Rotimi Ayodele Gbadeyan has offered a new perspective in the field of Marketing, saying as a field of study, Marketing has undergone a lot of changes over the decades, influenced by shifts in consumer behaviour, technological advancements, and global economic developments.
Gbadeyan, a Professor in the Department of Marketing and the current Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, has over 25 years of experience in university teaching, research, and administration said this while delivering the 284th inaugural lecture at the campus of the University of Ilorin last Thursday.
In the lecture titled, “Something Else Beyond Marketing,” the Professor explored traditional “marketing knowledge based on the review of the definitions provided by various scholars, following its historical evolution, and picking out its core pillars- the 4Ps of the marketing concept (product, price, place, and promotion) and the evolutionary development of the 8Ps for service marketing.
He added that “marketing has been defined in various ways, in relation to the priorities of different eras. One of the earliest but seminal definitions is that of Converse (1921), as cited by Brunswick (2014), who viewed marketing as entrepreneurial activities that create place and time utilities. This definition highlights marketing’s fundamental role in ensuring that goods and services are available at the right location and time, thereby enhancing their value to consumers.”
According to him, “in classical economic thought, production is not merely the act of manufacturing goods but also includes the mechanisms that facilitate their movement to consumers.
“Without marketing’s role in logistics and distribution, production remains incomplete, as value is only realised when goods reach those who need them. Kotler and Armstrong (2012) define marketing as the process through which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships to have value from customers in return.
“This definition of marketing focuses on value creation, customer relationships, and mutual benefit. However, the major limitation includes a company centric focus rather than a customer-driven perspective. The definition does not discuss key aspects like market research, segmentation, and competitive positioning. In addition, it excludes discussion on societal viewpoints, ignoring ethics and sustainability. The definition favours a transactional view rather than transformational marketing. A more effective holistic approach would emphasize customer engagement, collaborative value creation, and the overall social impact of marketing.”
The Don also disclosed that “Marketing has a long history, but it became recognised as an academic discipline in the early 20th century. This has made scholars see the evolution of marketing belonging into distinct eras, each characterised by changes in theoretical bases and practical implementations.
He contended that “Scholars have divided the evolution of marketing into eras, based on shifts in its theoretical and practical orientation. The most commonly recognised typologies are those proposed by Bartels (1988) and Wilkie and Moore (2003), emphasizing the discipline’s gradual development from its concentration on distribution to accepting a wider managerial and societal orientation.”
He submitted that “the first period, which spans from1900 to 1910 is known as Discovery Period. This period witnessed the emergence of marketing as an academic field, with the first university courses and publications. The focus was on the distribution system for agricultural products. This was followed by the conceptualization Period (1910-1920), when there was the development of fundamental marketing concepts, with scholars defining and classifying marketing functions.
“Afterwards was the Period of Integration between (1920-1930), when there was the first synthesis of marketing principles, culminating in the publication of the first book titled: Principles of Marketing. The Developmental Period (1930-1940) came next, which resulted in the growth of specialised marketing areas and empirical research to test marketing theories.”
He maintained that “the Paradigm Shift and Marketing Management (19501980), follows with the emergence of marketing as a core business function, marked by the introduction of behavioural science and quantitative techniques into the marketing discipline. The Intensification of Change and Fragmentation (1980-Present) came last with the increased globalisation, technological advancement, and ethical issues resulting in the proliferation of marketing subfields, such as public policy, social marketing, and consumer behaviour studies.
Marketing evolution according to him, “refers to its growing sophistication and crossover into other fields. Marketing today encompasses its age-old role of trade facilitation to include strategic management, societal impact and technological innovation. The marketing concept is built on four basic pillars commonly referred to as the marketing mix, which are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion (4Ps).
Kotler and Armstrong (2012), the Professorargued, described it as the “strategic instruments that businesses combine to initiate desired reactions from the target markets. It involves all the strategic actions designed to handle the demand for a product. I would like to argue that though the 4Ps model is strong, certain scholars contend that it downplays significant factors, especially services. The services such as banking, airlines, and retail are considered products, commonly known as service products.”
Speaking on “Expanding the Marketing Mix” the lecturer explained that “the 8Ps of Service Marketing Recognising the unique characteristics of services- intangibility, variability, perishability, and simultaneous production and consumption, Lovelock and Wright (1999) advocate for an expanded 8Ps framework to enhance competitiveness in service industries.’
The shift toward the service economy, according to him, has also “seen a paradigmatic shift in the way marketers think. The service economy is prevalent in the present economy, as sectors like health care, education, hospitality, and banking expanded to become engines of growth as well as producers of employment on a large scale.
“This revolution has underlined the necessity to have strong marketing strategies that discern goods (physical products) from services (deeds or performances). Identifying the distinct features of services further, the authors proposed an extended 8Ps model to improve competitiveness in service industries.”
In conclusion, Gbadeyan said: “Vice-Chancellor Sir, I have discussed my works in the following thematic Marketing areas: Consumer Behavior and Branding, Marketing Strategies, Market Orientation and Promotion, Entrepreneurship and Service Marketing, Digital and Political Marketing and other related areas.
“I would like to say that though my core research interest lies in marketing, I have deliberately extended my scholarly pursuits into other interconnected domains, as demonstrated in this lecture. These interdisciplinary engagements emphasised my conviction that marketing does not operate in isolation, but succeeds where it develops a stronger relationship with broader societal systems.
“It is now obvious that indeed, there is Something Else beyond Marketing, and this is where I will continue to find both relevance and purpose for impactful scholarship.”
The Professor finished his first degree in 1988 and joined the service of University of Ilorin in 1998 before he became a Professor of Marketing in 2018.
He has 111 scholarly publications in recognized national and international journals.
At the event on Thursday, the Royal Fathers present at the occasion include Onimoji of Imoji, His Royal Highness Oba Dominic Olugbenga Kolawole and His Royal Highness Oba Olusegun Atolagbe, Alajure of Ajure in Oke Ero LGA, Kwara State aside friends and family