the study of marketing as a cause a

the study of marketing as a cause and consequence of social change requires that one view the discipline as a social system. To date, however, little research exists on this aspect of marketing. The discipline does not contain asystematic body of thought for viewing marketing bahavior at the macro or societal level. Before such a paradigm can emerge, it will benecessary to specify the nature of the relationships among marketing collectivities and aggregates. For example, in order to explain the occurrence of meat shortages at the societal level, it will be necessary to model the causes and effects of changing consumer preferences, the decision making processes at all levels of the channel of distribution, and exogenous forces beyond the control of markete