History of Marketing (Developments in Theory of Marketing)

Robert Bartels in The History of Marketing Thoughtcategorised the development of marketing theory decade by decade within the 20th century, thus:

1900s: discovery of basic concepts and their exploration

1910s: conceptualisation, classification and definition of terms

1920s: integration on the basis of principles

1930s: development of specialisation and variation in theory

1940s: reappraisal in the light of new demands and a more scientific approach

1950s: reconception in the light of managerialism, social development and quantitative approaches

1960s: differentiation on bases such as managerialism, holism, environmentalism, system, and internationalism.

1970s: socialisation; the adaptation of marketing to socal change.

With the growth in importance of marketing departments and their associated marketing managers, the field has become ripe for the propagation of management fads.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org