No abstract

Consumers of the 1990s are claimed to be caring, environmentally and socially aware and are demanding a say in the production, processing and resourcing of the products they regularly purchase. Hypothesizes that the environmentally-aware consumer has become ethically aware and is joined by many other consumers who believe in the principles of fair trade. The increasingly well-informed consumer is not only demanding fairly traded products, but is challenging manufacturers and retailers to guarantee the ethical claims they are making about their products. Reports on a survey to investigate the factors contributing to the development of ethical consumerism in the UK, and provides details of the integrating features which it finds. Discusses the implications of these for management.

The specific domain of market orientation has been the subject of much scrutiny this decade. Both conceptual and empirical advances have been made to establish the marketing orientation construct as central to marketing decisions, business activities and organizational culture. However, a lacuna remains in understanding how market orientation may be related to competitive strategy. It is argued that market oriented activities and behaviours are articulated through strategic means which guides the firm in its product‐market. Conceptualized as “strategic orientation of the business enterprise”, competitive strategy is discussed as an important vehicle through which market orientation may be manifest. Six dimensions of strategic orientation are presented and statistical analyses, of data generated from a survey of medium and large industrial manufacturing businesses, specified “proactiveness”, “analysis” and “futurity” as positive and significant in their association with firms’ levels of market orientation. Discussion of these findings is made, along with various conclusions and implications of the study for executive and academic audiences.

Suggests a number of features which characterize the manifestation of fair trade consumerism. Posits, however, that there are several problems which have hindered the translation of fair trade principles into consumer purchase behaviour. Discusses the issue that ecological marketing incorporates the people aspect of sustainability and the fact that the human component of production, manufacture and use have to be addressed alongside the well documented environmental factors of ozone depletion, global warming, deforestation, acid rain and so forth before sustainable development can be achieved. Addresses the fundamental problem of translating fair trade principles on to consumer purchase behaviour and the barrier of consumer recognition of the human element of the ecological marketing agenda.