A Theories-in-Use Approach to Building Marketing Theory

The academic article by Zeithaml et al. champions the theories-in-use (TIU) approach as a vital method for developing novel, organic marketing theories distinct from those borrowed from other fields. It presents the TIU approach as a research methodology that involves cocreating relevant knowledge with practitioners and consumers by examining their mental models of how things work in a specific marketing context. The authors detail the TIU process, including guidance on developing new constructs and theoretical propositions, and compare it with other inductive and deductive research methods like grounded theory and case studies. They conclude by discussing the rigor, limitations, and future applications of the TIU approach, arguing it is crucial for maintaining the relevance of marketing scholarship.