Is Marketing Science or Art

The management science provides a body of knowledge

The art of management deals with the application of skills & efforts The former is a theory and the later is a practice. Hence one should know both. Without knowing the basics in a particular field [ the theory ] one cannot perform [ the practice]

If an individual performs both[ theory & practice] it will become a profession. Therefore management can be called as PROFESSION or It is a TRINITY.

For an example, a doctor knows the medical science and he cannot prescribe medicines to his patient without knowing the medical science comprises of combination of formula. Here knowing the medicine with various combination of formula is Science, the prescription to his patient is Art and when he performs both it is Profession.

Similarly in the case of a lawyer, knowing the laws is science, the argument in the court with the help of laws for his client is art, and when he performs both it is his Profession.   

Common sense is also required in marketing. But up to what extent it will be helpful?  At one or two occasions common sense can strike. It needs to decide what, when and how. Considering the rapid development in business, technology in products and technical know-how, one must be well equipped with all knowledge and developments. To gain knowledge over a particular field/subject one needs to study, analyze, and appraise the factors / activities pertinent to the field or subject. The logic of events and complexities of business have made the businessmen to search for a theory of management that would help them to keep pace with the progress of time.

The empirical knowledge and traditional skills are found to be of no helpful under the present situations dominated by developments in all areas of business, whether commercially or technically [factory promotion, production, marketing, finance, logistic, formation of channels distribution, advertisement and sales promotions, and Aadministration]

Hence it is paved way for the emergence of a thorough analysis of management process. Consequently, the principles of management and techniques to execute have been emerged. So management is a new and growing science. What is science; it is a systematized study, analysis, and experiment. As management principles are established by analytical study, research, and experimentation, they provide sound guides to managerial actions.

Instead of relying upon the vague fund of knowledge called ‘common sense, and making change or intuitive decisions, the business organization can base its decisions on sound footing for solving many business problems. The development of management principles has made it possible to arrange for scientific training for its personnel to meet the ever growing demands and also facilitates further research and scientific approach to problems in all fields connected to the business organization.

1. In other words, the management science provides a body of principles or laws for guidance in the solution of specific management problems and in the objective evolution of results. The art of management deals with the application of skills and efforts for producing desirable results or situation in specific cases. The art of management, to be effective, must be grounded in the knowledge of principles.         

yes in my point of view marketing is the science because it follows the innovation theory.

I am completely with Mr. Raut!!

Anything that needs R&D, planning and ideation is a science. But when these intagibles need the reinforcement of a measure in terms of quantified deliverables, it is an art. Salesmen are 'bol bachans' Sir... :))

You have one entity called Marketing that has the hygiene of being universal in terms of its definition and description. IDeating or conceptualising is a science but to get the idea to pay is an art. Thanks for the referral Sir :)

Hello All of you,

Thanks for the enthusiastic participation. I hope you will invite your fellow professionals to air their views to make the debate more lively and meaningful.

I think you should read the argument carefully. The reason I consider Marketing as a science is that we are, by what ever means - intuition, market research, experience, or even the toss of a coin, are expected to deliver predictable results. At the end we choose between options -A or B or C. We apply some measure to make this choice. If that be the case it can very well be subject to normative evaluations. The fact that we don't do it is what makes it unpredictable.

To those who argue that it is an art, I support you to the extent that creation of the options (Strategy and Communications) is an art). It needs insights, leaps of imaginations to thread the un-threaded path, courage of conviction and an over and above a passion for creation. But once this is done the choice is definitely normative - probabilities of success, anticipated response, value of deliverables etc.

Hence, I have opted for predictable without any offense to the art involved. The difference is if I may say so, the difference between a creative director and an artist.

QED????

Its a science, at the end of the day my manager takes a scientific calculator and calculates whether I reached the target for that month or not. Jokes apart, if you are talking about Marketing a Product or Service for a profit making (or intends to make profit) organization, then its a Science. Because the motive is profit making you promote (lie) it a lot. If its for Non-Profit purpose then I think you can be as artistic as possible. Someone who has no profit making motive will not iduce buyer to buy his product/service.

Hi,

I consider marketing as Science and outcome can be predictable to certain extent even during the deal time itself.

In marketing the science involved is related to Human behaviour, nature etc. The successful marketer play with the human behaviour, nature etc and close the deal successfully. Some people may say that playing with the human nature is an art but I disgree to that because until unless you understand the scientific reasons for the human nature / behaviour then you can not bring the role of your art in the deal. As per me the artist can act in a similar fashion until unless he / she understand the science involed in it.

Let us take a example of LCD Television. To my mind the TV companies are plying with the Human behaviour of desire for the best and showoff. If you see the 32 inch LCD prices are placed at a level [around 25000-30000/-] so as it fullfill the human desire to get the best [i.e. such people can replace their old TV with LCD]. There is another segment who have tendency to showoff and would like to differenciate from others at the same time their affordability is higher. For the same reason the prices of LCD TV over 40 inch is kept at premium. So currently the TV companies are applying this human science and made their marketing strategy accordingly.

Soon when the LED TV will be pouplar then the cost of 40 inch and above LCD will be made available to the people who desire to have best as there will be LED TV for the people who want to showoff.

So I consider it as science.

Regards

Praveen varma

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