Building on a Long Needed Seminal Contribution

Abstract

Though flattered by the invitation to comment on Laczniak and Shultz's seminal piece, the author did not feel qualified to evaluate either the specifics of the arguments advanced or the conclusions reached. What they said was essentially accepted as a given though the case was made for an accompanying, more reader friendly version of their material. That being so, and after some minor editorial observations are made, much of the remainder of this Commentary focuses on two related issues that seemed especially relevant:(1) Socially Responsible Marketing's role, along with that of Socially Responsible Consumption and Socially Responsible Public policy, both in and of themselves and within a micromarketing Utopia and (2) the fact that after years of relative neglect the concept of macromarketing management seems finally on its way to being resurrected. Four examples of how the complexities of Socially Responsible Marketing could be highlighted using a controversies approach are then presented.

Socially Responsible Marketing (SRM): Broader, Deeper, and Ever Greater

“…We agree with Shapiro (2022) that a fuller future discussion of socially responsible consumption (SRC) would add nuance and perspective to what we have written. SRC is the other half of the marketer-buyer exchange and looking at each element of SRM primarily from the consumer and/or consumption perspective would be a valuable exercise.…”

“…The contribution by Shapiro (2022) might be characterized as underlining that SRM is everything that Laczniak and Shultz (2021) postulate it to be plus a great deal more. We will address Professor Shapiro's call for ever greater SRM, shortly.…”

“…As for those readers desirous of an abstracted overview of the paper, we would recommend they read the “take-away” sections for the social contract, corporate citizenship, stakeholder orientation and social/ecological sustainability, as well as the distributive justice discussion in its entirety. Succinctly, Shapiro (2022) concludes that what might be needed to complete a full demarcation of SRM in the macro marketing system, would be an equivalent discussion of socially responsible consumption (SRC) and socially responsible public policy (SRPP).…”

Marketing E Sustentabilidade Na Prática: Um Estudo De Caso Sobre a Integração Entre Marketing E Sustentabilidade Nos Programas De Logística Reversa De Quatro Empresas Multinacionais Atuando No Brasil

“…Diversos estudos empíricos demonstram que essas estratégias têm impacto positivo no comportamento sustentável do consumidor (CHEN; PETERSEN, 2022; HUANG; RUST, 2011; KIM; PARK; SHRUM, 2022; LEWIN; STRUTTON; PASWAN, 2011; NADERI; STRUTTON, 2015; SOULE, 2022).Em relação ao gerenciamento dos produtos -bens e serviços que as empresas oferecem, a área de marketing deve se responsabilizar por todo o ciclo de consumo, e não focar apenas na etapa de aquisição, ou seja, em gerar desejo e estimular consumo. Os princípios da economia circular -eliminar resíduos e poluição, circular produtos e materiais no seu valor mais alto e regenerar a natureza (ELLEN MACARTHUR Foundation -o que é economia circular, [s. d.]) -devem permear etapas importantes do ciclo de consumo induzindo a área de marketing a práticas tais como cuidar da seleção dos materiais e métodos de produção e distribuição na etapa de desenvolvimento e produção; incentivar o uso correto, consumo moderado e reutilização na etapa de uso; e incentivar os comportamentos de reciclagem e descarte correto na etapa de pós uso (KENNEDY; MCGOURAN; KEMPER, 2020; RASHIDI-SABET; MADHAVARAM, 2022; SCOTT;MARTIN;SCHOUTEN, 2014;SHAPIRO, 2022;.Uma outra categoria de propostas se refere à uma revisão da conhecida ferramenta de micromarketing dos 4Ps (produto, preço, praça e promoção) à luz dos princípios do macromarketing. No que se refere a produto, são reforçados os mesmos fundamentos da economia circular e que regem a visão do ciclo de consumo descrita no parágrafo anterior: eliminar a obsolescência programada, oferecer reparo para os produtos vendidos, substituir produtos por serviços e criar processos para descarte e coleta pós uso(GOSSEN;ZIESEMER;SCHRADER, 2019;KENNEDY;MCGOURAN;KEMPER, 2020;PEATTIE;; RASHIDI-SABET; MADHAVARAM, 2022; SHETH; PARVATIYAR, 2021; SHETH; SETHIA; SRINIVAS, 2011).…”