Social Marketing and Public Policy
Despite the broader view of marketing, research has largely ignored societal issues
and the value creation effects marketing can offer (Sheth and Sisodia 2005; Sheth
and Uslay 2007). Hence, very few pages of literature are devoted to social marketing. Social marketing is grounded in voluntary behavioral change to improve personal welfare and society of which they are part (Andreasen 1994). Behavioral
change occurs on a continuum, progressing from a recognition of the need to change,
to the process of finding support for change, and finally achieving a successful transition for the future. Social marketing can affect change through non-profits. Some
of the ways it does this is by providing clients with access to education, employment
possibilities, business opportunities, and access to capital (Brooks 2007).
In a similar vein, public policy is often designed to alter economic conditions
through behavioral change. While research focuses on the impact of public policy
and marketing relative to for-profit corporations (Gautier and Pache 2015; Varadarajan
and Menon 1988), a gap exists when it comes to non-profits. Social marketing and
public policy work in tandem to create a reciprocal exchange environment, offering
benefits to both individual recipients and society as a whole (Andreasen 1994; Wilkie
and Moore 2012). Approaching the topic from the perspective of the individual
receiving non-profit services sheds light on the role of non-profits as catalysts for
change.
CSR and Non-profits
Social marketing and public policy are often associated with the goals of CSR. CSR
is broadly defined as a firm’s activities and status relative to its societal and stakeholder obligations (Brown and Dacin 1997; Carroll 2008; Sen and Bhattacharya
2001). An accountability framework, known as the triple bottom line, was developed to gauge CSR based on social, environmental, and economic factors. Broken
down, this is the 3P business model comprised of people, planet, and profit (May
et al. 2007). For the purposes of the present study, the people dimension will be
examined for its relevance to the role of non-profits.
Non-profit firms are often established to better society and typically seek to
address economic and social issues. As defined by the Internal Revenue Service,
non-profit agencies are considered public charities, providing relief of the poor, the
distressed, or the underprivileged (IRS 2015). With the assistance of social marketing, awareness of a non-profit’s services can function to create social change, and
through public policy, this change can become the rule rather than the exception.
Stakeholder Theory
To understand the crossover effects of social marketing and public policy, the concept of stakeholder theory was used to frame the present study. Stakeholder theory is
associated with CSR as an accountability tool that creates value for a business
through the relationships between its stakeholders (Freeman 1984). According to
stakeholder theory, managers must satisfy a variety of stakeholders who can influence firm outcomes, and it can be beneficial for the firm to engage in those CSR
activities that stakeholders perceive to be important (Carroll 2008). Complex challenges arise when maintaining the relationships of the stakeholders. For the purposes
of this study, the stakeholder of concern is the customer of the non-profit, known as
the client. The client receives the services of the non-profit, which are designed to
improve his or her situation such that the individual no longer needs assistance.
Existing research on non-profits posits the importance of volunteerism (GatignonTurnau and Mignonac 2015; Jones 2010), the impact of donations from firms
(Adams and Hardwick 1998; Folse et al. 2010), and the managerial implications of
operations (Aguinis and Glavas; Freeman 2010). Yet, there is limited research on the
recipients of the services relative to a non-profit and the role of marketing in their
perceptions of and experiences with the non-profit (Green and Peloza 2015). A primary goal of this study is to explore from the client’s perspective the extent to which
a non-profit achieves its goals through the services it provides.
Methodology
Two main objectives were developed to address the purpose of this study: (1) to
explore the meanings of a non-profit and its services from the perspective of its clients and (2) to examine the extent to which these services might affect positive change
through social marketing and public policy. Considering that research in this area is
limited, a qualitative approach was utilized. Upon receipt of the Institutional Review
Board approval, in-depth interviews were conducted with non-profit participants.
Participants were recruited from a non-profit that provides women with support
for economic independence through professional development. A total of 36 women
comprised the sample, ranging in age from 25 to 59 years old. In-depth interviews
were completed over a 3-month period. Each interview lasted from 30 min to 2 h and
was conducted on-site at the non-profit. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Participants were asked to share their experiences as clients, their
views on the non-profit, and the challenges they face relative to the non-profit.
As is customary in qualitative research, interviews were administered until saturation in responses was achieved (Kvale 1996; McCracken 1988). Once complete,
At Crossroads
A non-profit is established to meet the needs of a particular client (IRS 2015). In the
case of this study, the non-profit was designed to help unemployed women learn the
skills necessary to secure long-term employment. Like many who receive social
services, the participants in this study only sought out the particular non-profit at the
time of need, when they had tried everything else and lost hope. For example,
Roberta, “…I felt really helpless, lost and hopeless. I didn’t know what to do or
where to start.” Other clients shared similar feelings that led them to seek help,
including Teresa who was “alone and afraid” and Kendra who felt “like I had been
dragged through the mud with no support.”
It is the role of this particular non-profit to assist the client achieve the ultimate
goal of being self-sufficient. For example, Yolanda sought out the non-profit for
help achieving economic independence, “I am an intelligent, educated woman,
under employed and economically stressed.” Interestingly, she saw the importance
of the big picture relative to this particular non-profit, especially in terms of social
marketing as a means of making a broader difference. She explained, “I would love
to see larger community involvement and more opportunities for public awareness.
This [the non-profit] would be a great organization to align with other groups in
coalition and certainly with the universities….” Yolanda points to the need for social
marketing as a means of increasing awareness about the issue (in this case, unemployment among women), awareness which, in turn, is necessary to fully support
not just this particular non-profit but others like it.
Through the experiences of the clients, it is evident that, as a stakeholder, the client is as important to the non-profit as the donor, volunteer, or even paid employee
when it comes to understanding how the non-profit can affect change. In the case of
the non-profit in this study, the client is seeking value through assistance during her
time of greatest need but expects that this assistance will serve her in the long term.
As Shawna, age 37, single and currently employed in an overnight sales position
stated, “I am currently underemployed. I would like to try and change this.” Like
other participants in this study, Shawna is seeking to establish a foundation of support that will help her ensure that this change is sustainable.
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