A marketing bridges the gap between the market and the firm. If market changes by size, trend, competition or other environmental factors, marketing functions have to be adjusted. The role of marketing can be compared to the skeleton of the human body. It provides a framework within which function take place. This is all because all enterprises have their own objectives, resources and corporate plans to achieve those objectives.
The role of the marketing function and its place in the overall organization has been changing over time. From a situation where marketing was treated as a selling arm of the factory, it has come a full circle where marketing ‘dictate’ what is to be produced. With the passage of time, not only has the organisation of the marketing activity undergone many changes but its growing importance has influenced the entire concept of viewing a business. More and more firms are now adopting the ‘marketing orientation’, i.e. the customer and his needs form the nucleus of the activities of the firm. All the activities and tasks are organised around the customer. The firm with marketing orientation has come into being after passing through many distinct phases.