Blog | Recent Posts

  • Defining Concepts

    When examining any phenomenon you must properly define what you are examining. A good example of the problems that arise when not defining concepts is “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. Great Stories Firstly, let me say that I enjoyed the book. The author packed it with fascinating stories. The book is well written.…


  • Spock And Kirk And Marketing

    Rutherford and Knowles (2008) highlight the tensions between finance and marketing. Their book goes by the title of “Vulcans, Earthlings and Marketing ROI”. The central thesis being that finance people are steady and logical, Vulcan in Star Trek, while marketers exciting and emotional, Earthlings. What can they tell us about Spock and Kirk and Marketing?…


  • A Set of Metrics

    The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) have produced a set of metrics to capture performance. I would like to improve the definitions. In addition, the set more coherently presented. (For example, why squish retention and acquisition together in the list below?) Still, it is an interesting view on what marketers think. CMA Task Force The process…


  • Competition, Marketing, and the Common Good

    I really enjoyed Robert Frank’s The Darwin Economy. What can this tell us about competition, marketing, and the common good? No Cash On The Table Frank emphasizes that “No Cash is On the Table” (Frank 2011, page 35) and “Markets Don’t Ignore Profitable Opportunities for Long” (page 35). Traditional economic theory suggests all profitable opportunities…


  • Managers and Academics

    I think one the great rifts between managers and academics in marketing has been caused by NPS. To be fair there is blame on all sides. Asking Questions As researchers and teachers we have a responsibility to advance the practice of marketing. This isn’t just about teaching technical skills. Knowing how to discount a cash…


  • Academics And Managers

    The application of research is a big topic in marketing and academics and managers would be well served by acting together more. Is Useful Important? We debate whether we are useful or relevant. And then we debate whether we should care about whether we are useful or relevant. I think of myself as an academic…


  • Storytelling: Not An Insult. But You Need Cogent Stories

    Critics often label evolutionary psychology “just so stories”– fanciful storytelling. This has become a popular criticism. “Just so stories” is a fantastic phrase. It is so evocative and damning. Serious scholars even use it to justify not reading evolutionary psychology. The critics sometimes have a point. I agree that some research relies on dubious arguments.…


  • Big Questions

    One of my favorite popular science books is Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel. Some didn’t appreciate it as much yet it does a fantastic job of asking big questions. These are the questions most worth asking. The Importance Of Geography Guns, Germs, and Steel is packed with fascinating details, has a great tempo, and…


Verified by MonsterInsights