Understanding the dark sides of alternative economies to maximize societal benefit

Date
2020
Advisor
Instructor
Source Title
Journal of Macromarketing
Print ISSN
0276-1467
Electronic ISSN
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Volume
40
Issue
2
Pages
169 - 184
Language
English
Type
Article
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract

Alternative economies can significantly contribute to societal flourishing, but the potential dark sides should also be considered. As shared commitments are the foundation of alternative economies, we draw on related literature to conceptualize various types of dark sides of an alternative economy. While less prominent than the well-being outcomes, we present qualitative data of when the participants of one alternative food network experienced disappointment, burnout, guilt, or division. Comparing with the dark sides gleaned from other studies on alternative economies, we present a framework for evaluating the dark sides in alternative economies. Dark sides can be on a continuum from the micro level to the macro level, as well as more likely to threaten the continuance of alternative economies or societal well-being. We offer recommendations to guard against the vulnerabilities of alternative economies for their continued growth and impact, as well as discuss the implications for research on marketing systems failure.

Course
Other identifiers
Book Title
Keywords
Shared commitments, Well-being, Marketing systems, Macromarketing, Alternative economies, Dark side of alternative economies
Citation
Published Version (Please cite this version)