The layout and format of this book was very easy to follow!

Kotler's Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism helps marketing beginners and people that are getting into the hospitality business. It demonstrates basic knowledge that can be applied to the business, great tool for working!

As a lecturer in South Africa I found the inclusion of so many examples from MacDonalds and other international franchises useful to explain the examples to the class. As usual anything the Kotler writes is easy to put across to my students entering the hospitality industry. Well done!

"Social Marketing: Improving the Quality of Life" is a comprehensive, systematic and user-friendly social marketing resource.

The book includes case studies written by practitioners from education and health currently working in the field, an abundance of illustrations and examples, as well as templates and worksheets for developing and implementing social marketing campaigns.

If you want to create a pro-social marketing campaign or just want to deepen your knowledge of social marketing, media campaigns, target audiences, advertising, etc., this is the book to have.

First, in the interest of full disclosure, let me say that I contributed a case study to this work. I had nothing else to do with the book, however! Always eager for a new resource, I was very interested in looking over the whole work when it was published.

When I received my copy, I poured over the book, and I must say I was very impressed (irrespective of my conribution)! The authors did a very good job of presenting the richness of social marketing in a simple, understandable way.

The page formating makes it very inviting and easy to read. It is very visual, with many examples and figures. The text flows well and is very readable.

I think the book will have a lot of applicability. The key questions and concepts, and the summaries and issues for discussion, certainly will make it useful as a textbook. It also will be useful to anyone picking it up for themselves, or to augment some other training. I think the book fills a niche for an easy-to-understand, "user-friendly," yet comprehensive presentation of social marketing. I commend it to your reading.

I found this to be an extraordinary book.
How these authors covered so much material
in such a comprehensive, clear way is amazing.
The visuals, case studies, and research
is a must for all of us in the field. I will
recommend it not only to my staff, but also
to all students and professionals. This is the
Social Marketing book that will be the benchmark
for the future. I would like to see someone try
to top it.......

Repositioning Asia - From Bubble to Sustainable Economy

Know the right elements and trigger self-renewal. Integrate these critical factors and your organization will continue to win the heart, mind and value share of the customer. This is the central thrust of this book from these leading marketing gurus' - information hard learnt from the Asian economic crisis.

This text makes a systematic analysis of firstly the process through which organizations develop from new enterprises to solid performers, through to the need for renewal. It outlines the ways in which organizations must trigger their own crisis for renewal before the changing environment does it for them. Following this are the tools to attain and become a sustainable marketing enterprise.

From the initial environmental Outlook, through to the Business Architecture that needs to be built, to the Scorecard for ensuring success, a framework that incorporates planning, cultural and system design is developed. It is a framework to win the heart, mind, and value share of all customers. The external customer, the internal customer (employee) and the investing customer (the shareholder) are all recognized in this comprehensive strategic framework.

This book takes a strategic view of the myriad of factors required for organizations to survive and thrive in today's fast-paced global environment. No longer can organizations fail in their strategic planning, the Asian crisis has shown us all the weakness of a purely piecemeal tactical approach. Organizations must take a holistic approach, an integrative strategic approach, to developing a sustainable advantage. This book is a key text in my own strategic planning, integrating the works of many top authors and consultants into a comprehensive framework for business success.

This book will give you the right perspective about ASIA and what really happen during the crisis (Mid-97-99), which at one point devaluate the currency to 600% (imagine hard currency's value melt down to less than 17% of its former value).

Highly illustrated with ASIAN company's case studies. This book is divided into : Background (understanding the Asia Crisis), Transforming the Nations, and Revitalizing the Companies. A series of -prescriptions- to the crisis for any companies operating in the region.

Kotler needs no introduction. Hermawan Kertajaya is the highest paid strategy and marketing speaker in Indonesia, His ability to explain difficult concepts to churn able materials is a gem. He has written many books in Indonesia, and he has a massive -raving fans- ( for i am one).

For the companies who has the slightest interest in Asia, this book is not to be missed.

I believe CHAPTER 6 (page 163-200), A winning Business Strategy Model, THE SUSTAINABLE MARKETING ENTERPRISE MODEL is one of the FINEST MODEL for COMPANIES to follow. For anyone interested in MANAGEMENT at all, this is reason enough to read the book.

