Grönroos (AMS Review, 2026) notes the marketing discipline is at a critical juncture due to its fragmented and largely tactical focus, misalignment with environmental issues and the needs of businesses and society, and other shortcomings. He views the definition of marketing adopted by American Marketing Association (AMA) in 2007 (American Marketing Association, 2024) as representing the management approach, and marketing based on the management approach as myopically focused on activities without a clear purpose. Grönroos calls for an approach in which the perspective is raised from what marketing does in an activity-based framework to what marketing is at a higher level as an overarching phenomenon. He further notes that while a discussion on “what marketing would be as a phenomenon” is outside the scope of the article, it should encompass the purpose of marketing when introduced and implemented in any context. An issue of concern regarding Grönroos’ criticisms of the current state of the marketing discipline is that they are opinions and not evidence-based facts. Regarding his comments on the AMA 2007 definition of marketing, it should be viewed as one of many definitions and not as the definitive definition. Furthermore, the marketing discipline and practice would benefit from multiple definitions of marketing, including a definition that is activities focused and managerial in its orientation.
