This even though people have read Kotler and the other gurus and have done case-study analyses of market successes and market failures. So what is it that separates marketing people from the accounting people, the legal people, and the other people who can generalize from their discipline's rules to make quick decisions?
  
While this may seem counter-intuitive, I suspect the answer is that marketing people spend too much time studying marketing. Such is not to say they are studying nonsense. But it is to say they tend to get in market-ing-study ruts and are unable to translate what they know into action.
  
For example, Ajinomoto has a flavoring product that we have been selling for over 30 years. This is one of our flagship products. So from life-cycle theory and market-share theory, you would expect it to be unexciting and on life support. But sales last year were up 60% over the year before. Because our people forgot what everyone knows and focused instead on the product and its market.
  
Surely there are other products at other companies with similar potential. The possibilities are endless if only marketers will throw off their blinders and think some fresh thoughts.
  
Kondo Tadashi
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods