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Wroe Alderson, IMP and the evolution of theory

Lars-Erik Gadde (Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden)
Kajsa Hulthén (Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden)

IMP Journal

ISSN: 0809-7259

Article publication date: 17 October 2016

701

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how theories evolve within scientific fields: why they receive attention and why they eventually become less attractive.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a literature review and focusses on the theoretical structure developed by Wroe Alderson. His contributions were highly appreciated and generally considered as “the” marketing theory. However, in few years his broad perspective was more or less neglected within the field where it was developed. At the same time, Alderson’s basic thinking was adopted by the evolving IMP approach. The specific objective of the study is to analyse why researchers in marketing abandoned Alderson, while IMP adopted many of his ideas.

Findings

The paper illustrates significant aspects of the evolution of theories. First, the paper shows how well-established conceptualisations, like Alderson’s total systems approach, may lose impact when the focus of research shifts. Alderson’s holistic framing was found too broad and all-encompassing to be useful when research attention was directed to specific aspects of marketing management and the socio-behavioural approach to distribution. Second, the paper shows in what respect IMP found support in concepts and models presented by Alderson in the challenging of fragmented mainstream framings of the business landscape.

Originality/value

This paper relates the rise and fall of Alderson’s concepts and frameworks to the evolution of theories of other schools-of-thought. Furthermore, the study shows how Alderson’s ideas were adapted to other research fields than where it was originally developed.

Keywords

Citation

Gadde, L.-E. and Hulthén, K. (2016), "Wroe Alderson, IMP and the evolution of theory", IMP Journal, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 390-408. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMP-12-2015-0067

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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