Humanistic Marketing

Humanism in Business Series

2013, 304 pages, ISBN: 9781137353283
Publishers: Palgrave Macmillan
Series: Humanism in Business Series
Full Citation: Humanistic Marketing, Varey, R.J., Pirson, M. (Eds.) (2013). Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan

Marketing practice and scholarship are facing unprecedented challenges. The unsustainability of resource use, the increasing inequity of the market, and the continuous decline in societal trust pose a threat to business and 'marketing as usual'.

Humanistic Marketing is a response to the currently growing mega-trend call for rethinking marketing. The book organizes current thinking around the problems of marketing theory and practice as well as some possible solutions and ways forward: both for theory and practice. This volume was initiated by The Humanistic Management Network to contribute knowledge and understanding to the emerging humanistic business and management movement that does not accept perpetual economic expansion as a sustainably viable means of meeting individual and collective needs in society and nature, and instead seeks balance in place of excess. Humanistic Marketing recognises the harm that comes with the unfettered desire for more of more. The authors ask how can marketing's principles and practice be founded in humanistic values such as altruism, empathy, respect, trustworthiness, honesty, integrity, care, compassion, service, intelligence, beauty, justice, virtue? Furthermore, how can marketing help to protect human dignity and promote sustainable human (not consumer) well-being?

This book provides a diverse exploration of the position of marketing in the face of challenges for societal transformation, aiming to challenge, provoke, and inspire reflection, deliberation and debate.

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Table of Contents | Editorial Team | Links and Downloads

What's wrong with Marketing in theory and in practice?

1. Where Marketing Causes Trouble
2. Re-affirming the prevailing order?
3. What is Critical Marketing Studies?: Reading Macro, Social and Critical Marketing Studies
4. Rehumanizing Marketing (and Consumer Behavior)
5. Wants vs. Needs: On the Philosophical Bases of Humanistic Marketing
6. Marketing for Mortality? The Scottish Case and the Humankind Index
7. Criminal Marketing: An Inhuman Side of Business
8. Can Society Nurture Humanistic Marketing?
9. How is Humanistic Marketing Possible?

Marketing as a force for good

10. Fusing Back the Human, Radically
11. Translating Anthropological Consumption Theories into Humanistic Marketing Practices
12. Well-Being Marketing as Humanistic Marketing
13. Constructive Engagement, Macromarketing & Humanistic Marketing
14. Wisdom as Excellence in Commitment to Humanistic Marketing Practice
15. Power to the People: An Essay on Branding and Global Democracy
16. Responsible Advertising for Sustainable Development: The Case of French Responsible Agencies
17. Sustainable Marketing through The Natural Step
18. Social Networks and Marketing Happiness?: The Potential Role of Marketing in an Electronic World
19. Social Business: Everybody's Business

Closing Commentary. Towards Humanistic Marketing?