Tackling Inequalities and Social Divide: Moving the Marketing Discipline Toward Social Sustainability

Marah Blaurock (), Felix Zechiel () and Marion Büttgen ()
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Marah Blaurock: Ingolstadt School of Management, Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Chair of Service Management
Felix Zechiel: Ingolstadt School of Management, Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Chair of Service Management
Marion Büttgen: Ingolstadt School of Management, Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Chair of Service Management

A chapter in Marketing.Neu.Denken, 2026, pp 685-711 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Germany faces significant social sustainability challenges, including rising inequalities and social divide, threatening social cohesion and economic prosperity. While ecological sustainability has gotten widespread attention in the marketing discipline, less focus has been put on social sustainability. This paper explores how the marketing discipline can contribute to fostering social sustainability by tackling social challenges. We first identify and summarize two of Germany’s major social challenges: inequalities and social divide. Leveraging the 5P model, we then propose actionable solutions, discuss real-world examples, and outline future research avenues to tackle these challenges with marketing tools, methods, and concepts. By spotlighting social challenges, this work seeks to inspire the community to consider holistic social sustainability issues in marketing research and practice.

Keywords: Social sustainability; Inequality; Social divide; Marketing for sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-658-49371-4_29

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-49371-4_29

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