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The purpose of this paper is to record the author’s personal reflections on his career as a marketing scholar.

Personal reflections in an autobiographical approach.

The author’s career as student, teacher and scholar is described in some detail.

The paper records events and memories that might otherwise be forgotten. No other such account has been published of Christian Grönroos’s career.

Considers the problem of meeting the challenge of those less‐developed countries entering the market with industrial products formerly only manufactured in more advanced countries. Argues that this challenge can best be met by non‐price competition i.e. superior product development.

Discusses the nature and sometimes negative consequences of the dominating marketing paradigm of today, marketing mix management, and furthermore discusses how modern research into, for example, industrial marketing and services marketing as well as customer relationship economics shows that another approach to marketing is required. This development is supported by evolving trends in business, such as strategic partnerships, alliances and networks. Suggests relationship marketing, based on relationship building and management, as one emerging new marketing paradigm of the future. Concludes that the simplicity of the marketing mix paradigm, with its Four P model, has become a straitjacket, fostering toolbox thinking rather than an awareness that marketing is a multi‐faceted social process, and notes that marketing theory and customers are the victims of today′s mainstream marketing thinking. By using the notion of a marketing strategy continuum, discusses a number of consequences of a relationship‐type marketing strategy for the focus of marketing, pricing, quality management, internal marketing and intraorganizational development. Briefly comments on the possibility of developing a general marketing theory based on the relationship building and management approach.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a reflective account of the emergence of new marketing theory as seen through the lens of the Nordic School of Service.

The paper is based on documents and the authors' self‐lived history and current involvement (“management action research”).

Northern European scholars, especially from Finland and Sweden, have felt free to design their own theory, at the same time collaborating internationally. Contributions include an early alert to services and business‐to‐business (B2B) marketing being neglected; dissatisfaction with service quality; that the service economy is more than the service sector; and the insight that relationship marketing and many‐to‐many network marketing better represent service reality. A novel service logic abandoning the divisive goods/services, B2B/B2C (business‐to‐consumer), and supplier/customer categories, based on commonalities and interdependencies is arriving. Nordic School methodology is characterised by induction, case study research, and theory generation, to better address complexity and ambiguity in favour of validity and relevance. In the 2000s, the synthesis provided by service‐dominant (S‐D) logic, IBM's service science, and network and systems theory have inspired a lively international dialogue.

The hegemony of the marketing management of mass‐manufactured consumer goods was challenged when services entered the marketing agenda in the 1970s. During the 1980s and 1990s the differences been goods marketing and service marketing were explored and the understanding for relationships, networks and interaction developed. It gradually laid the ground for the integrated goods/services approach that is now the major challenge for service researchers and practitioners alike.

It is unfortunate if developments of marketing in the USA are perceived as a universal standard for marketing. By studying contributions from many cultures and nations in other countries the paper enhances the understanding of the diversity of marketing. This article presents such a case from Northern Europe.

The aim of the paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the theory of attractive quality through an empirical investigation of an e‐service. Our focus is on the consistency of different levels of service attributes and their dynamics. Our empirical investigation aims to increase both the validity of the theory of attractive quality and the use of technology readiness as a means to understand the variation of customer perceptions of service attributes.

A survey of customers' technology readiness, usage and perceptions of an e‐service was conducted. Four propositions concerning the consistency and dynamics of Kano's theory of attractive quality are tested, mainly using general linear models.

Our results show that by investigating customers at different stages of the service adoption curve, a better understanding of certain dynamics of service attributes can be achieved. When the e‐service was introduced, it was perceived as indifferent; at present it is seen as an attractive service by the market. But the early adopters of e‐services already regard it as a one‐dimensional or a must‐be service.

The study provides a new framework and methodology for how to investigate the dynamics of service attributes, not only between individuals within different market segments, but also at different service attribute levels. From a managerial standpoint, our results suggest consequential insight about the life cycle of the services that an organization provides to its customers.

The objective in investor relationships is to create common long‐term interaction between the companies and their direct and indirect partner groups in the investor community. Information provided for the investors is a key instrument in investor relationship marketing. The short‐term investor episodes initially form the basis of long‐term investor relations. Various relational bonds of attraction, trust and commitment may evolve in the investor community. Attraction is mainly a future‐oriented bond. It incorporates the expectations of each party concerning the potential rewards of the exchange relationship over time. Trust has its roots clearly in the common history of the relationship, but is essentially also coloured by current expectations about the future. Commitment is the most advanced bond and takes the most time to develop. It primarily reflects the prior history of the relationship. Empirical evidence from the Finnish stock market suggests that success in investor relations requires the companies to extend the scope of investor relations from a mere publication of obligatory annual and interim reports to more frequent, extensive, proactive and diversified two‐way interaction and communication.

