Access Course<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-course-overview\">Course Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\nEthical decisions in business are everywhere. Organizations have learned that the costs of unethical actions can be high, both legally, and from a public relations perspective. This course introduces the major ethical frameworks in business and seeks to give learners a strong foundation in ethical business practices, whether as individuals, as a leaders, or as stewards of the organization. This course reviews how organizations can establish and encourage an ethical culture while monitoring for compliance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What You\u2019ll Learn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Describe the major ethical frameworks used in developing business ethics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain the three components of the Ethical Triangle: Individual Ethics, Leadership Ethics, and Governance and Control<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discuss key ethical challenges in the workplace<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Describe the use of organizational ethics codes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outline the ethical issues involved in the employer-employee relationship including Employment at Will, due process and fairness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discuss the use of ethics training<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain how organizations monitor ethical performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Describe the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ethics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outline issues involving corporate governance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain how sustainability is an ethical concern<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discuss ethics and the regulatory environment (Sarbanes-Oxley Act; U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain the issues around whistleblowing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Describe the role of leadership in establishing an ethical culture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2025//10//10-CEUs.png?w=350\%22 alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-207991\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\nAre you an <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////ama.org//pcm/">AMA Professional Certified Marketer\u00ae\ufe0f<\/a>? This training is worth 10 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM\u00ae\ufe0f certification.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","post_title":"Business Ethics in the 21st Century","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"business-ethics","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-10-07 14:10:38","post_modified_gmt":"2025-10-07 19:10:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_courses&p=190540","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_courses","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":221837,"post_author":"229343","post_date":"2026-02-10 08:59:11","post_date_gmt":"2026-02-10 14:59:11","post_content":"\n\"Immersive services\" are everywhere, from hospitals and eldercare facilities to schools and travel experiences. These services surround consumers, embedding them within structured environments that shape their daily lives. But what happens when these structures limit the consumer\u2019s freedom to make independent choices? A <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251319312/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a> explores this question, uncovering the challenges and opportunities for empowering consumer agency in immersive services.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur research team defines \u201cimmersive services\u201d as those in which consumers are deeply embedded for a period of time, with their experiences largely constructed by the service. This includes industries like healthcare, education, hospitality, and eldercare. We identify four key characteristics of these services that can challenge consumer agency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encapsulation<\/strong>: Consumers are deeply immersed in the service, often separated from other parts of their lives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Positionality<\/strong>: Hierarchies and power dynamics create stark differences between consumers and service providers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protocolization<\/strong>: Rigid routines and protocols dictate consumer behavior.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Multivocality<\/strong>: Multiple voices and perspectives within the service influence how consumers are expected to act.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nThese characteristics can make it difficult for consumers to act freely, thus affecting their well-being. For instance, consider healthcare settings where patients are required to follow strict protocols, or eldercare facilities where residents may feel constrained by rigid schedules. As polarization and AI-driven decision making become more common, these challenges are becoming even more pressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe discover, however, that consumers are not passive participants in immersive services. Instead, they actively work to regain their sense of agency through \u201cimprovisations\u201d\u2014creative strategies that allow them to navigate the constraints of the service. Specifically, consumers use five pathways to reclaim agency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expanding the figured world<\/strong>: Shaping their experience on their own terms by exerting control over time and space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Voicing<\/strong>: Speaking out to challenge rules or advocate for changes in how they are treated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seeking task responsibility<\/strong>: Taking on meaningful tasks to assert independence and purpose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Challenging protocols<\/strong>: Pushing back against rigid processes to co-create a service experience that better fits their needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Playing and imagining<\/strong>: Using creativity and imagination to reframe their experience and celebrate life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nFor service managers, these findings offer clear strategies to empower consumers while maintaining necessary structure. Two key managerial approaches stand out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leverage technology to expand consumer freedom<\/strong>: Virtual tools and personalized digital platforms can help consumers navigate encapsulation and protocolization by providing more choices and flexibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develop empathy-driven relationships<\/strong>: By fostering stronger interpersonal connections, service providers can address positionality and multivocality, helping consumers feel valued and heard.