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
66IN
Cq
Customer Equity and CLV
Family
11. Relationships and Customer Equity (IV · Customer and Brand Assets)
Era
Period 5: Assets and Accountability, 2000s
Block
IN · Inputs: resources and assets
Tier
Landmark
Cell card
Description
Gupta, Lehmann, and Stuart showed that the value of a firm's customer base approximates the value of the firm, and Rust, Lemon, and Zeithaml developed return on marketing based on customer lifetime value and the value, brand, and relationship drivers of customer equity.
Managerial Implications
The sum of customers' lifetime values is customer equity, and it can approximate firm value. Managing by CLV changes decisions: acquisition spending is capped by lifetime value, retention improvements are worth more than acquisition improvements, and investments in value, brand, and relationship drivers can be compared in a single return metric. Build the CLV model, however crude, and use it to allocate the marketing budget.
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.
