IMPLEMENTING A MARKETING STRATEGY BASED ON SOCIETAL CONTRIBUTION: A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION IN THE CO-OPERATIVE CONTEXT

Increasing numbers of co-operatives are recognising the opportunity to gain competitive advantage by emphasising their ethical values, linked to societal contribution, in their marketing strategy. They refer to this strategic approach as a co-operative advantage. However, implementation can be challenging. One such example, the UKbased Co-operative Bank, became well known for its ethical stance and later for its downfall when it lost sight of its co-operative ethos. This doctoral study sought to investigate how co-operatives can embed their distinctive values in the organisation, and in doing so influence employee behaviours, to deliver a ‘Marketing our Cooperative Advantage’ (MOCA) strategy. The research philosophy is based on critical realism. This approach seeks to investigate the circumstances and conditions that need to be in place within the co-operative organisation for MOCA implementation to happen. In-depth interviews were undertaken with senior managers in co-operatives in the UK, Canada and the US, international co-operative commentators, and managers at three levels in a single UK-based co-operative. This research study found that employee understanding of the MOCA strategy is crucial to implementation behaviours. This understanding is influenced by: internal communication of the MOCA strategy; employee trust in leaders’ and managers’ commitment to the MOCA strategy; and processes and benchmarks that are evidently linked to MOCA strategy implementation. Unless these are in place, a MOCA strategy cannot be delivered. This research study makes four contributions to theory and practice. Firstly, by considering a marketing strategy based on societal contribution, this research study offers a new, and contemporary, perspective on the internal causes that potentially influence, hinder and enable marketing implementation behaviours. Secondly, based on the extant literature, a tentative framework is presented that explains the internal mechanisms that potentially cause marketing strategy implementation in an investor-owned business. Thirdly, analysis and synthesis of the empirical data gathered in this research study addresses a number of calls in the extant literature. Finally, the adoption of a critical realism ontology is extended from existing research into external marketing relationships to internal structures and human actions.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Year dc:date

2018

Author dc:creator

• Whyatt, Georgina Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Grisoni, Louise
• Dermody, Janine
• Simkin, Lyndon

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/287p-n584

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:bc46c61b-9b93-43a6-a90e-4d3034918c51:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1