The Harm Chain

Abstract

This paper introduces the concept of a 'harm chain' as a mechanism to further broaden the way in which firms and public policy makers consider potential negative outcomes from marketing activities. The purpose of conceptualizing a 'harm chain' is to examine specifically the creation of harm within networks of marketing exchanges that might occur throughout preproduction, production, consumption and post-consumption activities. The authors suggest that addressing issues where harm occurs allows both firms and policy makers to identify whether exchanges bring about harm, how relevant parties can address the core cause of harm, as well as how those who are harmed can be protected.

Why and how are social media used in a B2B context, and which stakeholders are involved?

“…Marketing studies have traditionally focused on consumers and competitors; however, they have increasingly recognized that firms need to consider a broader range of stakeholders to be successful (Evers et al, 2012;Freeman, 1984;Polonsky et al, 1999). There are different views about which groups or actors a firm should consider as stakeholder (Frow and Payne, 2011;Polonsky et al, 2003). However, we maintain to a definition based on Donaldson and Preston (1995, p. 67): "Stakeholders are persons or groups with legitimate interests in procedural and/or substantive aspects of corporate activity".…”

Up, up and away: social marketing breaks free

“…Polonsky, 1996). For example, in introducing the concept of the 'harm chain', Polonsky, Carlson and Fry (2003) apply a stakeholder management approach to interrogate the harms that can arise from marketing exchanges.…”

“…Ackermann & Eden, 2011;Bryson, 2004;Freeman, 1984) and, to a lesser extent, from applications in marketing (e.g. Polonsky et al, 2003). This literature classifies the challenges arising when managing such stakeholders into a number of broad areas: namely, the need to identify who the specific stakeholders are, the importance of understanding the dynamics occurring between these stakeholders, and the need for stakeholder management strategies that aid the management of the relationships.…”

A Guiding Framework for Levels of Sustainability in Marketing

“…Besides the above-mentioned transformations in marketing thought, consequential events, such as the Great Recession, climate change, and the yellow vests movements as well as the soul-draining practices of positive marketing demonstrated that marketing discipline has a duty to transform itself beyond dominant positivist managerial epistemology. Polonsky et al's [40] "harm chain" acknowledges how transactional activities result in the generation of harm. Today, the "received marketing paradigm" is in the grip of disintegration since laisses-faire capitalism no longer seems to be sustainable [11].…”