Culture and attitudes towards contraception of women in subsistence markets: the role of values and social axioms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of culture on attitudes to contraception by rural-based women in a developing economy. Design/methodology/approach Based on data collected from 395 rural women in Eastern Zimbabwe, this study examines the hypothesized relationships between values (resultant conservation, resultant self-enhancement), social axioms (reward for application, social cynicism, religiosity, social complexity, fate control and Ubuntu) and contraceptive attitudes, considering the moderating effects of age and education. Findings Using covariance-based Structural Equation Modelling and Multi-Group Analysis, this study found that resultant self-enhancement, fate control, the reward for application and religiosity significantly relate to attitudes to contraception whilst resultant conservation, social complexity, Ubuntu and social cynicism, did not produce significant correlations. Age and education moderate the significant relationships. Research limitations/implications The study's findings suggest that contraception social marketers, non-governmental organizations and health practitioners should develop marketing strategies to neutralize the negative impact of these beliefs held by rural contraceptive consumers to increase contraceptive awareness and uptake in such subsistence markets. In addition, this study provides empirical evidence on the role of Ubuntu as a new culture construct in African markets. Originality/value Despite being limited to a single developing economy, this paper extends prior research on consumer culture and attitudes on contraception use by exploring the role of values and social axioms, an imperative issue for rural women health and general subsistence market well-being.

EXPRESS: Across Time, Across Space and Intersecting in Complex Ways: A Framework for Assessing Impacts of Environmental Disruptions on Nature-Dependent Prosumers

Environmental disruptions, such as extreme weather events or poisoning of natural resources, are increasing in frequency and intensity. These critical global problems demand market- and policy-based solutions. Adopting a transformative consumer research perspective, this article examines the effects of environmental disruptions on the livelihoods of a very vulnerable group: nature dependent prosumers (NDPs). NDPs often live in subsistence markets, but the impact of environmental disruptions on their lives can have repercussions throughout local and global systems. This article thus offers practitioners and researchers a framework– the ‘cross-scale intersectionality matrix’ (CSIM)— to better understand the differing impacts of environmental disruptions and envisage effective solutions. The CSIM reveals how environmental disruptions impact marketing systems’ exchanges of production and consumption: i) across multiple spatiotemporal scales, resulting in cross-scale impacts (per eco-systems theory); and ii) in diverse ways for groups/individuals experiencing intersectional power asymmetries such as geo-political/economic power, classism/ableism and sexism (per intersectionality theory). Building on insights from the CSIM framework, this paper proposes improvements to research, and policy and market-based solutions intended to enhance the well-being of NDPs.

INTERNAL EQUITY AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT IN SUBSISTENCE MARKETS: A COMPARATIVE AND A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF THREE PRIVATE COMPANIES IN BURKINA FASO

The concept of internal equity in the customer relationship management is often overlooked by Burkina companies, causing thereby a reduction in profitability. Equity and ethical marketing practices are essential to the survival of Burkina companies, especially in this context of the globalization of the economy, where fair trade values are advocated, and competition is tough. On the basis of this observation, to help identify the contribution that fair business-to-customer practices could bring not only to the economic development of enterprises, but also to the eradication of poverty in the subsistence markets, this article presents the results of an exploratory research concerning three companies in Burkina Faso (two small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and a very small company (VSE)). The results show current practices as well as challenges and limitations observed within these companies. The data collection was carried out using an interview guide addressed to the customers of these three companies in Burkina Faso. The data is collected with an audio voice recorder and then transcribed by hand using SONY audio software. The total number of interviewees is 51. The research has helped to make our contribution to the development of literature on markets livelihood which is also poorly documented and to make some suggestions to explore and to develop internal equity practices. The results show that internal equity has an influence on customer satisfaction and thus on sales’ growth.

A critical discourse analysis to explain the failure of BoP strategies

Purpose This paper aims to highlight differences between business and non-business literature regarding base of the pyramid (BoP) and subsistence contexts and reveal discourse’s powerful role in influencing goals, solutions and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses critical discourse analysis to review a convenience sample of business versus non-business literature on the BoP and subsistence contexts. Findings Discourse used in business literature on the BoP is oriented toward hegemonic Western capitalist approaches that result in the depletion of resources, resource inequalities, poverty and increased consumption, dependence and environmental degradation and, therefore, cannot alleviate poverty. Research limitations/implications There are two primary limitations: the study relied on a convenience sample that was not random and comparatively, the business BoP literature is not as mature as the non-business subsistence literature and, therefore, the BoP field of study is not yet fully developed. Practical implications Discourse has a powerful role in revealing assumptions and guiding actions. A change in BoP discourse toward a strength-based approach can serve as a model of sustainability and can help powerful entities enact structural and systemic change. Originality/value This paper reveals the role of discourse in business BoP literature and how it perpetuates and even exacerbates the problems they were designed to alleviate: depletion of resources, resource inequalities, poverty and increased consumption, dependence and environmental degradation. The paper challenges researchers, economists and powerful guiding entities to reorient their discourse of the BoP to be more aligned with those of non-business researchers of subsistence markets.

Marketing at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Serving, and in the Service of Low-Income Consumers

Most academic studies in marketing have focused on advanced economies and fast-developing, large emerging markets (Sharma & Lascu, 2018). Until recently, only a few marketing studies have addressed subsistence markets; yet, there are over 4 billion bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) consumers living below less than 1.25 dollars a day in underserved areas worldwide (Kaplinsky, 2011; Sharma & Lascu, 2018). The present study attempts to bridge the gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive review of the theory and practice addressing the subject of marketing at the bottom of the pyramid, focusing on marketing approaches to BOP consumers that both efficiently sell products to this market and enrich their quality of life. The study suggests that selling products to the bottom of the pyramid may be profitable, but companies must be creative in their approach to formulating marketing strategies in order to engage BOP consumers and earn a profit. Marketers should also cater to BOP consumers’ needs in order to foster strong and enduring relationships.