In an amusing way Klaus Backhaus endeavours to explain how much of what is sold in practice
under the guise of a pronounced market orientation is nothing more than the telling of a fairy
tale. And so the story takes its course. Despite a perceived market orientation the German
engineering company Deutsche Maschinenbau AG is losing its market share. But instead of joining
forces to systematically hunt down and identify the causes of these losses all those involved
become entangled in a mutual blame game. Not until the Marketing Manager has his say does the
tide seem to turn. Nevertheless when it comes to putting things into practice it soon becomes
clear that the devil is in the details. Following an initial enlightenment and a subsequent
disillusionment phase the breakthrough finally comes when the CEO decides to make the cause
his own demanding that market orientation must become a daily common practice and a personally
lived reality. After all marketing is more than the existence of a marketing department. It is
a lived shared value orientation and thus relevant for every single employee on the company
payroll. Only those who are prepared to live this are in a position to act in keeping with the
needs and conditions of the market.
