Experiencing the Macromarketing Dimensions of Sustainability: Lessons Learned From Field Trips to the Ultra Novel

Abstract

This paper seeks to determine the value of field trips that help establish macromarketing and sustainability scholarship in mainstream business/marketing education. It explores the experiences of postgraduate marketing and business strategy students undertaking a field trip to the “World’s Greenest Football Club,” Forest Green Rovers. It responds to the call to establish the macromarketing viewpoint within business and management education and provides contemporary insight into the hitherto unexplored use of field trips for postgraduate students. Through student focus groups, the study identifies the importance of selecting field trip locations where the complex and interwoven interplay of meso, micro, and macro activities can be critically evaluated through multiple stakeholder interactions. In addition, it points to the value of students experiencing “ultra-novel” organizations and situations to motivate learning, stimulate critical debate, and thereby facilitate cognition of macromarketing systems and sustainability.

Stakeholder governance and sustainability in football: A bibliometric analysis

“… Ghent University Belgium – [ [72] , [73] , [74] ] [ 75 ] 4 Kolyperas, D. University of Stirling United Kingdom [ 76 , 77 ] [ 67 ] [ 57 ] 4 Daddi T. Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies Italy – – [ 3 , 10 , 33 ] 3 Morrow S. University of Stirling United Kingdom [ 77 ] [ 14 ] [ 78 ] 3 Samuel A. Cardiff University United Kingdom – [ 79 ] [ 80 , 81 ] 3 Sparks L. University of Stirling United Kingdom [ 76 , 77 ] – [ 57 ] 3 Thomas R.J. Aston University ...…”

“… Cardiff University United Kingdom – [ 79 ] [ 80 , 81 ] 3 Sparks L. University of Stirling United Kingdom [ 76 , 77 ] – [ 57 ] 3 Thomas R.J. Aston University United Kingdom – [ 79 ] [ 80 , 81 ] 3 Todaro N.M. Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy Italy – – [ 3 , 10 , 33 ] 3 White G.R.T. Cranfield University United Kingdom – [ 79 ] [ 80 , 81 ] 3 …”

“…They have also investigated the drivers and expected outcomes of environmental practices adopted by football organizations [ 3 ]. Thomas, Samuel, and White, from the United Kingdom, have collaborated on various topics, including football places, football as a catalyst for change, and the incorporation of sustainability in mainstream business and marketing education [ 80 , 81 ]. They have also co-authored a study on the concept of supererogation as a means to address social and environmental goals beyond CSR [ 79 ].…”

Addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: An Examination of Sustainability Offerings in Marketing Curriculum and a Framework for Advancement

“…Watson et al (2022) make the case for these sustainability concepts to be infused more specifically into marketing principles courses. A related stream of research advocates for new pedagogical techniques and activities to achieve sustainability-related learning outcomes (Borin & Metcalf, 2010; Manna et al, 2022; Samuel et al, 2022). To aid in the process of integrating sustainability into curricula, Brocato et al (2022) examine how sustainability is currently being taught.…”

RESCUER: Combining Passive and Active Learning Techniques to Teach Food Sustainability

“…One way to address the recent emphasis on integrating sustainability into higher education (United Nations, 2022), especially marketing education, is to investigate the relationship between marketing and its social environment (Bartels & Jenkins, 1977; Schaefer & Crane, 2005) and to integrate societal perspectives into marketing (Peterson, 2022). In this vein, researchers are increasingly looking at ways to influence sustainable behaviors through macromarketing concepts (Kemper et al, 2022; Peterson, 2022; Samuel et al, 2022). However, what is missing from this accumulating body of evidence are some pragmatic solutions to foster positive behaviors.…”