Discusses the nature and sometimes negative consequences of the dominating marketing paradigm of today, marketing mix management, and furthermore discusses how modern research into, for example, industrial marketing and services marketing as well as customer relationship economics shows that another approach to marketing is required. This development is supported by evolving trends in business, such as strategic partnerships, alliances and networks. Suggests relationship marketing, based on relationship building and management, as one emerging new marketing paradigm of the future. Concludes that the simplicity of the marketing mix paradigm, with its Four P model, has become a strait‐jacket, fostering toolbox thinking rather than an awareness that marketing is a multi‐faceted social process, and notes that marketing theory and customers are the victims of today’s mainstream marketing thinking.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development, extension and use of the “six markets” model and to outline a framework for analysing stakeholder relationships and planning stakeholder strategy.

The “six markets” stakeholder model is examined. Refinement of the model and improved understanding as a result of field‐based research is described. A stakeholder relationship planning framework is proposed.

The paper examines the use of the “six markets” model in a wide range of organisational contexts utilizing a range of research approaches. A stakeholder relationship planning model is developed consisting of four inter‐related elements, i.e. stakeholder value propositions, value delivery design, stakeholder relationship marketing plans, and measurement and feedback.

The article suggests a number of areas for future research, including the development of planning approaches for different classes of stakeholders and more detailed testing of the stakeholder model and planning framework in specific market sectors.

The research suggests that managers find that the development and implementation of relationship plans for the key stakeholder markets generates valuable new knowledge and insights into stakeholder conditions, constraints and opportunities.

This article contributes to knowledge in the relationship marketing and stakeholder theory areas through the development, refinement and use of a planning model that addresses the complexity of stakeholder relationships and networks. The stakeholder planning approach that is developed represents a means by which managers can achieve greater transparency of stakeholders' interests and improved rigour in planning relationships with stakeholders.

Discusses the rationale of applying relationship marketing and service quality concepts within the primary health care sector. The use of relational strategies in general practice, by modelling the relationships between practitioners and patients from a marketing perspective, could potentially lead to sustained high quality service being provided, and to more efficient use of resources. This essentially conceptually focused paper addresses an area that has not yet been researched in detail, and furthers understanding of the relationships that facilitate exchange within general practice and service delivery in non‐profit, resource‐constrained conditions. Deeper understanding of the needs and expectations of patients and the way these can be delivered by general practice can only lead to improvements for all parties involved. The relationship marketing paradigm presents itself as a potentially exciting way of addressing issues associated with ensuring that the highest level of quality is delivered in this area of the UK National Health Service.

A large number of researchers and marketing textbooks see business marketing dominantly from the relationship marketing perspective. One can even talk about a “matrimony” of these domains; “RM=BM”. The Contemporary Marketing Practices studies, however, provide clear evidence of the coexistence of various marketing practices but offer no supporting theoretical rationale for these findings. The purpose of this paper is to answer the question whether business marketing and relationship marketing, when broadly defined to include all relational‐interactional perspectives, are necessarily wedded to each other.

A metatheoretical analysis was conducted to identify the contributions and limitations of the current research approaches to business marketing and a configurational approach for marketing (CAM) was developed, providing theoretical explanation for the empirical findings versus relationship dominance dilemma.

The metatheoretical analysis showed that research into business marketing relationships is not monolithic; that each tradition is useful for specific purposes, domains and activities; and that none helps understand why there are multiple ways in which firms relate to their markets. A conceptual CAM framework was developed that allows one to identify possible configurational marketing profiles (i.e. identifying different equivalently valid ways of relating to a business environment).

It is contended that the configuration approach for marketing permits other configurations to co‐exist beyond the RM‐BM matrimony. CAM provides a conceptual framework that can host the “puzzling” empirical results of the contemporary marketing practices studies.

The CAM frame suggests that managers should carefully examine the internal logic of their marketing‐related configuration. Performance should be enhanced if the three elements – managerial frame of reference, organization/environment relationship, marketing mode – are coherent.

The configurational approach for marketing helps one to understand why firms relate to the business marketing environment with a multiplicity of marketing modes, showing that the BM‐RM matrimony is but one possible configuration.