Evolutionary Insights Become Revolutionary: Rethinking Causation
Eyuboglu and Buja (see the article "Quasi-Darwinian Selection in Marketing Relationships" in the October 2007 issue) provide a lucid exposition on an unusual topic for marketers--that is, quasi-Darwinian carpentry, defined as the "chiseling away" of natural selection "on a population in such a way that previously nonexisting associations emerge" (p. 49).
Their work sheds new insights into the evolution, preservation, growth, and downfall of marketing relationships. The examples they use are quite relevant and timely for marketers. Quasi-Darwinian selection allows readers to recognize that the process of selection may carve out an observable association between two constructs, even though one construct may not have a causal influence over the other. In other words, as the authors succinctly convey, "selection creates association."
The authors cast quasi-Darwinian selection as a paradigm that should be evaluated "side by side with the conventional paradigms of causal explanation." This statement deserves careful consideration. It is a simple but revolutionary, sweeping but thought-provoking argument. Marketing practitioners familiar with cause-affect relationships among constructs may find it useful to rethink them in terms of associations engendered by natural selection. Notions such as failure and adaptation that are integral elements of quasi-Darwinian selection resonate with potential meaning and relevance across a variety of marketing contexts.
Recent blog threads have attracted spirited discussion among JM readers about recent articles in the Journal. In a similar vein, I look forward to hearing your responses to the profound questions raised by Eyuboglu and Buja in their article. Please take a few moments to contribute your thoughts to this blog thread now.
By Siva K. Balasubramanian, Journal of Marketing Web Site Editor
