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Ethical Marketing & Sustainability - MAN00067M

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  • Department: The York Management School
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

This module looks at social, sustainability and ethical marketing from a global perspective. It aims to develop students capacity to learn and engage with:

  • the need to build up long-term, trusting relationships with customers and various stakeholder groups in an age of increasing media specialisation and increasing criticisms of marketing from a range of stakeholders.

  • the role of ethical, social and sustainability marketing strategies in the maintenance of a coherent and consistent image of an organisation.

  • the various tools of social, sustainability and ethical marketing and how they can be used to change consumer behaviour and enhance sustainability.

  • the opportunities and challenges of implementing ethical, social and sustainability marketing across national, linguistic and cultural borders.

Module learning outcomes

Academic and graduate skills

  • Demonstrate critical awareness of the changing ethical, social and sustainability context of global marketing.

  • Develop a systematic understanding and comprehensive knowledge of ethical, social and sustainability marketing theories and concepts.

  • Synthesise a range of ethical, social and sustainability marketing theories to critically analyse real cases.

  • Critically apply ethical, social and sustainability marketing concepts to a range of organisational types to enhance marketing decision making.

  • Demonstrate critical awareness of the implementation of different ethical, social and sustainability marketing approaches in a global context.

Skills-related learning outcomes

  • Ability to write a fully referenced academic essay using relevant rigorous academic and non-academic resources.

  • Demonstrate ability to work both independently and in teams, set goals, and complete tasks within deadlines.

  • Produce logical and structured arguments supported by relevant evidence.

Module content

Topics to be covered include:

  • The changing nature of the social and ethical issues in the global marketing environment.

  • Sustainability marketing frameworks and theories

  • Stakeholder conception of marketing.

  • Ethical theories and decision making.

  • An ethical basis for relationship marketing.

  • Ethical, social and green marketing.

  • Values based ,marketing.

  • Cause related marketing.

  • Ethical consumerism and new consumption communities.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

  • Feedback will be given in accordance with the University Policy on feedback in the Guide to Assessment as well as in line with the School policy.
  • Each student will receive a feedback sheet with detailed comments on his/her assessment, explaining how the student performed in relation to each of the criteria used for assessment

Indicative reading

  • Belz, F. M. and Peattie, K. (2012), Sustainability Marketing: A Global Perspective, Second Edition, Wiley, Chichester.

    Crane. A & Matten. D (2016), Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization (4th ed). Oxford University Press.

    Eagle, L. & Dahl, S. (2015), Marketing Ethics & Society, Sage.

    Other readings:

  • Andreason, R. A. (2006), Social Marketing in the 21st Century, Sage Publications.

  • Brenkert, G.G. (2008), Marketing Ethics (Foundations of Business Ethics), Blackwell Publishing.

  • Collins, D. (2011), Business Ethics: How to Design and Manage Ethical Organisations, John Wiley.

  • Foster, G., Mason, C., Meehan, J., Meehan, K., Rotheroe, N. and Royce, M. (2009), Management for Social Enterprise, SAGE Publishers.

  • Harrison, R, Newholm, T and Shaw, D. (2005), The Ethical Consumer', Sage Publications Ltd. London.

  • Murphy, P.E.; Laczniak, G.R. and Protheroe, A. (2012), Ethics in Marketing- International Case Perspectives, Routledge.

  • Nicholls, A. and Opal, C. (2005), Fair Trade: market-driven ethical consumption, Sage Publications, London.

  • Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2007), Marketing Ethics: An International Perspective, International Thomson Business Press, New York.

  • Academic Journals

    Journal of Marketing and Public Policy

    Journal of Social Marketing

    Business Ethics Quarterly

    Journal of Business Ethics

    Journal of Marketing

    Journal of Strategic Marketing

    Journal of Macromarketing

    European Journal of Marketing

    Journal of Consumer Studies

    Non-profit Management and Leadership

    Social Enterprise Journal


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.