Some Exploratory Models for Assessing Small Firms' Marketing Performance (A Qualitative Approach)

It has been acknowledged that small businesses have their own particular characteristics that affect their operation and that determine their preoccupations and concerns. An approach to marketing planning, including the marketing of technology transfer, is developed that can be adapted in a flexible...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of marketing 1990-11, Vol.24 (11), p.5
Main Author: Carson, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Market planning
Market strategy
Marketing
Small business
Success
Technology transfer
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:It has been acknowledged that small businesses have their own particular characteristics that affect their operation and that determine their preoccupations and concerns. An approach to marketing planning, including the marketing of technology transfer, is developed that can be adapted in a flexible way to suit any small firm at any stage of development or evolution. Technology transfer can occur at 3 levels: 1. self-help information transfer, 2. appreciation-level marketing education input, and 3. in-depth marketing education that is situation-specific to the company. Six marketing models are described: 1. marketing limitations, 2. levels of generalization, 3. planning versus operations, 4. marketing planning adapted for small firms, 5. stages of marketing development, and 6. levels of activity. The models are illustrated by 3 case examples. It is concluded that small firms have a distinctive marketing style that includes such unique characteristics as: 1. inherent informality in structure, evolution, and implementation, and 2. owner-manager involvement.
ISSN:0309-0566
1758-7123