Marketing as Constructive Engagement

The purpose of this essay is to provoke a more comprehensive, historically accurate, and meaningful definition of marketing. Toward that outcome, the author introduces a framework for marketing that argues for constructive engagement with a complex, conflicted, and increasingly interdependent world in which marketing can and should play an important role. The framework offers a new synthesis commensurate with ideals generally espoused in macromarketing. An illustration based on longitudinal study of Vietnam is shared, with implications for current global affairs and with new directions for meaningful marketing research and practice

World Cup 2014: Macromarketing Views from Croatia

309 World Cup 2014: Macromarketing Views from Croatia Bruno Grbac, University of Rijeka, Croatia Clifford Shultz, Loyola University Chicago, USA This extended abstract is an abriged version of a longer document articulating a study on the effects of the FIFA World Cup, an organizationally, financially, economically and politically demanding quadrennial sporting spectacle that affects billions of global citizens. This reality raises questions about the effects of the World Cup on the marketing system of the host country and the participating countries, as well as institutions and people in them. As a step toward sharing insights the authors analyzed secondary data and conducted field research to assess retail, catering, banking, advertising, fan zones, betting establishments, and consumer behavior in three of the largest cites in Croatia, a country that has seen considerable success in recent FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. Findings revealed a number of positive changes in the political, economic, social, technological, corporate and consumer spheres. It was concluded that the organization of the World Cup contributed to geo-political harmony, manifested in the strengthening of unity among states competing in sport instead of economic and armed conflicts. On the other hand, a certain process of trivialization in culture is observed, where one branch of sport and its protagonists ‘touch the stars’ and become national heroes and symbols of success while the real creators and bearers of new values, such as entrepreneurs, managers, scientists and artists remain comparatively neglected. Given the impact on the global marketing system, football/soccer is considerably more than a game, and must be administered, studied and interpreted accordingly

Marketing an End to War: Constructive Engagement, Community Wellbeing, and Sustainable Peace

Markets and marketing are integral to human welfare and survival. When used however for the purposes of war and other systemically violent conflict, they can be devastating and pose an existential threat to humanity. Drawing on experience in war-ravaged and recovering economies, the author examines a stream of research on marketing systems disrupted or destroyed by war. Some underlying conditions and predictors of war and its peaceful resolution are introduced, including social traps and their mitigation or elimination. An argument is revisited for marketing as a form of constructive engagement, which must be implemented to affect and to develop equitable and sustainable marketing systems, flourishing communities, societal wellbeing and sustainable peace. The article concludes with some considerations for further research

Machiavellianism and Sales Performance

The relationship between Machiavellianism and sales performance is emotionally charged. Few comments evoke more passionate responses from sales professionals and scholars of personal selling and sales management than the mere hint that selling might be Machiavellian. Yet while frequently debated, the topic is generally misunderstood. This article is intended to clarify the misunderstanding surrounding this relationship by explaining the concept of Machiavellianism, and by examining empirical data on Machiavellianism and sales performance. Recent findings suggest the success or failure of Machiavellian tactics used during personal selling appears to be related to the organisational structure of the firm for which sales representatives sell. In loosely structured salesmarketing organisations \u27so-called\u27 high Machiavellians tend to be more successful than low Machiavellians, but in tightly structured sales-marketing organisations, high Machiavellians tend to be less successful than low Machiavellians. Managerial implications and policy considerations are discussed

Reframing Agribusiness: Moving from Farm to Market Centric

Agribusiness is moving from farm to market centric, where effective activities anticipate and respond to customers, markets, and the systems in which they function. This evolution requires a broader conceptualization and more accurate definition, to convey a more dynamic, systemic, and integrative discipline, which increasingly is committed to value creation and the sustainable orchestration of food, fiber, and renewable resources. We discuss the forces driving this shift to the market, offer a new and more representative definition of agribusiness, provide models to illustrate some of the most compelling trends, and articulate key elements and implications of those models.agribusiness definition, conceptual models, market centric, market systems, Agribusiness, Marketing, Production Economics,

