A Literature Review and Classification of Relationship Marketing Research

This paper presents a literature review and classification of Relationship Marketing (RM) research. A range of online databases were searched to gain comprehensive knowledge on RM. Several articles were identified and reviewed for their direct relevance to RM, relevant were subsequently selected. Each of these articles has been further reviewed and classified. Papers and research on RM categorized into five broad categories (Relationship Marketing – Understanding, Industry Applications, Market Development, Technological concern and Firm Performance) and further sub-categories. The most popular areas covered by the papers in the sub-category understanding of RM, Market Development; and RM general, concept, and study followed by papers in different areas of management like-retail, banking, construction etc. The bibliography provides an academic database of the literature from various journals. The classification approach provides a means to conceptualize the coverage of relationship marketing and the relative popularity of CRM topic areas. This paper provides a roster of field projects accompanied by a comprehensive bibliography that will be useful to both academics and practitioners for studying existing research as well as for contemplating future research.