The evolution of the marketing discipline up to version 5.0

Abstract

Purpose: The article examines the evolution of the concept of marketing in the last decades, characterized by the intensive use of new technologies.

Methodology:  up-to-date literature review on the marketing field, as well statistical information derived from the Official Institute of Statistics (INE Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas in Spanish).

Findings: The results show that the current concept of marketing does not oppose previous trends; instead, it complements it.

Implications: The evolution of the concept has gone through a series of different stages before reaching the current 5.0 version, mainly supported on digitalization and the establishment of long-term relationships.

Value: The present analysis shows a general vision about how the discipline has adapted to the changes in the marketing landscape, both theoretically and practically.