Abstract

The 21st century is bringing dramatic changes in the marketing environment that is leading to a rethinking of the marketing discipline. For example, as markets are becoming mature and customers become scarce resources, the notion of relationship marketing (RM) has increasingly become important (Day, 2000; Dwyer; Gummesson, 1999; Gronroos, 1991; Morgan and Hunt 1994; Webster, 1992). ButConditions in developing economies are qualitatively unlike those found in mature markets. This paper is cross paradigm paper: it is trying to combines the two separate broad based perspectives on paradigms into comprehensive model. In fact we did try to test the different type of marketing practices effect on performance of large manufacturing firms in Iran. The findings of the research show that we are not able to firmly state that both marketing practice based on relational approach and RM for large firms of Iran enjoys higher validity.  Although interaction marketing (IM) is the dominant form of practice, the results confirm that the marketing outcomes of the firms in clusters with only relational approach are lower than those of the pluralistic clusters. Therefore, since relational marketing practice is the dominant form in the pluralistic clusters, it can be claimed that large manufacturing firms, which coexist in both paradigms, have better condition with more practice toward relationship. As a result, successful firms apply transactional techniques and tools. Therefore they can take advantages of relational factors at the same time.

Key words: Paradigm, marketing practice, transaction marketing, database marketing, interaction marketing, network marketing, cluster analysis, pluralistic approach.