The Transformation of Marketing and Business Organisation

The book describes the transformation of marketing
functions in Europe during the 19th century through
the analysis of a large number of business cases. It
describes the change from traditional forms of
commercial organisation, such as the merchant system
and local distribution networks, into new forms of
direct marketing and distribution. In the new firm,
the entrepreneur took decisions on both the
production and the commercialisation phases of the
business and introduced new marketing methods such
as branding, and direct promotion. The book
highlights the factors that fostered the change by
looking at impact of socio-economic conditions in
which firms operated, but it also looks at the role
of product innovation in encouraging entrepreneurs
to explore new marketing frontiers. The process of
transformation is described through the main steps
that took place at different times across countries
and sectors, and it is illustrated in its core
patterns.

Autorentext
Valentina gained her Ph.D. in Economic History from the European University Institute (Florence, Italy) and currently works for the Financial Times in London.

Klappentext
The book describes the transformation of marketing functions in Europe during the 19th century through the analysis of a large number of business cases. It describes the change from traditional forms of commercial organisation, such as the merchant system and local distribution networks, into new forms of direct marketing and distribution. In the new firm, the entrepreneur took decisions on both the production and the commercialisation phases of the business and introduced new marketing methods such as branding, and direct promotion. The book highlights the factors that fostered the change by looking at impact of socio-economic conditions in which firms operated, but it also looks at the role of product innovation in encouraging entrepreneurs to explore new marketing frontiers. The process of transformation is described through the main steps that took place at different times across countries and sectors, and it is illustrated in its core patterns.