Book Reviews 129

potential contributions of economic research andtheory.

While repositioning marketing in an economic con-text, the approach taken is not provincial. Marketingis viewed as a technical art that combines knowledgefrom many disciplines within the field of philosophyof science. The chief contributors are social psychol-ogy, fwlitical science, and economics, but the valueperceptions of the humanities are not overlooked.

Specialization of labor, firms, and areas requiresan efficient marketing system to coordinate effortswherever production is specialized. The concept ofcomparative advantage is used as a theoretical basefor evaluating marketing activities per se and as acoordinating institution. Marginal analysis and thelessons provided by the various forms of supply anddemand elasticity contribute to understanding mar-keting-related economic phenomena.

The author s principal method is to summarize andcombine whatever research and theory are relevantto each topic considered. Her command of the litera-ture is extensive, and her contribution is the logicused in drawing the numerous materials togetherinto a unified exposition. The extensive use of dia-grams aids explanations and there is relatively littleuse of calculus. To assist the reader who is not cur-rent in economic theory, the author supplies insight-ful capsulized summaries at appropriate inter\als.

In early sections, the structure of demand and ofmarketing organizations from manufacturing to theconsumer is traced with encyclopedic care. With thisas a foundation, related marketing policies are de-veloped. Theory quite obviously contributes to pric-ing policy. The complexities of establishing prices fornumerous products in a firm are considered, as is theimpact of horizontal and vertical price relationshipsamong firms in an industry.

The theory of imperfect competition extends thediscussion to policies concerned with product dif-ferentiation and accompanying service differentia-tion. Advertising expenditure models and the func-tions and dysfunctions of advertising are documentedboth for firms and for the consumer. Since economicsis also concerned with space and time utilities, mar-ginal analysis of logistical aspects permits develop-ment of policy implications for both merchandisestocks and physical distribution.

The final section provides an overall appraisal ofmarketing development, marketing costs, and mar-keting efficiency. Systems thinking is inherent in theauthor s approach in that it may be necessary to sub-optimize one of the two processes, marketing or pro-duction, to gain added efficiency in the other. Or itmay be necessary to suboptimize productivity forother human benefits. In addition, many points ofview are recognized. Alternative strategies of themanufacturer and retailer are adequately presented,and the contributions of marketing to consumer andpublic welfare are evaluated, particularly in the finalchapter.

The Economics of Marketing is not light reading,but it is both interesting and provocative of researchideas. As a possible text, it does not fit standard exist-ing courses and adopters may have to create theirown. It will undoubtedly provide productive assign-ments for many courses, particularly at the graduatelevel. The book is also an excellent shelf reference forthe instructor or graduate student in marketing andfor the interested practitioner.

LELAND L. BEIK

Pennsvlvania State University. University Park

CASES IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT, Second Editionby Edward C. Bursk and Stephen A. Greyser

(Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975. 232 pp. $4.95 paper.)

In their second edition, Bursk and Greyser provide35 cases that cover consumer, industrial, foreign, andexf)ort markets. These cases illustrate problems ofmarket analysis, use of various research methodolo-gies, and technical and behavioral aspects of market-ing management. Introductions to the study of thecase method and to individual sections aid the readerin focusing on the problem areas and analysis.

The second edition is twice the length of the firstand contains an additional fifteen cases. Twenty ofthe original cases remain with minor revisions. Thecasebook is organized around five topical areas: con-sumer behavior, product policy, distribution policy,promotional policy, and planning and strategy. One-third of the cases are short—under two pages inlength.

A major change is the inclusion of several long butintegrative cases. These involve the student in theanalysis of the company, the industry, the market,the marketing plans and strategies, and the deci-sion-making process as it applies to the implementa-tion of product introductions, promotion, and dis-tribution. Two new cases, promotional strategies for

an insurance company and marketing programs for asymphony, raise interesting questions. In many of thecases, all aspects of marketing must be considered forlogical analysis, even though there are no specificcases on pricing policy.

Other changes are symbolized by increased em-phasis on marketing to industrial markets, industrialbuying behavior, extensive coverage of analysis andplanning of promotional programs, and channels ofdistribution. Greater attention is also paid to deci-sion making at different stages of the channel of dis-tribution. The number of cases is almost evenly dis-tributed between consumer and industrial buyers,with several dealing in intangible products. A fewcases illustrate problems of market analysis andmarket entry into the U.S. experienced by foreignmanufacturers. In two cases the concern is with mar-keting outside the U.S. This is not to be confusedwith international or multinational marketing deci-sions. For example, Puerto Rico is used in one case,not as a foreign market politically, but as a market ofa different culture. Two areas that are not explicitlyincorporated into these cases are the environmental

130 Journal of Marketing, July 1976

problems faced by decision makers and the controland evaluation of marketing programs.

