This case study of alcohol in China revives Mauss’s concept of the total social fact as a means of understanding new markets.

In business thinking, ‘core competencies’ have long been seen as the critical factor that distinguishes great from good. Great companies have strong core competencies that they constantly leverage and develop. On the other hand, companies who do not understand their own strengths and weaknesses cannot execute at the highest proficiency.

Facebook users are still skeptical about socializing online and confused about what the platform should be used for, according to our research.

In the world of marketing, creativity is surrounded by a high level of mystique. We imagine that ideas appear in the heads of gifted individuals from out of nowhere. Because it seems that no one really understands creativity, the art directors of the world can charge exorbitant prices for their creative services. This is the case even though only about 50 percent of marketing campaigns are successful. However, California-based consultancy IDEO has developed a more rigorous approach to working with creativity.

Despite the recent criticism of the rise of spin doctors in Danish politics, the problem is not that political communication is being professionalized—the problem is that it is not professional enough. By relying on target-group analyses, the political parties end up trying to “sell” the same political message, which makes it difficult for voters to differentiate between the parties’ platforms.