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nWe recommend a two-pronged approach to assess and address gaps in consumer agency. First, managers should analyze how the four structural characteristics\u2014encapsulation, positionality, multivocality, and protocolization\u2014impact consumers. Second, they should evaluate how effectively their services support the five pathways consumers use to regain agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\nImmersive services are critical to modern life, but they must evolve to meet the needs of consumers. By empowering consumers to reclaim their agency, service providers can enhance customer satisfaction, foster loyalty, and improve overall wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nSource:<\/strong> Laurel Anderson, Catharina Von Koshull, Martin Mende, and Johanna Gummerus, \u201c<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251319312/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Immersive Service: Characteristics, Challenges, and Pathways to Consumer Agency<\/a>,\u201d <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGo to the\u00a0<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Addressing Consumer Well-Being in \"Immersive Services\" like Healthcare, Education, and Hospitality","post_excerpt":"A Journal of Marketing study shows how immersive services that embrace consumer agency benefit from stronger, more loyal customer relationships.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"addressing-consumer-well-being-in-immersive-services-like-healthcare-education-and-hospitality","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-02-10 08:59:15","post_modified_gmt":"2026-02-10 14:59:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=221837","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220645,"post_author":"210445","post_date":"2026-02-02 09:39:22","post_date_gmt":"2026-02-02 15:39:22","post_content":"\nPicture your great\u00b9\u2070\u2070\u2070 grandma crouched by a fire pit 25,000 years ago, deciding whether to eat unfamiliar berries or face starvation. She braves the bitterness, survives, and passes her taste-sensing genes through generations, eventually reaching you. Fast forward to today: you\u2019re ordering an extra-dark roast at Starbucks while your friend frowns over your \u201cbitter\u201d choice. Little do they know, your ancient ancestor might still be calling the shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNow here's the twist: major genetic testing companies have collected DNA from 30+ million people, including data that reveals the ancestors\u2019 taste legacy in unprecedented detail. Companies can potentially benefit from this genetic treasure. But should they? When does betting on ancient taste make business sense? How can marketers decipher these ancient ties and utilize them in their decision making?<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn a <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241244736/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent Journal of Marketing Research<\/em> study<\/a>, authors Remi Daviet and Gideon Nave analyzed genetic and survey data from 182,212 UK adults, examining 1.5 million genetic variations across seven taste dimensions (bitter, fatty, salty, savory, sour, spicy, and sweet). Their study provides the first large-scale empirical assessment of how genetic information performs against traditional demographic, behavioral, and consumption data in real-world marketing applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe results from Daviet and Nave\u2019s study are remarkably promising: genetic data can predict 10.9% to 12.5% of taste preferences, which is meaningful for business decisions. Genetic data shines brightest for uncommon tastes that don't appear in consumption data, delivering 97% to 233% improvements over traditional methods for flavors like spicy, sour, and bitter. Even familiar tastes saw gains ranging from 28% to 68%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\nGenetic data boosts the prediction accuracy of what customers will crave before they know it themselves, giving companies a first-mover advantage in untapped preferences.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-implications-in-different-contexts\">Implications in Different Contexts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Food\/Beverage Companies:<\/strong> Target customers before they discover niche tastes, especially for products with uncommon flavor profiles. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Healthcare\/Pharma:<\/strong> Develop better-tasting formulations for genetically bitter-averse patients to improve medication adherence. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meal Kit Services:<\/strong> Use genetic screening to curate boxes that match individual taste predispositions, reducing returns and waste. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Government Agencies:<\/strong> Design nutrition programs that align with genetic predispositions rather than fighting against them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nTo explore the real-world implications of this research, we interviewed both authors about the practical questions their findings raise. Our conversation moved from research motivations and surprising discoveries to business cases and implementation strategies, before examining broader industry opportunities and future evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Was there any specific moment, observation, or personal experience that made you think, \"we need to research this?\" Was doing a genetic test the inspiration?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> It was just the right time for this. There is a lot of genetic data that was never available before, and research from twin studies shows many behaviors are heritable and genetics should be informative of them. Although there were a few commercial applications, it's unclear when managers should use this data. We wanted to look for the most basic input to this process, which is how predictive genetic data is relative to other variables. Lastly, as academic researchers, we chose nutrition and diet as our focus because this research can potentially improve people's lives and contribute to social benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> I did genetic testing because I was curious. I actually did it in Europe because they have better consumer protection for genetic data. We examined food taste because it's one of the characteristics that is heavily heritable and relevant. We know that taste preferences are a very strong predictor of consumption. That was a good case study, demonstrating that genetics has an effect and is relevant to predicting consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Were there any surprising or unexpected findings in your study that challenged your initial assumptions? How did the research evolve from the surprising findings?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> We know from past research that genetics is predictive of most behavior to some extent. We were unsure whether genetics would offer predictive value beyond other factors, such as sociodemographic background or consumption patterns. My prediction was that it would add some predictive power to a bit of everything, but that was not the case. There are others where it adds a lot of predictive power, such as tastes like bitter, spicy, or sour, which are not often consumed in the local British diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> For many tastes, we know that there are genetically programmed sensitivities because of known genes. For example, there is a receptor in the tongue that senses spiciness. To our surprise, genes that are known to be related to sensitivity to these tastes do not have a strong effect on preferences. Most of the genetic variants that are predictive cannot be directly linked to a known biological mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> There is a specific gene that can predict how people are sensitive to sourness, whether they can detect sourness in a sample. We were expecting that this would predict well if people like sour or not, but actually not. Instead, the liking is a lot of tiny effects across the genome that accumulate to create the overall taste preference, which is very complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Suppose you were advising a Fortune 500 CEO who's skeptical about investing in genetic marketing. What would be your elevator pitch to convince them this isn't just academic curiosity but a real business opportunity?