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Differentiation via the marketing mix

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Abstract

In this paper we investigate the conjecture that increasing marketing mix specialization enhances firm performance. We start by identifying two dimensions of specialization — absolute (concentration of expenditures) and relative to competition (distinctiveness). We then propose underlying mechanisms that lead to effects of marketing mix specialization on firm performance. Using these guidelines we specify an empirical model that relates marketing mix specialization to firm performance. We estimate this model using PIMS data and find support for our propositions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, 27706, Durham, NC

    William Boulding & Eunkyu Lee

  2. Albers School of Business, Seattle University, 98122, Seattle, WA

    Eunkyu Lee

Authors
  1. William Boulding
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  2. Eunkyu Lee
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Additional information

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Isle Maligne Fund at the Fuqua School of Business, the Strategic Planning Institute, and the Wharton PIMS Research Center for their research support; and thank Jim Bettman, Kevin Keller, Debu Purohit, and Rick Staelin for their helpful comments.

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Boulding, W., Lee, E. Differentiation via the marketing mix. Marketing Letters 3, 343–356 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993919

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993919

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