Introduction to Marketing

The book addresses the needs of both undergraduate and postgraduate marketing students, marketing academics and practitioners, and the general reading public. It aims to bridge the gap between the marketing practices in the developed Western nations and those in Bangladesh. The need for this book received further impetus because of the misconception and seemingly lack of understanding between developed and developing countries’ marketing practices. It refutes the argument that modern marketing practices are only necessary and applicable in advanced or developed countries with matured industrial base technology and surplus products, with examples unique to Bangladesh. Each chapter in this book includes a marketing case-some short, some not too short-to help students understand some of the fundamental issues covered in the chapter. Most of these cases reflect different aspects of real-life marketing in various Bangladeshi companies. However, some cases are hypothetical but portray real marketing issues. Each chapter includes a few True/False and Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs). These are questions to help students check their general understanding of the materials covered in the chapter. Answers to these self-test questions are provided in Appendix 3. Each chapter also includes short, medium, and long essay questions to help students reflect on their learning, keep them engaged with the topic, and encourage independent and critical thinking about applying the knowledge learned in the chapter. The book also includes a detailed outline of developing a marketing plan (Appendix 1) and a sample marketing plan (Appendix 2). A comprehensive marketing glossary of terms to enable students to access marketing concepts, principles quickly, and theories have also been included at the end of the book. Students will find these inclusions helpful in understanding the fundamentals of marketing.