Marketing strategy - David S Mercer

Marketing Strategy is a unique introduction to marketing strategy development. The volume adds future studies methodology to traditional methods of environmental analysis, and presents a marketing approach for dealing effectively with the increasingly dynamic business environment.

Paradoxically, the fast-changing business environment of today requires a longer planning horizon than the short-and- medium term typically covered by environmental analysis. Marketing Strategy provides this by supplementing traditional environmental analysis - for example, scanning and market research - with future studies methodology - for example, forecasting and scenarios. It shows how these powerful techniques and insights can be applied to marketing planning and strategy.

The first part of the book covers the different techniques of environmental analysis and long-range forecasting, and examines their relationship with marketing and strategy. The second part demonstrates their application to the marketing planning process, leading to the development of so-called robust strategies. A range of `generic' robust strategies, i.e. key marketing strategies for long-term business survival and success, such as branding and relationship management, conclude the book.