This article seeks to explore some dimensions of the relationship between marketing research and theory, including the relationship between researchers and practitioners, using the lens on the debate around evidence-based management, with a view to stimulating debate within the marketing community. The article commences by introducing the concepts of evidence-based practice and management, and reviewing some of the challenges associated with integrating management and marketing research and practice. The following section visits the notion of ‘evidence’, including its link to mode 1 and mode 2 knowledge production. Finally, ten proposals for advancing evidence-based marketing and blurring the ‘practice–theory divide’ are proposed. These include peoplebased strategies, knowledge and inquiry-based strategies, and dissemination, communication and publication-based strategies.
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