IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/bushor/v66y2023i4p463-479.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): Considerations and opportunities for brand managers

Author

Listed:
  • Ferraro, Carla
  • Hemsley, Alicia
  • Sands, Sean

Abstract

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is ubiquitous in today’s public discourse, underpinned by societal recognition of inequality and demands for less discrimination. Further, DEI increasingly serves as a resource for brands to express their identity and align with consumer values. However, implementing DEI as a brand management strategy requires more than lip service and poses risks if not properly embraced. For instance, consumers can perceive DEI initiatives as inauthentic, or initiatives can miss the mark with target consumer groups when poorly executed. Because brands are now more inclined to take responsibility and a public stance on sociopolitical issues, we take a step back and discuss key considerations and opportunities for brands to embrace DEI. We first document the case for DEI in brand management. Next, we present the consumer and brand perspectives of DEI before unpacking the considerations and opportunities of embracing DEI for brand management. Overall, our manuscript provides guidance for brands, marketers, regulators, and policy makers to better understand the role of DEI for brand management.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferraro, Carla & Hemsley, Alicia & Sands, Sean, 2023. "Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): Considerations and opportunities for brand managers," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 463-479.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:66:y:2023:i:4:p:463-479
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2022.09.005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007681322001240
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.bushor.2022.09.005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Demangeot, Catherine & Kipnis, Eva & Pullig, Chris & Cross, Samantha N.N. & Emontspool, Julie & Galalae, Cristina & Grier, Sonya A. & Rosenbaum, Mark S. & Best, Susy F., 2019. "Constructing a bridge to multicultural marketplace well-being: A consumer-centered framework for marketer action," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 339-353.
    2. Keith T. Butler & Daniel W. Davies & Hugh Cartwright & Olexandr Isayev & Aron Walsh, 2018. "Machine learning for molecular and materials science," Nature, Nature, vol. 559(7715), pages 547-555, July.
    3. Ming D. Leung & Amanda J. Sharkey, 2014. "Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Evidence of Perceptual Factors in the Multiple-Category Discount," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(1), pages 171-184, February.
    4. Campbell, Colin & Sands, Sean & Ferraro, Carla & Tsao, Hsiu-Yuan (Jody) & Mavrommatis, Alexis, 2020. "From data to action: How marketers can leverage AI," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 227-243.
    5. Belk, Russell W, 1988. "Possessions and the Extended Self," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 15(2), pages 139-168, September.
    6. C. Bhattacharya & Daniel Korschun & Sankar Sen, 2009. "Strengthening Stakeholder–Company Relationships Through Mutually Beneficial Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 257-272, April.
    7. Keller, Kevin Lane, 2003. "Brand Synthesis: The Multidimensionality of Brand Knowledge," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 29(4), pages 595-600, March.
    8. Patrick F. McKay & Derek R. Avery & Hui Liao & Mark A. Morris, 2011. "Does Diversity Climate Lead to Customer Satisfaction? It Depends on the Service Climate and Business Unit Demography," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 788-803, June.
    9. Zeynep Arsel & David Crockett & Maura L Scott, 2022. "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the Journal of Consumer Research: A Curation and Research Agenda [When Feeling Younger Depends on Others: The Effects of Social Cues on Older Consumers]," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 48(5), pages 920-933.
    10. Sterling A. Bone & Glenn L. Christensen & Jerome D. Williams, 2014. "Rejected, Shackled, and Alone: The Impact of Systemic Restricted Choice on Minority Consumers' Construction of Self," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 41(2), pages 451-474.
    11. Ruth Sessler Bernstein & Morgan Bulger & Paul Salipante & Judith Y. Weisinger, 2020. "From Diversity to Inclusion to Equity: A Theory of Generative Interactions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 395-410, December.
