Abstract:

This paper is concerned with management decisions about marketing in the consumer goods industries; and particularly with non-durables (e.g. food, drink, tobacco, household necessities) which account for a large share of total marketing activity in free enterprise societies. Illustrative decisions discussed are concerned with: - Product development policy; - Advertising policies (level of expenditure, choice of media and copy); - Sales promotion and selling policies. I should make it clear that in this paper I am trying to describe the essence of a range of considerations making up the practical background for using research in marketing decisions, and am not describing the practice of any single company.