ABSTRACT
I ended the previous chapter by arguing that in order to deal better with issues of morality, the marketing literature was in need of a more explicit treatment of moral meaning. Much can be learned from such an investigation, for it provides us with insight into what people actually think, feel and do in marketing situations. Without this kind of knowledge, I feel it is problematic to discuss issues of morality. After all, what can be gained in speaking of ‘ethical’ marketing if we don’t know how those involved in the process understand and communicate notions of morality? How can we advocate a societal marketing orientation when we have little idea about the way that marketing shapes the moral consciousness of those involved in it? In that sense, what is needed in the marketing literature is a stronger bridge between micromarketing, i.e. the dynamics of the marketing process, and macromarketing, i.e. its relationship with wider society. To that end, I have focused this study principally on one particular area of marketing, namely that which relates to the natural environment – or as it is commonly known ‘green marketing’.
