This thought--provoking book chronicles the evolution of marketing theories and the rationales behind them. The authors present a typology for the twelve schools of marketing thought, and describe a comprehensive metatheoretical framework based on six basic criteria. They also develop a list of concepts and axioms useful in generating a practical theory of marketing. References are extensive and include many pioneering, seldom--cited works. Graduate students and marketing professionals will find this a stimulating and practical work.