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Trade war among the nations dates back mainly to the nineteenth century. Some of the trade wars may be cited as (i) The First and Second Opium War Empire between 1839 and 1842; (ii) The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, 1930 signed by US President Herbert Hoover; (iii) Chicken wars in the early 1960s; (iv) The US–Japan automobile trade war in the 1980s; (v) 1985 Pasta War between America under the Regan Administration of United States and Europe; (vi) The Banana wars. However, trade becomes more intense in the present century with the increase of the economic trade instruments. Under the Obama Administration, currency war and tariff war both became strong between the United States and China with intense effect over the globe. After the Obama regime, came Donald John Trump with a number of controversial (aggressive) trade protectionism plans saying thereby “China’s accession to the World Trade Organization has enabled the greatest jobs theft in history” and “Trillions of our dollars and millions of our jobs flowed overseas as a result.” Even during the COVID-19 period in the 2020s, threats and counter-threats have been on the ascend. It is in this backdrop the present chapter mainly traces the history of trade wars in the twenty-first century, touching upon the nineteenth and twentieth century trade battles.

Just prior to the recent millennial transition, The Observer polled a cross‐section of British celebrities about their perceptions of paradise. Most of these were suitably vague – perpetual joy, renewed relationships, blissful state of mind etc. – but the anarchic comedian Mark Thomas archly described Heaven as “smelling of bananas”. Off‐hand possibly, flippant undoubtedly, yet Thomas’s remark is strikingly apt, since bananas are the original “forbidden fruit” of the Garden of Eden. Apples are mere interlopers, latter‐day arrivistes that have prospered thanks to the spin‐doctoring tactics of the wily Serpent. This paper, therefore, aims to set the record straight by telling a tall banana tale and explaining how bananamarketing is the future of our field.

Chris Morrison and two partners introduced the first Fairtrade bananas in New Zealand in a bid to improve the social and environmental impacts of banana consumption. The trio started All Good Bananas in 2010. Using social media as a key marketing tool, the startup had grown to take a 5 percent market share in a fiercely competitive industry dominated by big players. In 2012, the entrepreneurs needed to decide the best way to increase sales of ethically sourced products under the All Good brand. Should they expand their share of the banana market or diversify into drinks?

The case is primarily based on tape-recorded interviews by the authors with the founding entrepreneur and three employees of All Good from May to July 2012 and an analysis of the company’s website and social media activities. Other publicly available information sources were drawn upon, and a discussion held with a New Zealand national grocery chain CEO.

This case has been written for use in classes in undergraduate and graduate level entrepreneurship, strategic management and sustainability. The case can be used to illustrate how very small resource-constrained startups can compete in an industry dominated by large multinational corporations, and how Fairtrade might provide a worthy differentiation focus. It is open to a consideration of judo economics. While several of the questions ask students to consider the New Zealand context in which this case is set, knowledge of New Zealand and the various industries beyond what is offered in the case is not necessary.

At a broad level the case illustrates how a small, resource-constrained startup can compete against much, much larger players through a niche Fairtrade product focus and the use of alternative marketing strategies such as guerrilla marketing and social media. In relation to the competitive dynamics within an industry, this case can be used to illustrate the concept of judo economics (also referred to as judo strategy). Both the utility and potential limits of judo economics can be demonstrated through the case by considering current activities and potential future dynamics.

Increasingly, the attitudes of consumers are being shaped by an array of advocacy organizations that research and campaign on various social and political causes collectively categorized as non‐government organizations (NGOs). They are the key driver in the public’s increasing demand that corporations act in a socially responsible way. This means not only offering products and services that do not pose new environmental or social risks but also doing business in a way that supports the livelihood of people in the producing nations and sustainability of our planet’s eco‐systems. NGOs are powerful with consumers because they are significantly more trusted overall than business. CEOs and corporate managers may approve or disapprove of the growing role of activist NGOs, but it is perilous to ignore their growing influence and ability to shape public perceptions of a company. There are seven guiding principles for successfully engaging the NGOs: (1) act and respond as one global brand, making certain that, for example, the environmental practices by a unit in Spain are consistent with the corporate position in the USA; (2) prepare for greater transparency, reporting social and environmental impacts as well as financial information is a starting point for building greater trust and dialogue with the NGOs; (3) do not be forced into a “yes‐or‐no” public confrontation on any issue; (4) enlist and engage multiple partners and perspectives on business practices and strategies; (5) do not rely solely on industry‐wide action, or hide behind it; (6) distinguish between an NGO’s rhetoric and its actual objectives; and (7) know when to stand your ground.

Reviews the status of international marketing as we enter the new millennium. Suggests that changes will take place, highlighting issues such as globalization, new technology, the aging of the population, the political arena, and market segments as variables. However, asserts that these changes are part of a gradual development and that the millennium per se will not bring any dramatic change to the environment and operations of international marketers.

Reviews a variety of academic and practitioner opinions on different types and definitions of lobbying and the purposes for which it is used, ranging from government relations to marketing communications. Distinguishes between what is termed loud lobbying, typically a highly visible media relations campaign providing an information subsidy to carefully targeted media, for marketing purposes; and quiet lobbying, discreet use of links with legislators, in order to encourage or block legislation. A model is given to aid clarification. The distinction is illustrated using examples of loud and quiet lobbying, including a case study of the campaigns for and against resale price maintenance (RPM). This shows Asda’s lobbying campaign to have been essentially a key element of the company’s marketing strategy. Concludes that the objectives of a lobbying campaign are crucial in determining whether loud or quiet lobbying would be more appropriate.

This chapter addresses the relationship between foreign interventions and the democracy of the intervened country. In other words, I discuss how foreign interventions have affected the quality of the democratic institutions of the country that is being intervened. Latin America has been chosen for this endeavour, and more specifically, three countries have been chosen as case studies: Nicaragua, Cuba and Brazil. Furthermore, I analyze two types of foreign interventions: military and economic interventions. Nicaragua, Cuba and Brazil have experienced both types of interventions. In order to do this comparison, I look at the predominant interventionists in Latin America: the United States and China.

The second annual conference of the Research Alliance of Fashion and Textiles (RAFT), hosted by the Department of Clothing Design and Technology of Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), took place in Manchester in June.