In most cases dates are not used. In some instancesdates were dropped from the original cases. The in-tention is probably to eliminate the dimension oftime. Some data in several examples have been up-dated; in role-playing cases the situations and partsof the dialogues are brought up to date. Even thoughthese cases are used to illustrate general marketingproblems, dates and sources of data may be sig-nificant for market analysis of changes over time.

This is especially important in studies of consumerpreferences toward certain products and brands.

In general, Bursk and Greyser's casebook is suit-able for students in the introductory marketingcourse. However, since the cases vary in length anddifficulty, and since previous knowledge of variousresearch techniques and applications is presupposed,the casebook would be used best in more advanced

courses.IRENE LANGE

California State University, Fullerton

PACKAGING: THE SIXTH SENSE?by Ernest Dichter

(Boston, Mass : Cahners Books, 1975. 160 pp. $18.95.)

This book was written ostensibly to point up newpossibilities for packaging by returning to the fun-damentals of packaging and incorporating psycholog-ical factors and consumer motivation. The aim wasnot only to give new solutions to packaging problemsbut to provide marketing or package designers with abasis for reassessing alternatives so that they mightfind new solutions themsehes.

The approximately 130 written pages and 20 pagesof rather low quality and generally outdated blackand white photos are broken down into 20 chapters.The titles are rather inviting. A sampling of titles thatmight appeal to a brand manager or package de-signer includes: "Packaging—Bridge or Barrier,""Embellishment," "Dynamic Packaging, " "Surpriseor Reassurance," "The Fear of Chaos," "Names andPackaging," "The Use of Symbols in Packaging,""Packaging for Different People," and "PackagingCommunication in International Marketing." Unfor-tunately, the chapters themselves rarely support orfulfill the promises of the titles.

The author, for the most part, deals in the obvious,informing readers that color can arouse emotion, thatthe shape of a package can influence the buyer, orthat the embellishment of a package is intended toattract the viewer. Chapters 16 and 17, which dealeffecti\'ely with the use of symbols in commercialcommunications, are happy exceptions, but there arenot many others.

The author states, "beyond protection, packaginghas three major functions: as a symbol of consider-ateness, facilitating choice, and arousing emotions."The latter is broken down into four subclassiBca-tions: integrative packaging, whereby the product andpackage complement each other to present a single

stimulus: interriiptive, when product and package donot blend; stimtilating, where the package elicits as-sociations with the viewer that stimulate viewer ac-tion; and restrictive, which confines the viewer'simagination to one definite impact. However, only afew parts of the book succeed in offering a satisfyingdiscussion of these functions.

Perhaps the author is most vulnerable when heverbally dreams about possible innovations. Many ofDichter's ideas seem impractical or just downrightundesirable. Would consumers really find it moreappetizing to apply jelly to their morning toast bysqueezing it out of a tube? Doesn t Dichter s sugges-tion that dust jackets be glued to book covers in orderto protect the dust jackets overlook their main pur-pose, namely, the protection of the book covers fromscratches, stains, and damaging materials like glue?

Dr. Dichter presents some useful guides in hisbook. For example, his warning against eliminatingtoo many familiar characteristics when redesigning apackage is certainly worth remembering. But eventhis kind of information does not seem particularlynew, and there is the nagging feeling that commonsense might be an adequate substitute for many ofthe suggestions.

In summary, this book is disappointing as a sourceof ideas for new alternatives to packaging problemsfor brand managers, package designers, and creativetypes in marketing.

ROY R. GRUNDYWAYNE R. STUETZER

College of DiiPageGlen Elh'u, Illinois

RETAILING: A PROFESSIONAL APPROACHby Charles A. Bearchell

(New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1975. 238 pp. $7.95.)

This book contains twelve chapters which are di-vided into four parts. The first section consists of fourchapters and ser\es as an introduction to ihe field ofretailing. The first two chapters deal with the eco-nomic system and the distribution structure of theUnited States. A third chapter deals with the struc-

ture of retailing, and the fourth chapter discussesdemographics, consumer motivation, buying pat-terns, and product class.

The two chapters of Part 2 include coverage of pre-liminary decisions to be made when initiating a re-tail business. Specific topics are the planning stage