Consumers have, to a large extent, become their own producers; they are more aware of marketing and are active in adding value to the products and experiences they want. By assessing customers as active agents rather than passive consumers, Bjoern Bjerke explores alternative ways of marketing for new businesses and social entrepreneurial ventures. This book first presents the dominant approach to marketing theory used for the last half a century. After that, it presents an alternative approach to marketing theory by emphasizing how new infrastructures and organizations, including online platforms, influence new ways of linking the formal and informal economies together. Building on fundamental theories of science and methodological issues, Bjerke creates useful theoretical conceptions that can develop a greater connection between practice and research. He argues that as entrepreneurial activity is more accessible than ever it needs a fresh approach to include customers as co-creators and co-extractors of market value. An excellent book for exploring alternative marketing, students and researchers in marketing, social entrepreneurship and wider business and management studies will gain a greater understanding of what it means to be a marketer, customer and user.
