Bridging the academic/practitioner divide in marketing : An undergraduate course in data mining

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a course in data mining as an example of an interdisciplinary mechanism of bridging the academic/practitioner divide in marketing. Design/methodology/approach – The academic/practitioner divide in marketing education is first examined along with current challenges for increasing curricular relevancy. Alternative approaches for pedagogically satisfying marketing academicians and, at the same time, meeting practitioner needs is explored. Findings – Developing a course in data mining is presented as a holistic way of providing subject knowledge in relationship marketing, information technology and analytics coupled with experiential learning. Practical implications – The course in data mining provides practical skills in information technology, marketing analytics and problem‐solving that provide students with a strong point of differentiation in the job market that has proven attractive to employers. Originality/value – This paper provides a description of a course in data mining offering that helps students position themselves at the nexus of marketing, information technology, and analytics.