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It is claimed by a great number of people that the relevance of marketing to business needs is becoming less, since the role of the marketing function in many organizations is diminishing, whereas others suggest that marketing is still connected with the needs of business even though it has experienced a reduction in its significance. Indeed, this essay will argue that marketing is still relevant to the needs of business from the points of view that it has evolved into a service-centered paradigm and made a new relationship with consumers.
It Is claimed by some people that marketing Is becoming irrelevant to the needs of business since Its diminished role In organizations. According to McGovern (2004), there Is a growing number of US companies tend to spend less time In discussing marketing and customer-related Issues. The declining role of marketing has led to the closure of some corporate marketing departments, which has greatly reduced business’ dependence on marketing.
There is a “credibility gap” for arresters, and high turnover of Chief Marketing Officers (Cosmos); therefore the functions of the marketing department have been redistributed, often resulting in little direct responsibility for marketing activities (Webster et al, 2005). In addition, it was suggested by Keith (2004) that marketing professionals are being marginal’s, since most marketing managers have limited knowledge In the fields of finance and accounting, which Is has been cited as one of the most significant factors leading to the decline of the marketing function.
It was proved that the role of marketing Is learning, and It has little Influence on business; as a result, It seems clear that the relevance between marketing and business Is In decline. However, there are some other people who argue that marketing is still relevant to the needs of business today, as it is evolving into a new way of thinking.
The shift marketing experienced was from the exchange of tangible goods toward the exchange of intangibles, specialized skills and knowledge, which meant that marketing could provide customers not only with goods or service, but also offerings through which they ender services and create value (Gumminess, 1995. P. 250). Although marketing has undergone a crisis regarding the threat to its role in organizations, it can still satisfy the consumers’ needs and retain its relationship with business.
Coral and Kettle (1 999, P. 162) stated “Marketing moves toward dynamic exchange relationships that involve performing processes and exchanging skills or services In which value Is co- created with the consumer. ” This clearly demonstrates that the service-centered logic Is a customer-focused marketing, which Is connected closeness with business since It aims to expanding the market by assisting the consumer in the process of value needs of business since there is a new relationship with customers.
As Hacker (1999) suggested, even though it is the customers who determine the relationship between customers and firms, the interaction between them deepens with the evolution of their relationship. Therefore, the connection between marketing and business needs is still relevant. According to Sheet and Cissoids (2005), as marketing has shifted to a more service-centered function, marketers have changed their approach from tempting to direct or manage consumers to supporting them in the creation of value.
Hackle (1999) suggests that successful firms have moved from “make-and-sell” to “sense-and-respond”; that is, producers determined value in the past, whereas it is determined by consumers in contemporary marketing. A good example of this is the brand Mini USA, which is co-designed with consumers, and which is viewed as a helpful way to deepen the relationship between marketing and business needs (Elliott, 2006). In addition, Sheet and Usually point out that with the development of the customer relationship, co-production and co-design, as an extension of co-creation activity, are demanded by both firms and consumers (2007.
P. 305). Therefore, the new relationship with customers is considered to be a significant factor facilitating the relevance between marketing and business needs. In conclusion, this essay has attempted to argue that although some people claim that the declining role of marketing in organizations has caused marketing to become increasingly irrelevant between consumers and businesses, it has been demonstrated that marketing is still elevate to business needs, since it evolved to a service-centered mode of operation and created a new relationship with consumers.