CEOs are more than frustrated by marketing's inability to deliver results. Has the profession lost its relevance? Nirmalya Kumar argues that, although the function of marketing has lost ground, the importance of marketing as a mind-set--geared toward customer focus and market orientation--has gained momentum across the entire organization.

This book challenges marketers to change their role from implementers of traditional marketing functions to strategic coordinators of organization-wide initiatives aimed at profitably delivering value to customers. Kumar outlines seven cross-functional and bottom-line-oriented initiatives that can put marketing back on the CEO's agenda--and elevate its role in shaping the destiny of the firm. Nirmalya Kumar is Professor of Marketing, Director of the Centre for Marketing, and Codirector of the Aditya V Birla India Centre at London Business School.