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The overarching theme of this one day conference, hosted by ISM-Open on 9th May 2012, reflected calls from government and policy makers for communities and organisations to take responsibility for responding to global social and economic challenges.
More than 30 research papers were presented in two tracks. The social marketing sessions included papers on reaching target groups; communities; sustainability; critical social marketing; and the big picture. The socially responsible management sessions included papers on social movements, consumers and voluntary organisations; working towards sustainability; conceptualising and measuring socially responsible management; and managing socially responsible management in different contexts. The settings for these studies ranged from fashion, schools and the charity sector, to professional sport, oil and gas, and the water industry.
The keynote speakers were Professor Agnes Nairn, EM-Lyon Business School, Professor Gerard Hastings, Institute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling/The Open Univesity and Dr Frank den Hond, Associate Professor in Organization Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam.
Conference proceedings can be accessed at:
Taking Responsibility Proceedings
Deadline for abstracts 3rd February 2012
The theme of this one day conference, hosted by ISM-Open, reflects current calls from government and policy makers for communities and organisations to take responsibility for responding to global social and economic challenges. The event builds on our previous ISM-Open conference ‘Changing Times: New Challenges’. What role can social marketing and socially responsible management play in moving towards a more sustainable and socially equitable economy? The conference aims to bring together academic, practitioner and public policy researchers from these key areas of management research to present and discuss current research relevant to these issues.
Date: Wednesday 9 May 2012.
Venue: The Open University Business School, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
Time: 09.30 - 17.00
Fee: £50 (full time postgraduate research students £35), refreshments provided.
Organisers: Professor Sally Dibb, Dr Fiona Harris and Dr Helen Roby (ISM-Open), Dr Anja Schaefer (Centre for Public Leadership and Social Enterprise)
Keynote speakers: Dr Agnes Nairn, EM-Lyon Business School
Professor Gerard Hastings, Professor of Social Marketing
Dr Frank den Hond, Associate Professor in Organization Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam.
Contact Details:
Track one: Social Marketing
Dr Fiona Harris
F.Harris@open.ac.uk
ISM-Open, The Open University Business School, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
Track two: Socially Responsible Management
Dr Anja Schaefer
a.schaefer@open.ac.uk
The first newsletter for the Milton Keynes Electric Light Vehicle Infrastructure project, known as ELVIS has just been released.
ELVIS is part of a project funded by the Government's 'Plugged in Places' scheme to install charging points for electric vehicles in towns, homes and businesses.
The Open University is part of a group including Milton Keynes Council, Invest Milton Keynes , University Centre Milton Keynes and Cranfield University supporting this work. Part of the Open University's role is public engagement, including producing this newsletter.
This one day conference was hosted by ISM-Open on November 3rd 2010. Given the current atmosphere of global economic and social turbulence the aim of the day, among other issues, was to focus discussion upon the role that social marketing and socially responsible management can play in moving towards a more sustainable and socially equitable economy. Featuring over 30 papers and 80 delegates from the UK and overseas, the conference brought together academic, practitioner and public policy researchers from these key areas of management research to present and discuss current research relevant to these issues.
Organisers: Professor Sally Dibb and Dr Marylyn Carrigan (ISM-Open), Dr MariaLaura Di Domenico (Centre for Human Resource and Change Management) and Dr Anja Schaefer (Centre for Public Leadership and Social Enterprise).
Keynote speakers: Prof. Michael Polonsky (Deakin University, Australia), Prof. Jeff French (Brunel University and CEO Strategic Social Marketing) and Prof. Roger Sugden (Director, Stirling Institute for Socio-Management, University of Stirling), and Prof. Guido Palazzo (University of Lausanne).
Conference proceedings can be accessed at:
ISM-Open hosted an ESRC Festival of Social Science online event ‘How social marketing changes public behaviour’ from 12th-21st March 2010. The event featured a website containing videos showing social marketing campaigns, blogs from experts such as double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington and a poll on whether alcohol advertising should be banned. Visit the site at: www.openuniversity.co.uk/esrcfestival
Social marketing seeks to understand why we make lifestyle choices which can have a harmful effect on both us and the world around us. This can cover everything from smoking, binge drinking and obesity, to encouraging safer driving and addressing the problem of global warming.
On October 20th 2009, ISM-Open held its first Research Day, attended by over 50 delegates. As well as launching ISM-Open, the event gave the opportunity for respected social marketing experts to network, exchange views and research ideas in the field.
The initial group of speakers at the event featured academics drawn from across Europe and the UK. The first speaker of the day was Dr Karine Gallopel, from the University of Rennes in France who has researched tobacco packaging as an advertising tool. An average smoker sees a cigarette packet 7,300 times a year, and Karine found examples of brand imagery designed to attract young smokers. These included collectible packs by leading tobacco brands Camel and Gauloises. In conclusion, her research found that plain packs and visual warnings are effective in breaking the impact of branding, but further research was needed on what would be the most appropriate colours and warnings.