For anybody interested in MARKETING, THE 9 CORE ELEMENTS (p.180 to p.186) alone worth the price of the books, THIS IS A REAL GEM!!! It divide Strategy (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning) to win the Mind Share, and Tactic (Differentiation, Marketing Mix, and Selling) to win Market Share, and VALUE ( Brand, Service and Process) to win Heart Share. This is NOT ONLY for ASIAN COMPANIES, but work universally for any companies. The idea is so simple yet so correct and powerful.

If i m forced to make a critic, the book is written a bit too-dry-for-my-taste style, too academic, so to speak, but that does not lessen the value in the slightest. Get a copy.

From the guru of marketing, this concise work covers all the essentials of how to manage marketing planning, strategy and tactics. Informative diagrams and tables clarify key points and guide the reader through important principles. A valuable tool for marketing students--and a worthwhile overview for any marketing exec.

Kotler, et al have defined the marriage between the public and private sectors in terms that make sense to both partners. While the implication that the private sector tends to get it right most of the time signals a weakness that haunts the writings of Harvard's Michael Porter("Competitive Advantage of Inner Cities"), the fundamental notions contained in this work seem sound.

Students of city planning, urban affairs, etc., might conclude that the emerging field of hotel, motel, and resort management may offer a more relevant practical model of city management than the current curriculums offer. When it's all said and done what's the significant difference between managing a city and managing a total service resort? As the politics of citys, space, become more rationalized in the larger systems of global markets and international trade, local decision making is increasingly becoming influenced by the factors that Kotler, et al raise in their book.

It's no surprise that my friends in the private sector find "place marketing" the newest fad in the consulting field. In truth, I've been pleased to see the social planners and business planners find common ground in the models and ideas that Kotler, Porter, et al have managed to present.

Despite being nearly 1000 pages long, this is one book that I often travel with on business, due to the completeness and accessibility of the content.

This encyclopedic, incredible resource includes chapters and many case studies on:

* the marketing process: marketing in a changing world- satisfying human needs; marketing and society- social responsibility and ethics; strategic marketing planning.

* the marketing setting: the marketing environment; the global marketplace; market information and research.

* buyer behaviour- consumer markets; business markets; and buyer behaviour.

* core strategy- market segmentation and targeting; positioning; building customer satisfaction through quality, value and service; creating competitive advantage: competitor analysis; and marketing strategies.

* product- designing products- new product development and lifecycle strategies; designing products- products, brands, packaging and services; marketing services.

* price- pricing policies- considerations and approaches; pricing products- strategies.

*promotions- promoting products- communications & promotion strategy; promoting products- advertising, sales promotion and PR; promoting products- personal selling and sales management;

* place- placing products- distribution channels & logistics management; placing products- retailing and wholesaling,.

It's well written, well supported with references, attractively illustrated, and easy to read at chapter level down to sidebar level (I've never read from end to end in one sitting!). The only complaint, is that because of the broad and deep coverage beyond traditional marketing, newer breaking ideas are not covered.

Overall highly recommended, particularly with a slimmer latest "fad" business/ technology/ marketing book to confirm that you are not missing anything that may add value to your organisation or clients.

[Refers to European Edition ISBN 0131659030 by Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders, Wong 1996 ]

This book is one of the best marketing books. The content of book is very comprehensive and embellished with cases that help you better understand the marketing theory. Especially, the most fascinating aspect of the book is its chapters about INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY and its impacts on the marketing concepts.

You can buy this book even for its excellent cases. I strongly recommend this book to all MBA students whose interested field is marketing.

I am college student who just took an intro- level marketing class with the Kotler & Armstrong text. It was comprehensive, interesting and provided an exciting look at Marketing. Kotler and Armstrong integrate real life companies with various marketing techniques and analyze those techniques. Professors, USE THIS BOOK!!

I think this book is invaluable becuase it successfully marriges the modern marketing theories to real marketing cases in Asia. However, as the '97 Asian crisis have a significant impact on the political and economical situations in Asia, the future editions of this book should capture the changing environment and challenges faced by marketers in Asia.

