Version 1.0, October 2026. 98 constructs in 18 families across 7 eras, with 18 imported theories below. Selecting a cell reveals its family, era, block, tier, and anchor works, each anchoring reference linking to the publisher’s page. Explore the 18 Family Deep Dives for granular sub-tables, or visit Resources to use the four interactive analytical tools.
Each cell: number, influence pips, block code, then symbol, construct, and anchor works
open frontier position
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Detached series · Theories imported from adjacent fields, each set near the families it feeds
Series
T
Imported Theories
44IP
Rm
Role of Marketing
Family
7. Organization and Implementation (III · Organization and Programs)
Era
Period 4: Orientation and Relationships, 1990s
Block
IP · Implementation, process
Tier
Landmark
Cell card
Description
Webster traced the changing role of marketing in the corporation from a function to a set of processes within network organizations, and Moorman and Rust showed that the marketing function contributes to performance through its role in connecting the customer to the product, to service delivery, and to financial accountability.
Managerial Implications
Marketing's value to the firm lies in connecting the customer to the product, to service delivery, and to financial accountability, not in owning a function. As organizations flatten and partner, marketing becomes a cross-functional responsibility with a dedicated group that brings customer knowledge to every decision. Define marketing's role explicitly, including its link to finance, or it will default to communications.
How to read. Down a column follows one research stream through time. Across a row shows what the field studied in an era. Color marks the strategy domain, after Morgan et al. (2019). Pips give an influence tier. Numbers run by era, then family. Placements, anchors, and tiers are editorial judgments, and anchors are entry points rather than a complete record of any stream. Anyone who uses or adapts this table is responsible for verifying its contents against the original works.
