A Theory of Marketing: Outline of a Social Systems Perspective

Theory.- Critique.- Methods.- Marketing as a Social System.- Discussion.- Conclusions.

Dr. Marius Lüdicke promovierte bei Prof. Dr. Beat F. Schmid am Institut für Medien- und Kommunikationsmanagement an der Universität St. Gallen.

Marketing has become one of the most influential forces in contemporary market economies. Yet despite ubiquitous empirical presence, uncountable textbook definitions, and sixty years of scholarly work, a coherent sociological understanding of this powerful concept is still amiss.

Drawing on Luhmannian social systems theory, historical analysis, and four qualitative studies, the author theorizes on the marketing function as a self-contained system of communications. It is argued that marketing systems prosper within a host organization if and as long as they successfully influence observers' preferences towards particular brands. On these conceptual foundations a comprehensive brand- and communication-centered theory is developed that fulfills Alderson', Cox' and Bartels' foundational requirements for a general theory of marketing in an unprecedented way.