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> They don't have to invest in marketing, and they can just let the competitor do it and gain a competitive advantage if they prefer. One of the strong advantages of genetics is its ability to identify patterns not revealed in past purchase data. This can help you identify new markets where there is no data, as they are unexplored and lack existing products. It can help you personalize based on different segments, something that traditional data might miss because either there is no data about it or it's at an aggregate level.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Imagine you know what a consumer will need or will love before they even buy it\u2014before they realize it themselves. One example is male balding patterns. This tendency is genetic so that you can predict it from birth. Knowing this allows you to build your brand image among potential customers before they become actual customers. Often, we only reveal certain traits after a while, and having first access is a significant competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: What are the most realistic applications of your findings? For example, if I'm launching a new energy drink, can you walk us through a simple, nontechnical roadmap? What's the step-by-step genetic marketing playbook?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Imagine your energy drink has several flavors: bitter coffee, sweet strawberry, and sour lemon. These tastes are determined by people\u2019s genetic profile, not just demographics. You could partner with a company like Ancestry.com to market to people with a certain flavor preference, without needing to collect the genetic data yourself. The key factor is that the data is very sensitive, and people may react very negatively to its use without their consent. The playbook will be used as carefully as possible, serving as a tool for segmentation and targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> Let\u2019s say you want to do a personalized drink, and you can identify key genetic traits such as caffeine metabolism, taste preference, health consciousness, and lifestyle without even having access to the data. You can see how these traits correlate in the genetic data and then tailor your product offering to different profiles and ask genetic companies to do personalized recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Some conditions, like having allergies to certain things or not being able to metabolize certain things, do have a strong genetic signal. Specific products, like lactose-free or alcohol-free versions, sometimes address these needs. There could be small segments that reveal these needs through genetic data.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Beyond taste preferences, what other consumer behaviors have strong genetic components that non-food\/health industries should pay attention to? Which industry do you think is missing the biggest genetic marketing opportunity right now?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> Behavioral genetics predicts everything to some extent. We can consider experiential services, as well as cultural services such as travel and entertainment. If you know someone's ancestry background, you can tailor your marketing efforts to explore their cultural heritage. Based on genetics, someone might discover they have Latin American ancestry they didn't know of and start exploring that. You can extend to pretty much anything\u2014lifestyle, work.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Basically, everything is heritable except for the language you speak and the religion you practice. Even aspects such as your likelihood of divorce can be genetically influenced to some extent, as they correlate with specific genetic traits. There could be helpful signals everywhere. The question is when it's stronger, when it's not predictable from other data. That's where genetics comes into play. Beauty and educational attainment have potential, but they're not limited to these.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Please paint us a picture: How do you see genetic marketing evolving over the next 10 years?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> Epigenetics might be easier. Epigenetics looks at how molecules attach to DNA and change gene expression, which evolves throughout life and provides a lot of additional information. Without the need for sampling one million people, and because it evolves over life, it's more accurate. Currently, some companies are working in that field, and what's trendy is biological age. Maybe you're 25, but biologically, are you closer to 30 or 20? I could see an opportunity there because it's more accessible, informative, and growing. Since it's less complicated to gain insight from, it might be more sustainable on the business side, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur conversation revealed that genetics work best for \"hidden\" preferences not shown in purchase data, and surprisingly, the authors noted that \"basically everything is heritable except language and religion,\" which opens up endless possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, this raises critical questions: If genetic data can have such promising predictive power, where do we draw the ethical lines? For a comprehensive framework on the promise and perils of genetic marketing, read Dr. Daviet, Dr. Nave, and Dr. Wind's essential guide, \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//0022242920980767/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genetic Data: Potential Uses and Misuses in Marketing<\/a>.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-references\">References<\/h4>\n\n\n\nRemi Daviet, Gideon Nave, and Jerry Wind (2021), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//0022242920980767/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genetic Data: Potential Uses and Misuses in Marketing<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em>, 86 (1), 7\u201326.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRemi Daviet and Gideon Nave (2024), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241244736/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Value of Genetic Data in Predicting Preferences: A Study of Food Taste<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em>, 61 (6), 1116\u201331. <\/p>\n\n\n\nGo to the <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Should Your Business Bet on Great\u00b9\u2070\u2070\u2070 Grandma's Taste Using Genetic Data?","post_excerpt":"This Journal of Marketing Research study shows how genetic data can significantly improve prediction of taste preferences above traditionally used metrics like demographics, behavioral variables, and even past consumption.