Introduction

This volume contains essays that revisit the ideals of the PIMS (Profit Impact of Marketing Strategy) project. They are collected and published here in honor of Robert D. Buzzell's contributions to marketing research in general and the PIMS project in particular. The impetus for these essays originated from a conference held in October 2002. A group of scholars and researchers gathered at the University of Virginia's Darden School to honor Bob Buzzell and exchange ideas and papers reflecting on the achievements and recent advances relating to the PIMS program of research on marketing strategy. What did we learn and what should we have learned from the PIMS project concerning the economic causes and consequences of marketing decisions? The following people attended the conference: Kusum Ailawadi, Tuck School, Dartmouth College Jay Bourgeois, The Darden School, University of Virginia Eric Boyd, The Darden School, University of Virginia Robert Buzzell, Georgetown University Markus Christen, INSEAD George Day, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Paul Farris, The Darden School, University of Virginia Bradley Gale, Customer Value, Inc. Hubert Gatignon, INSEAD Lutz Hildebrandt, Humboldt University, Berlin William Kehoe, McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia Trey Maxham, McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia Marian Moore, The Darden School, University of Virginia Michael Moore, The Darden School, University of Virginia Russ Morgan, University of Utah Bill Moult, Marketing Science Institute Mark Parry, The Darden School, University of Virginia Jack Pendray, retired David Reibstein, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Keith Roberts, PIMS Europe Ltd.