consumers that the firm chooses to target with its marketing efforts, is at the
center of the process. The marketing concept is based on the premise that
firms determine customer wants and needs and then design products and services
that meet those wants and needs while at the same time meeting the
goals of the firm. This concept is an extension of earlier concepts that focused
on the production process as a means to design products and services, or the
selling of already produced products and services. Today, most firms realize
the value of customer input in the new product design process. Chapter 2
looks at the issues unique to marketing services, Chapter 3 focuses on the behavior
of hospitality consumers, and Chapter 4 discusses the process of choosing
target markets and positioning products in the market.