The purpose of this paper is to construct a general theory of the marketing system that addresses the fundamental question: why do marketing systems occur, survive and grow?,The approach integrates the concepts and constructs contained in special and mid-range theories, scattered throughout the history of marketing thought, into a logically coherent set of propositions (including definitions, axioms, theorems, scientific laws, bridge laws and hypotheses) that comprise a general theory of the marketing system.,The theoretical answer to why marketing systems arise, survive and grow is because marketing systems offer the most efficient mechanism for supplying products and services that people demand, thereby increasing economic growth, compared to the opportunity costs of alternative methods of acquisition. Based on just two (of several) marketing efficiency theorems, if the input costs of trading decline (law of reduced transaction costs) and/or the output value increases (law of bulk transactions), then marketing system efficiency rises. This creates an upward spiraling cycle: increasing the extent of the market (law of market size), proliferating opportunities for increasing aggregate production efficiency (through the law of comparative advantage and the law of division of labor), thereby further proliferating opportunities for aggregate marketing system efficiency (e.g. law of central markets, law of marketing specialists), thus fueling further aggregate economic growth (until limited by the law of diminishing returns, the law of the minimum resource or the law of market size). An empirically testable central hypothesis is derived from the propositions: increasing aggregate marketing system efficiency provides both the necessary and sufficient conditions for increasing aggregate economic growth in a society.,The value of developing a general theory of the marketing system is to advance the marketing discipline as a social science. Additionally, a general theory is likely to enhance academic thinking, improve business practice and facilitate interaction among academicians and practitioners. Further, a general theory could also reduce disciplinary fragmentation, avoid identity confusion and lessen the credibility crisis in marketing, among others.

中文翻译：

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构建部分形式化的营销系统通用理论：来自营销思想史的见解

仅基于（几个）营销效率定理，如果交易的输入成本下降（交易成本降低的定律）和/或产值增加（批量交易的定律），则营销系统效率就会提高。这就形成了一个上升的螺旋周期：增加市场范围（市场规模定律），增加总生产效率的机会（通过比较优势定律和分工定律），从而进一步增加总营销的机会系统效率（例如，中央市场法则，市场营销专家法则），从而推动了进一步的总体经济增长（直到受到收益递减法则，最小资源法则或市场规模法则的限制）。命题得出了可检验的中心假设：提高总体营销体系效率为社会整体经济增长的增长提供了必要条件和充分条件。发展通用的营销体系理论的价值在于推进营销学科作为社会科学。此外，通用理论可能会增强学术思维，改善业务实践并促进院士与实践者之间的互动。此外，一般理论还可以减少纪律处分，避免身份混淆，并减轻营销中的信誉危机。发展营销系统的一般理论的价值是推动营销学科作为一门社会科学发展。此外，通用理论可能会增强学术思维，改善业务实践并促进院士与实践者之间的互动。此外，一般理论还可以减少纪律处分，避免身份混淆，并减轻营销中的信誉危机。发展营销系统的一般理论的价值是推动营销学科作为一门社会科学发展。此外，通用理论可能会增强学术思维，改善业务实践并促进院士与实践者之间的互动。此外，一般理论还可以减少纪律处分，避免身份混淆，并减轻营销中的信誉危机。