EXPRESS: Advancing Public Policy and Policy-Relevant Research in Marketing: Insights and a Typology from the “Policy Studies” Literature

Despite increasing interest in public policy and policy-relevant research, few marketing scholars have been formally trained in public policy, and few doctoral programs specialize in public policy or offer courses on the subject. Thus, a gap exists between the growing interest of marketing scholars in public policy and policy-relevant research and the academic resources needed to pursue this research. This lack of resources increases the potential for confusion and misunderstanding about what public policy is and what public policy and policy-relevant research involves. Responding to the need for academic resources on public policy in marketing, we first document the increasing interest in public policy and policy-relevant research in marketing. We then draw upon the “policy studies” literature from political science to document the nature of public policy, the sources from which it is produced, and the processes through which policies are developed, administered, and evaluated. Established in the 1950’s, the field of policy studies is an authoritative resource for scholars interested in public policy. We then apply our findings to develop a typology of public policy research with general and specific research questions to guide the research. Our efforts yield insights and an academic resource for advancing the field.