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
← Swipe to explore all 18 families →
Detached series · Theories imported from adjacent fields, each set near the families it feeds
Series
T
Imported Theories
6IC
Mx
Marketing Mix
Family
8. Marketing Programs (III · Organization and Programs)
Era
Period 1: Foundations, to 1969
Block
IC · Implementation, content
Tier
Landmark
Cell card
Description
McCarthy's four Ps condensed Borden's list of marketing mix ingredients into product, price, place, and promotion, giving marketing programs the decision framework that has organized implementation since.
Managerial Implications
Product, price, place, and promotion are levers to be set together, not by separate departments. A premium product with discount pricing or mass distribution sends a contradictory signal. Use the mix as a consistency check: write down the intended position, then audit whether each lever reinforces it. When one lever changes, such as a new channel, revisit the other three deliberately.
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.
