This paper proposes the addition of concepts drawn from
literary criticism to philosophical and historical ones in
order to provide insights into "reading" marketing theory.
The paper sets forth three modes of literary criticism applic
able to the analysis of marketing theory-psychobiographi
cal, editorial, and structural. It offers as an illustrative
example a reading of the history of Ernest Dichter's motiva
tion research movement using these methods. The addition
of literary analysis demonstrates how textual clues can en
rich the historian's study of the rise and fall of marketing
phenomena over time.
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