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Seeking ways towards a sustainable future is the most dominant socio-political challenge of our time. Marketing should have a crucial role to play in leading research and impact in sustainability, yet it is limited by relying on cognitive behavioural theories rooted in the 1970s, which have proved to have little bearing on actual behaviour. This paper aims to interrogate why marketing is failing to address the challenge of sustainability and identify alternative approaches.

The constraint in theoretical development contextualises the problem, followed by a focus on four key themes to promote theory development: developing sustainable people; models of alternative consumption; building towards sustainable marketplaces; and theoretical domains for the future. These themes were developed and refined during the 2018 Academy of Marketing workshop on seeking sustainable futures. MacInnis’s (2011) framework for conceptual contributions in marketing provides the narrative thread and structure.

The current state of play is explicated, combining the four themes and MacInnis’s framework to identify the failures and gaps in extant approaches to the field.

This paper sets a new research agenda for the marketing discipline in quest for sustainable futures in marketing and consumer research.

Approaches are proposed which will allow the transformation of the dominant socio-economic systems towards a model capable of promoting a sustainable future.

The paper provides thought leadership in marketing and sustainability as befits the special issue, by moving beyond the description of the problem to making a conceptual contribution and setting a research agenda for the future.

The sustainable fashion (SF) literature is fragmented across the management discipline, leaving the path to a SF future unclear. As of yet, there has not been an attempt to bring these insights together or to more generally explore the question of “what is known about SF in the management literature and where could the SF field go from there?”. The purpose of this paper is to bring together the field to identify opportunities for societal impact and further research.

A systematic literature review was conducted from the first appearances of SF in the management literature in 2000 up to papers published in June 2019, which resulted in 465 included papers.

The results illustrate that SF research is largely defined by two approaches, namely, pragmatic change and radical change. The findings reveal seven research streams that span across the discipline to explore how organisational and consumer habits can be shaped for the future.

What is known about SF is constantly evolving, therefore, the paper aims to provide a representative sample of the state of SF in management literature to date.

This review provides decision makers with insights that have been synthesised from across the management field.

This review identifies knowledge gaps and informs managerial decision making in the field, particularly through serving as a foundation for further research.

Portuguese and British hoteliers′ attitudes towards the importance of tourist boards and various forms of training are examined, as well as aspects of “environment”, in terms of how these factors might contribute to hotel development. Differences between UK and Portuguese hotel sectors are revealed with the latter appearing in some ways to be more professional.

Provides an overview of ecological feminism (ecofeminism) and discusses the implications for marketing. Shows how ecofeminist perspectives demand that we question not only the destruction of the environment but also our fundamental social relations and structures. Illustrates marketing’s contribution to ecopatriarchy with examples from the marketing academy and the advertising world. Concludes by asking marketers to rethink certain basic marketing principles.

Describes the findings of a positivistic comparative study which was undertaken in three different European countries in order to assess the perceptions of British/Irish and Spanish hotel managers. Relates managers′ opinions to some key factors the authors perceive as contributing to the future development of the hotel sector. Among the issues analysed were variables relating to: support policies provided by tourist boards (e.g. in the marketing area, tax exemptions, financing, staff subsidies, etc.); the development of co‐operative management programmes; and training policies and concern for the protection of the natural environment.

This inquiry examines the challenge for marketers to foster both anti‐slavery and fair trade. Analyzes communicative work to enhance both. Describes underlying issues and public misunderstanding; draws on specific themes by illustrating the Anti‐Slavery International campaigns to end child labour via the Rugmark label, and the work of a fair trade coffee company, Cafédirect Ltd; and furnishes a link between societal marketing and the emergent theory of sustainable communication to effect anti‐slavery and global fair trade. Concludes with a discussion, implications for societal marketing and suggestions for further research.

This paper explores consumer understanding and perception of organic food, with specific reference to the relatively new concept of organic farmed salmon. Key themes associated with the term “organic” and its meaning, as determined by consumers, are explored and the role of labelling and regulatory authorities considered. Focus groups in five countries (UK, Germany, Spain, Norway and France) consisting of 196 participants showed that most consumers are confused about the meaning of the term organic and are largely unaware of the organic certification and labelling process. Many consumers were unsure, even sceptical about the concept of organic farmed salmon and display a large amount of distrust in the regulatory process. The implications for the concept of organic food and salmon production and directions for further research are discussed.

This paper adopts a photo-essay approach in examining the Austerity Project within the Republic of Ireland, and considers the intersection between consumer culture and the austerity visuals we experience daily.

A visual, photo-essay method is adopted. Visual images taken in urban and rural parts of Ireland – under the key themes of ghost housing estates, failed commercial property developments, failed business, and art representations are explored.

The visual representations and subsequent consumption activities of the authors illustrate how austerity has become a complex act of production and consumption, and the authors consider how these various representations play a role in creating austerity as a state of mind amongst consumers, and the subsequent impact this has on consumption practices, consumer experiences, ideals and identities.

This paper adopts an under-represented research methodology (a photo-essay) to explore the Austerity Project and its intersections with consumer culture.

Reports the findings of recent empirical research into the job satisfaction of an original sample of 1,326 UK marketing managers. Provides data on the nature and sources of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction and on the assessment of the relative importance of various intrinsic (content) and extrinsic (context) occupational characteristics. Analyses the satisfaction criteria against a variety of variables such as age, gender, tenure and career development. Discusses the implications for the marketing practitioner at the workbench level within organizations.