Social Cause Marketing - The Regis Group Inc

ancing, self-adjusting, and self-cleansing
(Schumacher, 1989, 156); it is not
inclined toward fostering perpetual,
one-sided growth of humans alone.
The long-term survival of humankind
(and not only humankind) is endangered,
because goals of economic (sub)
system cause disequilibrium of Earth
and hinder the Earthís basic existential
needs. This is the byproduct of the absence
of Social Responsibility [SR] and
gives rise to a situation wherein the financial
profits are used to alleviate the
ëside effectsí of economic activities.
Possible solutions lie in more SR
in business, based on RH management
of the basic goals of society. Everyone
should contribute towards the
realization of SR initiatives and goals
based on the strengthening of positive
and suppression of negative influences
on society and nature. What
could these goals be?
The far Eastern philosophy includes
attaining happiness and avoidance
of suffering as the individualsí
main goals. Psychologists, sociologists
and some economists indicate that the
essential goal of humansí activities
should be a RH personal and social
Well-Being (WB). Satisfaction with
oneís own standard of living, health,
achievements, personal relationships,
feeling of security and affiliation to society
leads to WB. The following factors
should be provided to ensure social
WB: Material basis for good life,
good health, good social relations, security
and freedom of choice and action
(Stutz, 2006, 11). The essential
human goal is happiness; for good
WB, material, information, psychological
security needs, needs for freedom
and action, adaptability, efficiency
and responsibility should be
fulfilled (Hornung, 2006).
SDRN 1 (2006) says that one should
distinguish between objective and
subjective WB. Objective WB covers
material and social circumstances
with influence on individualís personal
objective WB, including the following
dimensions (McAllister, 2005,
9): Material, physical, social and emotional
WB, development and activity.
On the other hand, subjective WB
stems from individualís perception of
objective WB (Arthaud-Day, 2005;
McAllister, 2005). Perception in turn,
depends on individualís Subjective
Starting Points [SSP], which include
knowledge, emotions, mentality and
values [Mulej, 2000, 88]. Therefore, a
high objective WB does not necessarily
make a high subjective WB. Dienerís
and Seligmanís (2004, 25) partial formula
for high WB includes: Living in a
democratic and stable society; providing
material resources to meet needs;
having supportive friends and family;
having rewarding and engaging work
and an adequate income; being reasonably
healthy and having medical treatment
available for all kinds of ailments;
having important goals related to oneís
values; and a philosophy or religion
that provides guidance, purpose and
meaning to oneís life.
Another essential feature that is of
high significance in achieving WB is
the convergence of philosophical considerations
about spirituality with discoveries
in natural and sociological
sciences (Bell, Morse, 2005; Khisty,
2006; Schumacher, 1989; Senge,
2004). They state that interconnectedness
between all subjects (at least in
energy terms) makes them interdepen-
Dr. Matja• Mulej, is a retired Professor of Systems and Innovation Theory, at the University of Maribor
in Maribor, Slovenia. He authored the Dialectical Systems Theory and the Model of Innovative Business
for the transitional economies and societies. He has published more than 1,200 articles, papers and
books in several countries. He is a Visiting Professor and a Frequent Speaker at several foreign
universities. As Speaker and Consultant on application of his USOMID methodology he has associated
and worked with companies in several countries. He has also served as Dean and Vice- Rector at
Maribor University. He is a member of four international academies of sciences and heads the
International Federation for Systems Research with 37 member associations from around the world.
Damijan Prosenak, is an Entrepreneur who obtained his Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering
and Computer Science and Masters in Business Administration from Maribor University. His areas of
research interests are innovation management, marketing, networking and social responsibility and
their requisitely holistic application in business and other fields.
Social Cause Marketing As a Tool
dent. This explains some essential
causes of socioeconomic and environmental
problems prevailing in the society.
Human beings consider themselves
independent from other subjects
(and nature) and, therefore, forget
about the ubiquitous interdependence.
Therefore, humans act rather
one-sidedly and cause unpredictable
and often undesirable consequences.
Thus, the basic goals of society
should be: Humans should strive for
an RH quality of life (objective and
subjective WB) and human solidarity
(based on ethics of interdependence),
simultaneously considering ecological
sensitivity of natural environment, its
constraints and laws of nature. This
goal demands reconciliation of the economic
goals with the ecological, psychological
and sociological viewpoints
as an essential part of humansí values.
An RH, SR action should therefore
work as follows:
Increasing social and personal objective
WB;
Cause prevention of negative and
strengthening of positive influence
on natural and social environment;
and
Cause positive influence on human
beingsí SSP to achieve RH behavior,
thus strengthening their subjective
WB. (Exhibit I)
Influence of SR in SSP is crucial.
SSP influence oneís perception of objective
WB and consequently oneís
willingness for (creative) action and,
therefore, (non-)creation of social objective
WB. The latter became a problem,
above all in economically most
developed societies. We (Mulej,
Prosenak, 2007) called attention to it
with our adaptation of Porterís model
of evolution of competitiveness (after
Brglez, 1999, 22-23) (See Exhibit II).
Porter pictures evolution of bases
of competitiveness (without mentioning
culture) all the way to phase 4, Affluence.
Then the economic laws on
meeting needs with scarce resources
no longer fit. This kills human beingsí
ambition to create something that they
aspire to have. From economic viewpoint,
one should therefore enter the
innovation phase as soon as possible
1
Sustainable Development Research Network.
SEPTEMBER 2009
11
EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE