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One of the most successful and useful applications of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity is within the field of cosmology. Newton’s theory of gravitation, involves attraction between celestial bodies. However, very little is said of the evolution of the universe itself. The universe was believed to be static, and its evolution was beyond any physical theory. But after the year 1917, things were different. Within two years after the birth of the General Theory of Relativity, Einstein realized that this theory actually could say something about the universe and constructed a static universemodel as a solution of the relativistic field equations. The era of modern cosmology had begun, which would revolutionize our view of the universe.

Wroe Alderson is one of three marketers to attempt a general theory of marketing. Substantial controversy exists concerning this general theory, partially because few understand Alderson and his work. The authors attempt to clarify Alderson’s work by “formalizing” his theory.

Wroe Alderson influenced considerably the development of marketing theory and practice. This article explicates how Alderson’s differential advantage theory of competition grounds his theory of market processes. It then shows how resource-advantage (R-A) theory incorporates and extends Alderson’s key concepts and generalizations. Consequently, we argue, R-A theory is toward a general theory of marketing.

Alderson’s contributions to marketing (management) thought and theory are so far reaching that they are considered by some to be essential in building an understanding of marketing. Given the importance of his contributions, it is indeed surprising that he is but a name to current marketing students. The chapter attempts to find out why by analyzing the intellectual milieu in which he lived. An analysis of the environment will not only shed light as to why he has been forgotten but will also reveal where his seminal contributions came from, what their inherent weaknesses are and what’s missing. The world of academic marketing began to change toward the end of Alderson’s life, in part due to his unprecedented efforts to make marketing more theoretical and scientific. Current trends in marketing scholarship and education and how these trends transformed the marketing discipline in this post Aldersonian era are also discussed.

Wroe Alderson, whose influence peaked in the late 1950s, embraced classic structural/functional social theory. Around the time of Alderson’s death in the 1960s, however, the homoeostatic (self regulating) nature of the then-dominant models of the social sciences declined in influence. In addition, the 4 Ps marketing management approach arose as a powerful and unifying orientation within marketing. Due to these developments, the influence of Alderson’s structural/functional model withered. Using Kenneth Boulding’s general systems framework, the value of Alderson’s vision and its ability to be rehabilitated are discussed. Because a revised Aldersonian perspective can deal with how social structures evolve, change, and respond to an evolving world, it has a bright future in marketing theory and practice.

Wroe Alderson is one of three marketers to attempt a general theory of marketing. Substantial controversy exists concerning this general theory, partially because few understand Alderson and his work. The authors attempt to clarify Alderson’s work by “formalizing” his theory.

Wroe Alderson is one of three marketers to attempt a general theory of marketing. Substantial controversy exists concerning this general theory, partially because few understand Alderson and his work. The authors attempt to clarify Alderson’s work by “formalizing” his theory.

Wroe Alderson influenced considerably the development of marketing theory and practice. This article explicates how Alderson’s differential advantage theory of competition grounds his theory of market processes. It then shows how resource-advantage (R-A) theory incorporates and extends Alderson’s key concepts and generalizations. Consequently, we argue, R-A theory is toward a general theory of marketing.