Book Review
Handbook of Advances in Marketing in an Era of Disruptions Essays in honour of Jagdish N. Sheth Edited by Atul Parvatiyar and Rajendra Sisodia
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Handbook of Advances in Marketing in an Era of Disruptions is meant to share ideas and new knowledge that are relevant to this world of disruptions. Leading scholars from around the world, who have keenly observed the changing market environment, business policies, parameters, theories, methods and practices, have put forth their theses on how marketing thinking needs to evolve to keep pace with the market reality. This book is dedicated to Professor Jagdish N. Sheth and honours his sustained contribution as a management thinker, scholar, academician and corporate adviser in an illustrious career spanning over five decades. The world of Marketing has changed tremendously over the past decade or so and this book provides a fresh perspective on how organisations need to rethink and re-envision the marketing landscape, in an era where technology and analytics have invaded every sphere of an individual’s life. Organisations need to enhance customer value and enhance the customer experiences by garnering a better understanding of the consumer cognitive space, and maybe even revisit some of the traditional marketing ethos. The approach to reimagining marketing is absolutely fresh and unique. The book has inadvertently established a community of marketing legends in one printed volume, urging firms to adapt to the changing dynamics, leverage technological developments, awaken to the era of blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning etc. and explore associated implications for corporate practitioners, consumers and academia. A book launched by Professor Atul Parvatiyar to honour his mentor, the legendary Jagdish Sheth, (who has been fondly termed as the Jaguar of Marketing), has a foreword by the marketing guru, Philip Kotler and is a must read, especially as it attempts to challenge pre-established marketing disciplines and invited practitioners and academicians to think with a fresh perspective. This book is very relevant as the worldis in a period of
huge disruptions in markets, media, management approaches and business models which are a result of rapid technological changes on the one hand and shifts in customer preferences and societal behaviour on the other. This book rightly emphasizes that Marketing knowledge and practices have to advance at a significantly higher pace to address the changing context of market behaviour and the freshness of content makes it a must read. Of significance is the contribution by Professor Naresh Malhotra, on using social media for marketing research, which is very relevant to researchers today. Equally valuable is the article on Customer Journey Modelling, which is a collaborative effort by several authors, and is a valuable contribution for brand managers who are continuously striving to improve the RoIe of marketing spending.The book emphasises contemporary fields like sustainability, socially conscious marketing efforts, and the evolution of marketing technology. Shruti Choudhary Associate Professor, Information Technology