War, Civil Unrest, Failed States, and Other Extreme Threats to Marketing Systems

Well-functioning markets and marketing systems are intended to enhance and to sustain the survivability and security of societies and the people who comprise them (e.g., Fisk 1967; Layton 2007; McMillen 2002; Shultz 2007; Wilkie and Moore 1999; World Bank 2014). For myriad reasons – natural or human-induced cataclysms and resource scarcity to list a few examples – marketing systems sometimes are disrupted or fracture (e.g., Shultz 1997; in press). This can have profound and often horrific effects on individuals, families, communities, countries, regions, and occasionally – at least twice in the form of two World Wars – global upheaval. The costs to human well-being are almost unfathomable and difficult to calculate (e.g., UNDP 2015, UNHCR 2015). By some accounts, various forms of violence cost $9.46 trillion per year, about 11% of Gross World Product (Institute for Economics and Peace 2014); the Iraq debacle alone has been estimated to cost trillions of dollars, when calculating the systemic ripple-effects, over time (Stiglitz and Bilmes 2008; Three Trillion Dollar War 2015). This special session assembles scholars conducting research in countries and regions suffering the effects of devastation or pronounced disruption from war, civil unrest, and other forms of persistent or acute violence, poor governance, natural disasters, extreme environmental conditions, or combinations of all or some of these existential and societal threats. Perhaps, through greater discussion and understanding, engagement and provisioning technologies, we macromarketers can be catalysts to better-functioning and safer marketing systems, to the benefit of the local and global stakeholders of them

A Macromarketing View of Sustainable Development in Vietnam

The authors apply methods and perspectives from several disciplines to explore the effects of Vietnam\u27s economic development on various ecosystems, to offer a macromarketing view of sustainable development in Vietnam. An adapted version of the Sustainable Society Index was used to assess Vietnam\u27s sustainability, how Vietnam\u27s measures compare to other countries, with implications for future sustainable-development. Among several findings, Vietnam earns favorable sustainability ratings in absolute terms for water resources, healthy living, energy use, greenhouse gases, genuine savings, and employment. Ominously, Vietnam and some of its nearby neighbors post poor scores for energy savings and education. Going forward, energy savings, a well-educated population, and a coordinated marketing system will be required to ensure favorable sustainability measures. Drawing on macromarketing explorations of complex and interdependent systems, key factors are considered to redress unsustainable resource exploitation and degradation. Particular attention is given to the complexities and dilemmas inherent to waterways, such as the Mekong River Basin and Delta. The authors argue for multi-win goals, systemic understanding, stakeholder inclusion, and resolutions via cooperation and constructive engagement—including projects, products, services, and institutional leadership for best practices designed and administered to enhance sustainability and citizen/societal well-being

Marketing and Development in the Transition Economies of Southeast Asia: Policy Explication, Assessment, and Implications

Geopolitical events have forced many countries in Southeast Asia to transform from centrally planned to market-oriented economies. The authors review the literature and introduce a model to help explain the forces and factors that seem to affect the success of Southeast Asian transition policies. The authors submit that though Southeast Asian gradualism or constrained capitalism continues to produce positive macroeconomic results and consumption opportunities, more expansive reform policies eventually could be required if these transition economies are to continue to prosper and enhance the welfare of their people. They conclude by discussing marketing implications and directions for further research

Asia\u27s Next Tiger?

Vietnam has evolved from one of the worst performing economies in Asia during the early 1980s, to winning the Euromoney Best Managed Economy Award in the \u2790s. Foreign investors, betting that Vietnam was serious about its economic reforms, rushed to penetrate this market. Some succeeded, many failed. Vietnam must now respond to the challenge of rising expectations by foreign investors while delivering increased variety and quality of goods demanded by its people. The transition from a command to a market economy continues to lurch forward, creating a promising but perilous marketing environment. INSETS: Important Political Developments Since 1992;Vietnam: The Bad News;Vietnam: The Good News;Vietnam: The Good News

The Paradoxical Relationship between Marketing and Vulnerability

Marketing both reduces and contributes to consumer vulnerability. In this essay, the authors explore this paradoxical relationship. Complexities and nuances captured in existing definitions are revisited. The authors then share a more expansive perspective; they offer a new typology with hopes of drawing attention to multifaceted and conflicting challenges so as to stimulate fresh thinking. Several points are raised so that policy makers and marketers might be inspired to invoke systemic solutions that increase the security and well-being of consumers who are subject to various vulnerabilities