The strength of this book is that it is loaded with examples from throughout Asia. It educates the reader both about Marketing and about Asia. At the same time, it shows how most of marketing in Asia is not so different from marketing in Europe or in the US. But such differences as there are do demand that we check our assumptions and, most of the time, adapt our plans. A careful reading of the book will help make the reader sensitive to the sort of questions that should be asked before a marketing strategy is transplanted to Asia

Seeking a textbook with a combination of mainstream theories and indigenous focuse has been a big challenge for professors teaching at Asian universities. This book is a great work in combining the two aspects. I have been using its first edition (1996) for my classes at both undergraduate and MBA levels, and I received overwhelmingly positive response from students. I like the second edition (1999) even better, not only becouse its updated cases, but also its efforts in copping with the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which changed marketing practices in Asia significantly. As Asian economy becomes more and more important to the rest of the world, this book could also be used as an international marketing reference in universities outside Asia.

To me, a student of Hotel Management in Switzerland, this book has been refered to by my marketing lecturer (he called it the BIBLE). Well, what else is there to say...

Kottler is recognised as a leading marketing guru. This book reinforces his reputation and covers marketing fram a very basic level to a most detailed level. The book has a great international aspect which makes it essential reading for marketng students and practitioners alike.

I have read this book from cover to cover & I find it useful in determining how to master marketing. This book is useful for any person student,graduate & even interested people in marketing.

This book is definitely one of the best Marketing books I have ever read. But it's still not good enough. Some chapters are too simplified for students majoring in Marketing, especially in advanced education, such as master or doctoral degree. On the other side, this book could be a very nice one for a newbie in Marketing field. You can clarify some important concepts through reading. I strongly recommend it to students in undergrudate degree, managers of business, but not to students in advanced education.

Kellogg on Marketing consists some excellent essays in various aspect of Marketing, but I find the content of the essays uneven. There are overlapping in topic discussed and there are also essays that are obviously abstract version of academic research. Despite the less than perfect execution, the book should be valuable and enjoyable to readers with various level of knowledge/interest in marketing.

I realize the authors are among the top thinkers in their field. Their brilliance shines through on page after page of this book. However, some chapters are too basic, while others are clearly watered down versions of seriously advanced academic writing, leaving the reader at times bewildered and at others aching for more depth. Of course, your own training may affect which is which.

I recommend the book for anyone with a basic to intermediate marketing background, looking to flesh out his or her understanding of the practice. More advanced readers will find nuggets here and there, but mostly will cover familiar ground. I do have to say there is enough depth and new insights that even the long time professional marketer will find something new to consider. Beginners start elsewhere.

The overall thoroughness and comprehensive coverage of marketing fundamentals is very appropriate for undergraduate textbook. There are plenty of excercises, illustrations and quasi-mathematical formulae, but the book lacks the depth and insight for the more discerning reader. The text is very thorough and verbose, which makes is boring at times, full with superficial direct conclusions without even an attempt to look at the bigger picture.

In my opinion it more retrospective than forward-looking and inspiring. I would highly recommend "Strategic Marketing Management" by David Aaker at 1/2 of the price and 1/6 of the size. Also, I personally find inappropriate that Prof. Kotler starts each chapter quoting his own book.

If you're a student, or even an interested in the marketing area, I think you should buy this book before any other.
Kotler does a very good job explaining about the most common marketing topics.
Although the book doesn't go too deep at any topic(since it covers a lot of stuff), it explains enough to give you a good basic knowledge of the subject.
If you want to read a marketing book, entirely, with attention, this is the best option that you have. You might end up with more knowledge about marketing that many graduated people.
Intead, if you want a refernce book, this is a good option too. It's organized enough to help you find the subject you need and help you learn a decent amount of stuff about it.

On a final notice, if you want to learn marketing overall, but think that will be too tough to read a +700 pages book, you might look for "Kotler on Marketing", which contains less stuff, but still covres most of the subjects of thsi one in an arguably more practical way. A very good book too.

Prof Kotler's book was the text book on marketing when I did my
MBA in the 70s. Even today, it is the textbook of choice on marketing for MBA and similar programs. The most admirable aspect of the book is the way it has evolved over the years. It is tempting to use the cliche "change is the only constant." However, in the case of Prof.Kotler, continuous change and contemporary insights are the hallmark of successive editions. The only difficulty that I face, as a teacher now, is to do justice to this phenomenal work in the 40 hours that is allocated by the university for the subject. As a reference work on marketing management, the book stands distinctly apart.