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"should-your-business-bet-on-great%c2%b9%e2%81%b0%e2%81%b0%e2%81%b0-grandmas-taste-using-genetic-data","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-02-04 17:29:48","post_modified_gmt":"2026-02-04 23:29:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=220645","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":208399,"post_author":"221465","post_date":"2025-10-15 10:21:56","post_date_gmt":"2025-10-15 15:21:56","post_content":"\n\n\nShared product consumption is becoming increasingly popular, with examples including communal amenities in hotels and the use of hand sanitizer in restaurants. This approach can help firms reduce costs, and in some cases, it aligns with sustainability policies. However, essential questions remain: How do consumers feel when using shared products, and does it matter with whom the product is shared?<\/p>\n\n\n\nA <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437231181137/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/em> study<\/a> explores shared product consumption from the consumer\u2019s perspective. The research examines how sharing a product with distant others (sharing-out), compared to sharing with close others (sharing-in) or not sharing, influences consumers\u2019 perceived product efficacy. Using a variety of products (hand sanitizer, shampoo, and a plant growth product), the authors consistently show that in the sharing-out condition, consumers perceived lower product efficacy and used more of the product compared to the sharing-in or no-sharing conditions. This adverse effect of sharing out is driven by a reduced sense of identification with the product in these contexts. However, the strength of the sharing-out effect on perceived product efficacy is not uniform across all consumers. The authors show that the adverse impact of sharing out is attenuated for consumers with low (vs. high) self\u2013brand connection, as these consumers are less likely to use the self as a reference point when evaluating the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-striking-the-right-balance-in-shared-consumption\">Striking the Right Balance in Shared Consumption<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis research highlights a significant challenge in hospitality, restaurant, and related industries as the use of shared products becomes increasingly popular and, in some cases, mandated by policy. Although shared products have clear benefits, they also risk undermining consumers\u2019 perceptions of product efficacy, leading to overconsumption and potentially diminishing the customer experience. How can firms strike the right balance?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nAccording to the study, strengthening the customer\u2013brand connection and fostering a sense of \u201cin-group\u201d belonging can help. For instance, to encourage acceptance of shared pump bottles for shampoo or body wash, Marriott Hotels could highlight the sense of community built through its Bonvoy membership program, echoing the inclusive spirit of Olive Garden\u2019s former tagline, \u201cWhen you\u2019re here, you\u2019re family.\u201d Similarly, marketers can cultivate perceptions of in-group membership and closeness\u2014whether rooted in geographic location, community, or workplace\u2014so that sharing feels less like \u201csharing out\u201d with strangers and more like \u201csharing in\u201d with trusted others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were honored to have a chance to contact the authors to learn more about their study and gain additional insights.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: What motivated you to study how sharing products with strangers affects consumers\u2019 perceptions of product efficacy? Why did this question feel important to explore in light of current industry practices or trends?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: Several of the coauthors on the paper had worked together before on projects related to product efficacy and so were familiar with the literature. And, as happens when you are immersed in a domain, you begin to process phenomena around you through that lens. We had all started noticing a proliferation of shareable toiletries in hotel rooms, and then, of course, the shared hand sanitizer stations that seemingly sprang up overnight during COVID. We began brainstorming about these shared consumption experiences and how they might differ from experiences with individual containers of the same products.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Were there any surprising findings about which consumers were most affected by sharing out? For example, did loyal or brand-connected customers respond differently from casual users?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: We found that the negative effect of sharing with strangers on perceived efficacy is more pronounced for consumers with high self\u2013brand connection, which is consistent with our theorizing. What we were surprised by was the extent of the heterogeneity in responses among the 77 managers surveyed. Almost all of them believed that the decision to offer a shared product was essential and would impact customers, but beyond that, they had no clear consensus on how it would affect customers. This reinforced our decision to tackle this research question.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Do you believe these effects might extend beyond toiletries or hand sanitizers to other shared products (e.g., rental equipment, coworking tools)? How might businesses in those categories address similar challenges?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: The focus of the work is on judgment of product efficacy. We test the theory in categories, like pain relievers and hand sanitizers, that are used specifically for their efficacious outcomes. There is already extensive literature on the sharing of other \u201cnon-efficacy\u201d products, like rental cars, that shows that these products suffer from the potential contagion or disgust that arises from shared touch. By contrast, in our work, there is not necessarily a shared touch component, and therefore, the underlying process is entirely different. We do think that there is room for future work to extend our theory to other consumer contexts that lead to reduced product identification and lower efficacy. That would be a nice contribution to the literature. <\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Your research suggests that shared product usage may lower perceived efficacy, potentially leading to overuse and declining brand loyalty. At the same time, providing single-use products (like toiletries in hotels) raises sustainability concerns. What advice would you offer hospitality businesses trying to balance guest experience with environmental goals?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: It is crucial for companies to think of the environmental impact of their policies and products. Companies should consider investing in technologies and using materials that are consistent with both societal and environmental goals and individual customer experience. For example, most restaurants now only offer compostable paper straws in place of plastic ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Do digital or virtual product-sharing experiences (e.g., co-watching, app demos) show similar psychological effects?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: We focused our investigation on physical goods; however, it would be interesting for future research to explore whether the same effect holds for digital or virtual experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: How can brands apply your findings in designing product sampling or trial experiences? For example, in stores like Sephora, where trial products are typically shared, what should marketers consider to preserve or enhance perceived product efficacy?