Gure balioak salgai? Marketina eta Ekonomia Sozial eta Solidarioaren arteko dilema etiko eta estrategikoak Euskal Autonomia Erkidegoan

Abstract

Organizations within the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) play a key role in finding solutions that contribute to improving people's well-being and quality of life. This paper aims to analyze how SSE entities in the Basque Autonomous Community apply marketing in order to propose adaptations to traditional tools that better suit the specific needs of the sector. Marketing has so far been largely absent from the SSE field, especially among smaller organizations. The relation between marketing and SSE is often problematic, due to associations with aggressive or consumerist practices that conflict with SSE principles. Traditionally, marketing has been linked to sales pressure and consumerism, rather than social or environmental values. In recent years, however, critical perspectives on marketing’s societal role have increased, and efforts have emerged to develop more socially aware approaches. According to the most widely accepted definition today, "marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging value to consumers, customers, partners, and society at large." In this sense, the benefits gained by SSE entities through marketing processes can be categorized as: (1) benefits for the organization (improved performance, resource acquisition, etc.), and (2) contributing to the positive transformation of society. This study reviews traditional marketing perspectives and recent social approaches, and explores points of alignment and conflict between SSE and marketing.