Philip Kotler is one of the world's leading authorities on marketing. He is the author of several classic marketing texts, including Marketing Management, Principles of Marketing, and Kotler on Marketing.
In Kotler's view, marketing is a process that begins with the identification of customer needs and ends with the delivery of satisfaction. Marketing involves four distinct activities:
- market research,
- product development,
- pricing, and
- promotion.
Kotler also emphasizes the importance of marketing strategy, which he defines as "the art and science of choosing target markets and getting, keeping, and growing customers through creating, delivering, and communicating superior customer value."
In Kotler's view, effective marketing requires a solid understanding of the needs and wants of customers, as well as a keen awareness of the competition. Marketing also requires ongoing assessment and adjustment of the marketing mix in order to achieve the desired results.
