out his inconsistencies
and fallacies of logic.
Marketing as exchange is reviewed in the context of broadened marketing as presented during the 1970s. “Functionism" is presented as a framework which presents exchange in its proper historical place as part of a function in the marketing process. The conclusion is that all organizations are involved in the performance of marketing functions. The concept of functionism permits the delineation of those organizational (and individual) tasks which are marketing from those which are not.
Examines the two traditions of Social Exchange Theory against the background of French and British orientations in Sociology and in the context of the works of Claude Levi-Strauss, George Homans, Peter Blau and others.
The exchange concept is a key factor in understanding the expanding role of marketing.
Since its publication in 1962, Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions has become one of the most popular attempts of all time to interpret the nature of science. It has proved an important step in a movement away from the positivistic empiricism that has held sway, among both philosophers and working scientists, for well over two generations. Writers in many disciplines have adopted the book’s fundamental notion of “paradigm” in analyses of their subject matter and controversies. The book has had an impact also on a wide body of laymen, even, on occasion, being cited as authority by spokesmen of the New Left.
It comes as no surprise to the astute observer that academics on this continent are unable to cope with the ‘problems’ internal to their respective disciplines. Indeed, when attempts are made to intellectually grapple with these meta-theoretical issues, the effects are usually somewhat reminiscent of the catastrophes of U.S. foreign policy. The physical levelling of third world countries engaged in struggles for national liberation has its ideational counterpart in the hallowed halls of academia. Critical thought has been systematically transformed into behavioral and functional theory. The metamorphosis is complete — Sigmund Freud leads to B.F. Skinner, Max Weber is updated by Talcott Parsons, and Karl Marx succumbs to John Dewey's pragmatism, or so we are told.
Two books have been particularly influential in contemporary philosophy of science: Karl R. Popper's Logic of Scientific Discovery, and Thomas S. Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Both agree upon the importance of revolutions in science, but differ about the role of criticism in science's revolutionary growth. This volume arose out of a symposium on Kuhn's work, with Popper in the chair, at an international colloquium held in London in 1965. The book begins with Kuhn's statement of his position followed by seven essays offering criticism and analysis, and finally by Kuhn's reply. The book will interest senior undergraduates and graduate students of the philosophy and history of science, as well as professional philosophers, philosophically inclined scientists, and some psychologists and sociologists.
Traditionally, marketers have taken a relatively narrow view of exchange, limiting their inquiry to direct exchanges of tangible entities between two persons. Bagozzi suggests three broad extensions to the exchange model: expanding the notion of exchange, reevaluating the relationship between the media and meaning of exchange, and looking at social marketing in light of the broadened conception of exchange.
Exchange is a fundamental and universal aspect of human behavior. Economic exchange models have dealt with the buying and
selling of material goods and services, while social exchange models have broadened their scope to include social and psychological
aspects of interactions. In its present form, however, the social exchange model exhibits serious shortcomings for the marketing
scholar and practitioner; it is largely atheoretical, unrealistic, narrow in applicability, and lacking in its depiction of
important facets of man's behavior. In light of these criticisms, the notion of an exchange system is proposed and illustrated
as an explanatory framework. Finally, it is suggested that marketing can be viewed as a component of the social system functioning
as both a cause and consequence of social change.
The attempt of some marketers to define marketing as all social behavior broadens marketing to an extent that it is difficult
if not impossible to operationalize. The marketing discipline is facing an identity crisis because it is expanding its boundaries
to include all human exchange. The consequences of the blurred image of marketing will be confusion in research, teaching
and the practice of marketing.
The debate over the nature and scope of marketing is far from settled, but the desire for change among marketers is apparent.
It is urgent that marketers determine what the scope of their field should become as a necessary first step in developing
an adequate definition. The effort so far has been somewhat haphazard with a variety of authors-extolling the virtues of their
viewpoint. This article represents an attempt to add order to the search for a useful scope for marketing. To achieve this
purpose, four norms are developed which seem suitable for testing the scope and definition of marketing. They include the
level of abstraction norm, the norm of correspondence, the pragmatic norm, and the norm of simplicity. These four norms are
first used to test two extreme positions and then to test a third compromise definition of marketing.
Thomas S. Kuhn's classic book is now available with a new index. "A landmark in intellectual history which has attracted attention far beyond its own immediate field. . . . It is written with a combination of depth and clarity that make it an almost unbroken series of aphorisms. . . . Kuhn does not permit truth to be a criterion of scientific theories, he would presumably not claim his own theory to be true. But if causing a revolution is the hallmark of a superior paradigm, [this book] has been a resounding success." âNicholas Wade, Science "Perhaps the best explanation of [the] process of discovery." âWilliam Erwin Thompson, New York Times Book Review "Occasionally there emerges a book which has an influence far beyond its originally intended audience. . . . Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions . . . has clearly emerged as just such a work." âRon Johnston, Times Higher Education Supplement "Among the most influential academic books in this century." âChoice One of "The Hundred Most Influential Books Since the Second World War," Times Literary Supplement
Social Behavior: Its Elementary Focus Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric
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Homans, George C. 1961. Social Behavior: Its Elementary Focus. New York: Harcourt. Kahanr Howard 1971. Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric. Belmont, California: Wadsworth. Kulm, Thomas S. 1962. The Structure of Scientific Revolution, 1st ed., Chicago: The Uni-versity of Chicago Press.
The Structure of Sociological Theory ABOUT THE AUTHORS MARY ZEY-FERRELL is Professor of Sociology at Illinois State Uni-versity. Dr. Zey-FerreU is the author of Dimensions of Organizations and editor of
- Turner
- Jonathan
Turner, Jonathan H. 1978. The Structure of Sociological Theory. Homewood, Illinois: The Dorsey Press. ABOUT THE AUTHORS MARY ZEY-FERRELL is Professor of Sociology at Illinois State Uni-versity. Dr. Zey-FerreU is the author of Dimensions of Organizations and editor of Readings in Dimensions of Organizations and Complex
What is a Marketing Relationship?
- Richard P Bagozzi
- Richard P. Bagozzi
Social Exchange Theory
- Harry C Bredemier
- Harry C. Bredemier
The Structure of Sociological Theory
- Jonathan H Turner
- Jonathan H. Turner