Bridging the Academic–Practitioner Divide in Marketing Decision Models

Abstract

The marketing decision models field has produced many striking developments that have had a dramatic impact on practice. However, the field has produced orders of magnitude more developments that have received minimal use. In this article, the author notes the many successful marketing model developments but then considers the relatively low level of practical use (trial or adoption) and questions why that is the case. He then suggests how changes in the incentive and reward systems for marketing academics, marketing practitioners, and marketing intermediaries can bring about adoption and implementation improvements that would be mutually beneficial, bridging the academic–practitioner divide. The author also outlines a program of research in the area of the adoption and use of marketing decision models that will provide guidance on what to develop and how to get those developments adopted.