Twenty-five years of conceptual and empirical research in macromarketing can be synthesized in three fundamental, complementary principles: that markets are systems, that markets are heterogeneous, and the actions of market participants have consequences far beyond the boundaries of firms. Together, these principal findings form the foundation of a theory of macromarketing. The authors argue that macro-marketing, in contrast to micromarketing and microeconomics, is uniquely positioned to address many market-related questions of the coming century.

Religions and religious institutions affect markets in a variety of ways. The objectives of this study are threefold. First, it details the parameters of market activity affected by religions and religious institutions. Second, it discusses the ways in which religion exerts authority over the activities of markets. The presence of authority is a necessary prerequisite for religious influence on markets. Third, religious authority is used as a framework to understand how traditional questions of macromarketing inform, and are informed by, the intersection of religions and markets. The article uses the framework of religious authority to explore the variety of effects of religions on markets and markets on religions.

This research explores the macro-level influences of religion on the marketplace by showing how religion influences beliefs of dominion and stewardship, which subsequently influence marketplace attitudes and sustainable behavior. A survey of 1,101 adults was conducted, with results showing religious individuals express greater beliefs of dominion while non-religious individuals express greater beliefs of stewardship. Stewardship beliefs in turn positively influence one’s tendency to engage in sustainable behavior, while dominion does not. These beliefs also mediate the relationship between religiosity and behavior, though the effects of dominion are negative and weaker than those of stewardship. We also provide insight into whom consumers hold responsible for solving sustainability issues, with the non-religious placing responsibility on consumers and the religious placing responsibility on producers. We build off value-belief-norm and attribution theories to discuss how our findings contribute to sustainability in marketing systems and provide greater understanding of the intersection between religion and sustainability.

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