Marketing information systems: which authority most notably formalized the structure and definition of a Marketing Information System (MkIS)?

Introduction / Context:
A Marketing Information System (MkIS) integrates people, procedures, and technology to collect, analyze, and distribute timely marketing information. The concept’s mainstream, textbook framing is strongly associated with one widely cited marketing scholar.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the prominent authority who formalized MkIS structure in widely used texts.
• Options include plausible but incorrect names alongside the correct one.
• We focus on mainstream academic attribution.

Concept / Approach:
Philip Kotler’s marketing texts popularized and structured the MkIS concept—covering internal records, marketing intelligence, marketing research, and analytical models—making his name the most closely associated with defining MkIS in education and practice.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard marketing curricula cite Kotler’s definitions for MkIS components and data flows supporting decision making.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Other listed names are not widely credited with the core MkIS formalization in mainstream teaching materials.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing marketing research pioneers or econometricians with MkIS textbook authors; overlooking MkIS as more than research—it includes intelligence and analytics.

Final Answer:
Philip Kotler