Charting new directions for marketing

Four fundamental issues serve to establish the identity of the field of mar keting, distinguish it from other fields and disciplines, and compel furthe r research inquiry. These issues ask (1) How do customers and consumers rea lly behave? (2) How do markets function and evolve? (3) How do firms relate to their markets? and (4) What are the contributions of marketing to organ izational performance and societal welfare? These issues also serve as the organizing framework for this special issue Although the questions posed by these fundamental issues are durable, new a nswers will need to be sought to accommodate the following trends and disru ptions that are shaping the direction of marketing: (1) the connected knowl edge economy; (2) globalizing, converging, and consolidating industries; (3 ) fragmenting and frictionless markets; (4) empowered customers and consume rs; and (5) adaptive organizations. These new directions challenge academic marketing to provide meaningful measures, inferences, and calibration; und erstand functional interfaces; and rethink the role of theory.