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: To address the negative effects of sharing, businesses might consider strengthening social bonds among users. For stores like Sephora, this could be achieved by organizing community events or by adopting messaging that fosters a sense of belonging, such as Olive Garden\u2019s tagline: \u201cWe\u2019re all family here.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\nSource:<\/strong> Lama Lteif, Lauren Block, Thomas Kramer, and Mahima Hada (2024), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437231181137/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Influence of Shared Consumption on Product Efficacy Perceptions: The Detrimental Effect of Sharing with Strangers<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/em>, 61 (3), 536\u201351. doi:<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437231181137/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10.1177\/00222437231181137<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nGo to the\u00a0<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Sharing Makes Us Wasteful: How Shared Products Drive Overuse\u2014And What Businesses Can Do","post_excerpt":"A Journal of Marketing Research study shows how consumers perceive shared products like communal hand sanitizer as less effective, leading them to use more\u2014especially when sharing with strangers rather than close others.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"sharing-makes-us-wasteful-how-shared-products-drive-overuse-and-what-businesses-can-do","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-10-15 10:21:59","post_modified_gmt":"2025-10-15 15:21:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=208399","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206344,"post_author":"210445","post_date":"2025-09-25 11:31:39","post_date_gmt":"2025-09-25 16:31:39","post_content":"\n\n\nHave you ever considered using a small donation on product packaging to benefit your brand? Popular examples of this practice include, \u201cbuy a pack of toilet paper and the brand will donate 5 cents to the WWF\u201d or \u201cpurchase a chocolate bar and 1.4 cents goes to UNICEF.\u201d These promotional campaigns are known as Cause-Related Marketing Promotions (CMPs)<\/strong>, which are designed to boost sales while supporting important causes of nonprofit organizations. Although these may seem small on the package, they are considerable investments for marketing managers. Beyond the donation, this promotion technique involves negotiation with the nonprofit organization as well as the redesign and reproduction of the packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, do CMPs actually<\/em> drive sales, especially when they're tucked away on a tiny part of the package? In addition, can they cut through the noise when consumers are faced with overwhelming product choices on grocery store shelves?<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn a<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437231200807/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> recent Journal of Marketing Research<\/em> study<\/a>, authors Christina Schamp, Mark Heitmann, Yuri Peers, and Peter Leeflang investigate the potency of CMPs in driving short-term sales in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail settings. By analyzing eight years of data covering 63 CMP campaigns across 20 product categories, their study provides the first comprehensive field analysis of how CMPs impact sales in real-world retail environments. Below are the main findings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cmps-increase-sales-on-average\">CMPs Increase Sales<\/strong> on Average<\/h2>\n\n\n\nOn average, CMPs produce a 4.9% weekly sales increase while donating 3.2% of the product price. CMPs typically run for 11 weeks, creating sustained growth without the post-promotion dip seen in traditional price promotion (PP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-should-use-cmps\">Who Should Use CMPs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe analysis reveals a large heterogeneity among different CMP campaigns. As CMPs might be overlooked at the point of sale, sales effects can double for categories where consumers notice the brand for factors other than the CMP itself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Category leaders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brands priced below category average<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brands with fewer past price promotions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brands in simpler markets (fewer SKUs or less price dispersion)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWhen the setting does not suffice for a brand to enter the consumer\u2019s consideration set, a simultaneously executed price promotion can boost the CMPs\u2019 sales effects. Specifically, a 10% price reduction increases the CMPs\u2019 sales lift by an average of 6.64% over and above the main effect of the PP itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-make-your-next-cmp-campaign-more-impactful\">How to Make Your Next CMP Campaign More Impactful<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For leading\/low-priced brands: CMPs can work well on their own<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For non-leading\/higher-priced brands: Combine with price promotions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For all brands: time PPs and CMPs in parallel as opposed to subsequently<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe logic behind this is simple: consumers can only respond to cause-related marketing that they actually notice. In crowded retail environments, shoppers quickly screen products using obvious cues, such as brand names and prices, so CMPs often go unnoticed unless the brand is already likely to be considered for other reasons. In other words, brands need to enter the consideration set to make CMPs work. CMPs do not drive the consideration set on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n\"Brands need to enter the consideration set to make CMPs work. CMPs do not drive the consideration set on their own.\"<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2025//09//Comic-JMR-CM-as-sales-promotion.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-206745\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Lana Lauren\/WU Marketing Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWe interviewed three of the authors to better understand the complex complementarity of CMPs and PPs and explore aspects of the research beyond what is reported in the article. Christina, Mark, and Yuri emphasized the role of price promotions in making CMPs a success in the FMCG sector, one of the largest and most diverse industries in terms of product categories, SKUs, and global turnover:<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: What makes your research particularly valuable to both practitioners and researchers, and what surprising insights have emerged from it?