1.1.2 Different levels of marketing
Marketing is also discussed at different levels of meaning, specifically, macro- and micro-levels (Quester et al. 2004).
When we refer to marketing at a macro-level of meaning, we do not focus on marketing done by individual organisations, but on the operation of the whole marketing system in an industry or an economy. When the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry talks about the need to improve the marketing of exports into South-East Asia , it is talking about marketing at the macro-level of industry. When the Singapore Government talks about acting as a hub for marketing products throughout the region, it is talking about marketing at the macro-level of the economy.
However, when we talk about marketing at the level of individual companies and organisations, we are talking at the micro-level of meaning. So, when we refer to the marketing activities of XYZ Company, we mean micro-marketing.
It is the micro-level of marketing that will be the focus of this unit, while also focusing on marketing as a process. Let us now consider the precise definition of marketing.