Strategic Marketing: Creating Competitive Advantage

The second edition of Strategic Marketing examines the key aspects of traditional marketing strategy and provides an assessment and synthesis of recent thinking. Drawing on Porter's strategic-analytic framework in relation to marketing decision-making, the authors provide a coherent structure, allowing students to understand the theoretical foundations of the subject. A wealth of pedagogical features enhances the learning experience; such as abstracts of journal articles to introduce students to primary sources of information and encourage further reading. A diverse range of case studies, including cases on brand value and budgets, enable students to understand the application of marketing strategy in a real-life context.

The text focuses on the key theme of creating and sustaining competitive advantage, articulated through the following framework:
Where are we now?
Where do we want to be?
How will we get there?
Did we get there?

This framework provides students with the tools and techniques to assess the role of marketing strategy in an organization and to evaluate its impact and contribution.

Douglas West is Professor of Marketing at Birmingham Business School. Prior to this he was Director of the MARCOMS Research Centre at the University of Westminster. Previously he has held positions at South Bank, Henley Management College, and the University of Calgary.

John B. Ford is Professor of Marketing and International Business in the College of Business and Public Administration at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He specializes in international marketing strategic issues, and his specific interests in research include cross-cultural advertising and marketing research issues.

Essam Ibrahim is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Edinburgh. Prior to this he has taught and researched marketing at the University of Strathclyde, Manchester Metropolitan University, Huddersfield University, and Cairo University.