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA:<\/strong> The main point of the paper is twofold. First, the average effect of CMPs is small, donations are modest, and sales gains are limited. Many brands do not repeat CMPs possibly because of insufficient economic returns. However, because these campaigns last longer than typical promotions, the total effect over time is not negligible. Other forms of promotion, such as price promotions, would experience diminishing effects over longer periods. Second, we found heterogeneity in CMP effects and studied why some cause-related marketing promotions work well while others do not. When you get it right, cause-related marketing has the potential of way higher effects than the average suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother special aspect of this study is that it tackles a phenomenon mainly studied in lab experiments, where the effects might appear larger than in the actual market. Rather than focusing on campaign design elements, it examines contextual factors such as pricing and competition\u2014variables that are harder to test in lab settings but crucial for understanding what drives CMP success in the real world. With the actual data, we are able to study the actual economic returns of CMP.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Typically, when brands run CMPs, they add to the marketing cost. Further adding PPs could end up hurting gains in the long run. Can brands boost their CMP performance with other marketing tactics, such as store positioning and in-store promotions?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA:<\/strong> We do not have data on marketing tactics, such as store positioning or in-store promotions, but our evidence suggests that improving product visibility and consumer consideration would theoretically enhance CMP effects. We find that price promotions are particularly effective in ensuring consumer consideration. At first sight, they might seem like a conceptual mismatch that appeals to egoistic consumer motives rather than the altruistic motives CMP relates to. However, consideration is critical to ensure that CMPs do not pass unnoticed limits. Combining these factors creates a synergistic benefit. Note that the additional CMP effect due to price promotions comes at the top of the regular price promotion effect. Importantly, we also do not observe post-promotional dips with CMPs; once customers buy because of cause-related marketing, their sales levels do not fall below regular sales. Since brands typically need to work with retailers to conduct price promotions while CMPs are fully under their control, we recommend better coordination and timing. If you are doing both promotions anyway, align them for maximum benefit, rather than running them separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Based on market evidence, do you think brands should take care of maintaining a logical match\u2014like toilet paper brands supporting forest projects\u2014<\/em><\/strong>to make their CMPs perform better, sales-wise?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA:<\/strong> Empirically, fit as a moderator is difficult to objectively code in hindsight. For example, a German beer brand donated to rainforest conservation. While this might not seem to be a high fit, advertising and brand positioning might influence fit perceptions over time and suggest otherwise to consumers. A cause-related marketing meta-analysis (Schamp et al., 2023) found that fit is one of the most researched phenomena in lab settings; however, it has only a small effect on consumer response. In a preliminary analysis based on subjective coding of fit, we found similar small effects of fit but did not include them in the paper due to interpretational challenges. Conceptually and based on our findings, we would expect factors such as visibility, concurrent price promotions, and being a leading brand to play a more dominant role than fit, which individual consumers might perceive very differently. Also note that until now, there has not been much competition in terms of simultaneous CMP campaigns in one category in a given time, which might help to make fit considerations more salient.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFrom an NGO perspective, this could be good news. It might very well open up many more possible collaborations, such as the beer brand\u2019s effort for rainforest conservation, that marketers might otherwise rule out due to concerns about a possible lack of fit. When negotiating with brands, we further recommend that NGOs focus on the duration of the campaign rather than just the donation amount. Since we see a constant weekly sales lift over the campaign period, focusing on campaign length creates a win-win for both brands and nonprofits.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: This study focuses on the FMCG sector, which has its own challenges. What kind of sales boost do you expect other product sectors to focus on CMPs such as apparel, cosmetics, and electronics?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: <\/strong>One of the reasons we studied the FMCG sector was its one-of-a-kind nature. FMCG is roughly 14 trillion USD in global industry, marking about 10% of the global economy. This is important not only from an industry perspective but also from an NGO awareness perspective. Pretty much all of us go grocery shopping. Running the right collaboration with leading brands, brands with attractive price positions, or those willing to add price promotions has a good chance of reaching many people who might be interested in supporting charitable causes but due to different reasons might fail to do so otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile we lack data, we could try to draw some logical conclusions from our findings regarding other industries. For example, in electronics, Apple is a well-recognized brand; therefore, if they run a reasonable CMP, they would have a good chance of making a sizeable impact. Conversely, one of the many USB drive brands on Amazon risks smaller effects because CMPs do not attract consideration on their own. Therefore, in terms of generalization, we would not be able to differentiate industries but would think more about the actual shopping experiences and the complexity of consumers\u2019 decision-making processes. Whenever consumers apply consideration-then-choice decision making, several factors such as the ones we observed should help CMPs boost sales and promote ethical consumerism. Of course, other factors not part of our investigation could play an additional role in other categories and would need to be considered in addition to these considerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Some of the data are more than 10 years old, and consumer consumption has changed considerably since then in terms of increased digital retail and consumers' rising awareness about societal issues. If this study were done today, what could be the possible differences in the results?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA:<\/strong> To investigate this, we controlled for time effects within our dataset and did not observe a strong shift in CMP effectiveness over time. Moreover, other ongoing projects have shown similar effect sizes. Regarding the role of consideration, we do not expect this to change over time. However, it is important to distinguish temporary cause-related marketing promotions specifically designed to boost short-term sales from brand positioning around ethical consumerism or corporate social responsibility (CSR). When any regular brand adds CMPs, consumers can only find them once they inspect these brands in more detail. However, ethically conscious consumers are often aware of sustainable brands and are likely to consider these without the need for additional price promotions or the necessity of being a market-leading brand. These brands may have profited from the rising awareness of societal issues. Note that very recently, the attention to CSR may have slowed somewhat, but as Forbes notes, \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.forbes.com//sites//robkaplan//2024//09//04//sustainability-isnt-in-a-recession-its-graduating-from-high-schoolthe-dust-up-over-unilevers-recent-reframing-of-its-sustainability-commitments//#:~:text=Sustainability%20isn't%20in%20a%20recession%3B%20it's%20graduating%20from%20high,many%20other%20critical%20sustainability%20goals.