Presentation by Karine Gallopel-Morvan (2.89MB)
The next speaker, Professor Alan Tapp, of the Bristol Marketing Centre, presented an overview of the centre’s activities. One area of research was into the behaviour of "aggressive young men" in Bristol who buy high-powered cars and drive dangerously after passing their test. The project, funded by the Department of Transport, found the subjects did not respond to the idea of ‘safe driving’ but instead preferred to be seen as ‘skilful’ drivers. Alan also encouraged social marketers to develop their portfolio and use their skills to become more involved in political lobbying and campaigning.
Presentation by Prof Alan Tapp (497KB)
Professor Minoo Farhangmehr, from the University of Minho, Portugal, delivered an overview of her research which has examined the impact of images in anti-smoking campaigns upon young people. Until recently, Portugal was quite tolerant of smokers who ignored the legislative bans upon smoking in public spaces. Smoking in classrooms and hospitals was commonplace, and Minoo even cited an example of a doctor smoking while examining her pregnant daughter.Her findings revealed that negative health-related images of smokers had a strong impact upon younger people, but this lessened as people became older.
Presentation by Prof Minoo Farhangmehr (3.03MB)
Ross Gordon and Dr Fiona Harris from ISM-Open, presented preliminary findings from their research into the impact of alcohol marketing upon 13 and 15-year-olds. They found that youngsters almost inevitably encounter some form of marketing by drinks companies, be it through posters, branding and merchandising, viral campaigns or sponsorship. Their research was consistent with the link between alcohol advertising and young people’s drinking habits - and drinks companies were not attempting to limit their exposure to young people. As a result, Ross and Fiona concluded that an effective way of ensuring drinks companies acted responsibly would be to set out limits for what they were allowed to do in their advertising.
Presentation by Ross Gordon and Dr Fiona Harris (1.28MB)
Next, Dr Anne Smith, from ISM-Open, looked at whether internal social marketing within an organisation can reduce its level of carbon emissions.
Carrying out her research at a fire station, Anne initially encountered negative attitudes towards more environmentally friendly behaviour within the workplace. However, she identified an ‘eco-warrior’ who would become her environmental champion. It soon became apparent, though, that he was inadequately trained for the role, and there was very little knowledge-sharing within the fire station. In response, Anne drew up a plan which addressed the lack of belief that they would have an impact at an individual, team and organisational level - and attitudes have begun to change.
Presentation by Dr Anne Smith (1.63MB)
In a similar vein, Professor Gareth Shaw and Dr Stewart Barr, from the University of Exeter, looked at the citizen consumer’s sustainable behaviour and the role of social marketing. They found that many people take a break from their usual environmentally sustainable behaviour when they go on holiday. For example, they may save money in the home by switching off lights, but will travel by low-cost airlines, when there are more environmentally sound alternatives available. In a low-cost airlines survey, the respondents were divided into eco-conscious, who offset their air travel; the eco-hypocrites, whose behaviour didn’t match their ecological claims; and the eco-spendthrifts. One way of addressing this, was to develop social marketing in a tourism context and for resorts to build connections with customers.
Presentation by Prof Gareth Shaw and Dr Stewart Barr (339KB)
The final academic speaker, Georgina Cairns, from ISM-Stirling, tackled the subject of health and obesity. A World Health Organisation report found that: food promotion is predominantly for unhealthy products; marketing directly influences diet, and the evidence underestimates the effects because no one has managed to capture the cumulative impact of multi-faceted marketing.
Georgina used the example of two rappers posting an homage to McNuggets on YouTube. This was filmed spontaneously outside a McDonald’s in Chicago, but later the fast-food giant picked up the footage and used for its own campaign. Because marketing of unhealthy food has become more complex, Georgina called for swifter research and for social marketing researchers to take advantage of the vast amount of data already available.
Presentation by Georgina Cairns ( 246KB)
The issue of research funding was tackled by the last two speakers. Charlie Lloyd, Policy and Research Manager at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) outlined the work of JRF, and discussed the relevance of social marketing to the themes his organisation supports funding towards. Finally Alex Christopoulos, Programme Manager for Research and Development at the National Social Marketing Centre (NSMC) discussed the work and funding activities of NSMC.
Presentation by Charlie Lloyd (173KB)
Presentation by Alex Christopolous (904KB)
The day ended with a plenary panel featuring Prof Gerard Hastings, Professor Alan Tapp, Charlie Lloyd and Ross Gordon, who along with organisers Professor Sally Dibb and Dr Marylyn Carrigan, led discussion with delegates identifying key priorities for social marketing research in the future.
