Marketing: The Core is divided into four parts. Part 1, 'Initiating the Marketing Process' first looks at what marketing is and how it creates customer value and customer relationships (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 provides an overview of the strategic marketing process that occurs in an organisation, providing a solid framework for the text. Appendix A presents a sample marketing plan as a reference for students. Chapter 3 analyses the major environmental factors in our changing marketing environment, and Chapter 4 provides a framework for including ethical and social responsibility considerations in marketing decisions.

Part 2, 'Understanding Buyers and Markets', first describes how individual consumers reach buying decisions, followed by a description of industrial and organisational buyers and how they make purchase decisions (Chapter 5). In Chapter 6, the nature and scope of world trade is explored, followed by an investigation of the challenges that confront global marketing firms and their impacts on global marketing practices.

Part 3, 'Targeting Marketing Opportunities', explores the marketing research function and how information about prospective consumers is linked to marketing strategy and decisions (Chapter 7). The process of segmenting and targeting markets and positioning products appears in Chapter 8.

Part 4, 'Satisfying Marketing Opportunities', covers the four Ps - the marketing mix elements. The product element is divided into the natural chronological sequence of first developing new products and services (Chapter 9) followed by managing existing products, services and brands (Chapter 10). Pricing is discussed in terms of the way organisations set prices (Chapter 11). Two chapters are devoted to the place (distribution) aspects of marketing (Chapters 12 and 13). Chapter 13 also includes a description of specific techniques and issues related to creating customer value through interactive and multichannel marketing approaches. Chapter 14 discusses integrated marketing communication and direct marketing. The primary forms of market communication— advertising, sales promotion, public relations and personal selling—are covered in Chapter 15.