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sustainability isn't in a recession; it's graduating from high school<\/a>.\" More brands are adopting these approaches and consumers are becoming more selective, requiring brands to be more informed about CSR execution and point-of-sale communications. A similar study of long-term CSR might shed further light on when and how to excite consumers with CSR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nGo to the <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-references\">References<\/h4>\n\n\n\nKaplan, R. (2024), \"Sustainability Isn't in a Recession, It's Graduating from High School,\" Forbes <\/em>(September 5). <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.forbes.com//sites//robkaplan//2024//09//04//sustainability-isnt-in-a-recession-its-graduating-from-high-schoolthe-dust-up-over-unilevers-recent-reframing-of-its-sustainability-commitments///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/robkaplan\/2024\/09\/04\/sustainability-isnt-in-a-recession-its-graduating-from-high-schoolthe-dust-up-over-unilevers-recent-reframing-of-its-sustainability-commitments\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSchamp, Christina, Mark Heitmann, Tammo H.A. Bijmolt, and Robin Katzenstein (2022), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437221109782/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Effectiveness of Cause-Related Marketing: A Meta-Analysis on Consumer Responses<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em>, 60 (1), 189\u2013215. doi:<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437221109782/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10.1177\/00222437221109782<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSchamp, Christina, Mark Heitmann, Yuri Peers, and Peter S.H. Leeflang (2024), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437231200807/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cause-Related Marketing as Sales Promotion<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em>, 61 (5), 955\u201374. doi:<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437231200807/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10.1177\/00222437231200807<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Do Good, Sell More: Can Cause-Related Marketing Promotions Boost Product Sales?","post_excerpt":"On average, Cause-Related Marketing Promotions produce a 4.9% weekly sales increase while donating 3.2% of the product price.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"do-good-sell-more-can-cause-related-marketing-promotions-boost-product-sales","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-09-26 09:01:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-09-26 14:01:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=206344","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":200625,"post_author":"21","post_date":"2025-07-22 10:35:23","post_date_gmt":"2025-07-22 15:35:23","post_content":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-special-issue-editors-david-a-griffith-texas-a-amp-m-university-cheryl-nakata-university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro-aysegul-ozsomer-koc-university-goksel-yalcinkaya-university-of-new-hampshire\">Special Issue Editors: David A. Griffith (Texas A&M University), Cheryl Nakata (University of North Carolina at Greensboro), Ay\u015feg\u00fcl \u00d6zsomer (Ko\u00e7 University), G\u00f6ksel Yal\u00e7\u0131nkaya (University of New Hampshire)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-submission-window-august-1-september-30-2026\">Submission Window: August 1\u2013<\/strong>September 30, 2026<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nSustainable innovation is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of global marketing strategy, reshaping how firms create value and fulfill broader societal responsibilities. As climate change, resource depletion, and social equity concerns intensify, marketing scholars and practitioners are increasingly seeking to understand how sustainability and innovation intersect within international contexts. The Marketing Science Institute\u2019s 2024 Research Priorities highlight the urgency of examining how sustainable marketing and innovation shape the consumer journey, business performance, and societal outcomes (Marketing Science Institute 2024). Firms must innovate not only to meet growing demand for responsible products but also to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and stakeholder expectations, thereby driving competitive advantage, long-term growth, and the greater good (Grinstein et al. 2022; Varadarajan et al. 2021; White et al. 2024). Deeper insights are needed into the mechanisms through which sustainable innovations influence consumer behavior, brand loyalty, and firm performance across diverse cultural and market settings (Varadarajan 2023; White et al. 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\nRecent research also highlights the importance of understanding when and how firms should standardize or adapt their sustainable marketing strategies across international markets and calls for further research on aligning operational and financial performance with broader sustainability objectives (Griffith 2021). This need is echoed in foundational work from the Journal of International Marketing, which explores the roles of public policy, global social innovation, and demarketing for sustainability, especially in base-of-the-pyramid markets, and discusses the interplay between corporate, consumer, and government responsibilities in achieving sustainable development goals (Varadarajan 2014, 2023; Varadarajan et al. 2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis special issue aims to advance theoretical, empirical and practical understanding of global sustainability and innovation in international marketing. We invite submissions that investigate sustainable marketing strategies, innovation diffusion, responsible innovation, and their implications for consumers, firms, and societies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Integration of sustainability into international marketing strategies and business models.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Green innovation strategies for adapting sustainable products and services to diverse cultural, regulatory and institutional environments in international markets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consumer responses to sustainability communication, green advertising, and pro-environmental behavior in global markets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The role of digital technologies (e.g., AI, blockchain) in enhancing transparency and driving sustainable marketing innovation internationally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digital transformation as a driver for reducing the environmental footprint of global marketing operations and enhancing sustainable value delivery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Responsible innovation, including ethical considerations, stakeholder engagement, and governance mechanisms that ensure innovations contribute positively to society and the environment from a global perspective.