This is a book applying the philosophy of the social sciences to the study of buyer behaviour. Like Why People Buy, it encompasses ideas from other disciplines such as philosophy and psychology.

With the globalization of markets, heightened competition within various market sectors, and more demands on companies to increase profits, it is of great importance to understand the most effective manner in which marketing managers can reach the appropriate consumer. It is also necessary to use effective systems and tools to study the actions and inactivity of potential buyers. Explaining Buyer Behavior provides the fundamentals needed to understand the various explanatory systems and methodologies used in the behavior sciences and to evaluate their findings, in particular the literature and findings on buyer behavior. The work also shows how to evaluate various findings on buyer behavior and how to discuss the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the applicability of these findings to marketing. In clear prose, John O'Shaughnessy discusses the key issues in modern philosophy, psychology, and sociology and their relevance for the student of marketing and buyer behavior. He exploits insights from many disciplines as to the many ways to derive understanding of behavioral phenomena, making it accessible not only to academics and students of marketing, but to professionals as well.

`This is one of those rare contributions to the marketing literature that deserves the attention of all those involved in the profession ... Reading the book from cover to cover is required ... it will teach us much.' Journal of Macromarketing