Jazz and marketing planning

Abstract

This paper applies the metaphor of jazz improvisation to strategic marketing planning, making specific reference to Piercy and Morgan's (1994) marketing planning model. Jazz metaphors have become increasingly prevalent in management studies, but as yet there is no specific reference to their use in marketing planning literature. The aim is to fill this gap by showing how the techniques of improvisation around a structural core can be applied to marketing planning models. Current models are too structurally rigid, and we outline steps to a more flexible approach. We invoke two models – ‘jazzers’ and ‘readers’ – and aim to show that ‘jazzers’ will yield greater success through greater levels of creativity, flexibility and innovation; elements that are essential to the success of strategic marketing planning. After characterising the models of jazzers and readers, we will apply them directly to Piercy and Morgan's model of strategic marketing planning.

Keywords:

• Metaphor
• marketing planning
• jazz
• improvisation
• creativity
• creative dissonance
• flexibility
• jazzer
• reader