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cross-cultural and cross-industry patterns in the adoption and diffusion of sustainable innovations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Implementation and communication of circular economy business models by multinational firms in developed and emerging markets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The impact of sustainable innovation on brand loyalty, customer engagement, and firm performance in international contexts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Authentic brand activism and its influence on consumer trust and brand equity regarding sustainability and innovation across different countries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Innovations in sustainable supply chain management and their marketing to international stakeholders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The effectiveness of social commerce and influencer-driven campaigns in promoting sustainable consumption behaviors globally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regulatory innovation as a catalyst for sustainable marketing adaptation and compliance in international business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Metrics and methodologies for evaluating the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives in international marketing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Global standardization and local adaptation of sustainable innovation across markets and downstream consequences on customer satisfaction and firm performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nRecent research has expanded sustainable international business model innovations, emphasizing the shift from linear to circular economies and the need for adaptation across diverse markets. Scholars have shown how multinational enterprises can spearhead climate action and sustainability initiatives while managing complex global supply chains (Marano et al. 2024; Zaheer 2025). The evolution of sustainability marketing\u2014from traditional green marketing to circular\u2010economy models, anticonsumption, and regulatory frameworks\u2014has been comprehensively documented (White et al. 2024). Innovation-management research identifies responsible, business model and public value innovation as critical pathways for advancing sustainability in global markets (Spanjol et al. 2024), while empirical evidence links board gender diversity and culturally feminine values to stronger environmental innovation outcomes (Bazel-Shoham et al. 2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe academic literature also highlights the breadth and structure of sustainability research in marketing, providing a basis for future research opportunities. Empirical studies demonstrate that firms\u2019 efforts to \u201cgreen\u201d the marketing mix can yield significant business and societal benefits, though outcomes often depend on context and execution (Leonidou et al., 2013). Additionally, recent frameworks guide marketers in shifting consumer behavior toward sustainability, offering evidence-based strategies for overcoming barriers and fostering pro-environmental choices (White et al., 2019). In line with this, work in international marketing underscores the need for frameworks that guide firms in balancing global consistency with local adaptation and in measuring the impact of sustainability initiatives on both business outcomes and societal well-being (Griffith, 2021; Varadarajan, 2014; Varadarajan et al., 2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\nCollectively, these studies establish a robust theoretical and empirical foundation for understanding how sustainability and innovation intersect within international marketing, offering valuable insights for scholars and practitioners navigating global sustainable business practices. They also provide a springboard for new research on sustainability and innovation within the international marketing context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-submission-guidelines\">Submission Guidelines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor this special issue, we welcome conceptual, empirical, and methodological papers that address the theme of \u201cGlobal Sustainability and Innovation in International Marketing.\u201d All submissions will undergo the Journal of International Marketing<\/em> double-anonymized peer review process. Papers targeting this special issue should be submitted through the JIM<\/em> submission system (<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com//?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmc.manuscriptcentral.com%2Fama_jim&data=05%7C02%7Cdgriffith%40mays.tamu.edu%7Cc163b183d4d34c2b77a708ddb76c656f%7C68f381e346da47b9ba576f322b8f0da1%7C1%7C0%7C638868398701483186%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=lj3yR17m%2FXksDDIMC%2Bq0OaEg%2FcAZsNaUAjuMRg%2F9l1s%3D&reserved=0\%22 target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/mc.manuscriptcentral.com\/ama_jim<\/a>) starting on August 1, 2026, with the final deadline for submissions being September 30, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conference-special-session\">Conference Special Session<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAn associated special session on \u201cGlobal Sustainability and Innovation in International Marketing\u201d will be held at the <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.amaglobalsig.org//nice2026/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2026 AMA Global Conference in Nice, France<\/a>. Submission to this special session is not required for submission to the JIM<\/em> special issue. Authors submitting to the special session should submit a five-page, double-spaced extended abstract to the 2026 AMA Global Marketing Conference by November 1, 2025. They will receive feedback from the guest editors. Please note that submission of an extended abstract does not guarantee inclusion in the special session. Authors whose abstracts are not selected for the special session are still eligible to submit their complete manuscripts to the Special Issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor detailed submission instructions and formatting guidelines, please visit the <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-international-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of International Marketing<\/em> website<\/a>. For questions and inquiries regarding the special issue, please contact Goksel Yalcinkaya (<a href=https://www.ama.org/topics/ethics/\"mailto:goksel.yalcinkaya@unh.edu\">goksel.yalcinkaya@unh.edu) and Ay\u015feg\u00fcl \u00d6zsomer (<a href=https://www.ama.org/topics/ethics/\"mailto:aozsomer@ku.edu.tr\">aozsomer@ku.edu.tr)./n

Marketing Ethics

The AMA recognizes that marketing ethics belongs at the very heart of modern marketing. By centering ethics, we emphasize responsible marketing that benefits both business and society. Marketing ethics are the norms and values that guide decisions about brand and marketing activities and that promote trust and transparency. Practicing ethical marketing means:

Following applicable laws and regulations (the minimum standard)
Acting with integrity beyond legal requirements, ensuring that actions align with words and values
Avoiding and mitigating harm
Making decisions that demonstrate responsibility to customers, stakeholders, and society

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