An Islamic macromarketing perspective on sustainability

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new conceptualization of sustainability. The authors adopt a macromarketing perspective based on Islamic traditions while delving into divine attributes (Asmaa’ Allah-ul-Husna) as an extension to the foundational principle of God-consciousness that lies at the heart of Islamic theology and jurisprudence.

Design/methodology/approach

This approach relies on identifying and extending the conceptual overlaps between the literature domains of sustainability, Islamic macromarketing and Islamic theology.

Findings

Through adopting an Islamic lens, the authors identify that relating to divinity empowers the Muslim faithful to mediate between the transient and transcendent, and to make judgments according to the attributes of their creator Allah (the Abrahamic monotheistic God).

Research limitations/implications

The paper adopts a conceptual approach that expands the concept of sustainability from an Islamic perspective to take on a holistic systems approach.

Practical implications

By making these links, the implications are fivefold: the imperative to strive for sustainable activities has greater resonance; the remit of sustainability is wider; the time horizon for accountability is extended; greater risk-tasking is encouraged; and, finally, sustainability is embedded and diffused throughout business activities – as opposed to being an upstream strategic objective.

Social implications

The merge in conceptualization between sustainability and Islamic macromarketing can prove relevant to scholars delving into the new realm of Islamic macromarketing, as well as to both Muslim and non-Muslim communities in their quest for sustainable development.

Originality/value

The paper is original in identifying an unprecedented perspective on sustainability, namely, “Islamic-macromarketing sustainability”, which warrants further future research related to the different stakeholders involved in the Islamic macromarketing system.

Citation

El-Bassiouny, N.M., Wilson, J.A.J. and Esmat, S. (2017), "An Islamic macromarketing perspective on sustainability", Journal of Islamic Marketing, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 187-203. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-09-2015-0069