    12. Peter Agyemang-Mintah & Hannu Schadewitz, 2019. "Gender diversity and firm value: evidence from UK financial institutions," International Journal of Accounting & Information Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(1), pages 2-26, March.
    13. Holt, Douglas B, 2002. "Why Do Brands Cause Trouble? A Dialectical Theory of Consumer Culture and Branding," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 29(1), pages 70-90, June.
    14. Sands, Sean & Ferraro, Carla & Demsar, Vlad & Chandler, Garreth, 2022. "False idols: Unpacking the opportunities and challenges of falsity in the context of virtual influencers," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 65(6), pages 777-788.
    15. Justin Frake, 2017. "Selling Out: The Inauthenticity Discount in the Craft Beer Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(11), pages 3930-3943, November.
    16. Savica Dimitrieska & Elizabeta Stamevska & Aleksandra Stankovska, 2019. "Inclusive Marketing – Reality Or Make Up," Economics and Management, Faculty of Economics, SOUTH-WEST UNIVERSITY "NEOFIT RILSKI", BLAGOEVGRAD, vol. 16(2), pages 112-119.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mostaghel, Rana & Oghazi, Pejvak & Lisboa, Ana, 2023. "The transformative impact of the circular economy on marketing theory," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    2. Peng Sun & Xiaode Zuo & Xin Liu & Hui Huang & Mengting Wen, 2024. "Inclusive Leadership: Beyond Diversity to True Equity," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 33(1), pages 34-43.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Young Woong Park & Glenn B. Voss & Zannie Giraud Voss, 2023. "Advancing customer diversity, equity, and inclusion: Measurement, stakeholder influence, and the role of marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 174-197, January.
    2. Högström, Claes & Gustafsson, Anders & Tronvoll, Bård, 2015. "Strategic brand management: Archetypes for managing brands through paradoxes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 391-404.
    3. da Silveira, Catherine & Lages, Carmen & Simões, Cláudia, 2013. "Reconceptualizing brand identity in a dynamic environment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 28-36.
    4. Berthon, Pierre & Pitt, Leyland F. & Campbell, Colin, 2009. "Does brand meaning exist in similarity or singularity?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 356-361, March.
    5. Hunt, Shelby D., 2019. "The ethics of branding, customer-brand relationships, brand-equity strategy, and branding as a societal institution," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 408-416.
    6. Julie Guidry Moulard & Randle D. Raggio & Judith Anne Garretson Folse, 2021. "Disentangling the meanings of brand authenticity: The entity-referent correspondence framework of authenticity," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 96-118, January.
    7. Riefler, Petra, 2012. "Why consumers do (not) like global brands: The role of globalization attitude, GCO and global brand origin," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 25-34.
    8. Zhao, Taiyang & Ran, Yaxuan & Wu, Banggang & Lynette Wang, Valerie & Zhou, Liying & Lu Wang, Cheng, 2024. "Virtual versus human: Unraveling consumer reactions to service failures through influencer types," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    9. Bulmer, Sandy & Buchanan-Oliver, Margo, 2010. "Experiences of brands and national identity," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 199-205.
    10. Lee, Kuo-Wei & Li, Chia-Ying, 2023. "It is not merely a chat: Transforming chatbot affordances into dual identification and loyalty," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    11. Nguyen, Hieu P. & Chen, Steven & Mukherjee, Sayantani, 2014. "Reverse stigma in the Freegan community," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(9), pages 1877-1884.
    12. Jared Wong & Glen Brodowsky & Foo Nin Ho, 2024. "You ain’t foolin’ me! Imposter judgments in luxury status signaling," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 129-141, March.
    13. Anwar Sadat Shimul & Ian Phau & Michael Lwin, 2019. "Conceptualising luxury brand attachment: scale development and validation," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(6), pages 675-690, November.
    14. Lee, Kyungwon & Hakstian, Anne-Marie & Williams, Jerome D., 2021. "Creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere: Consumer equality in the sharing economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 221-231.
    15. Pallant, Jessica & Sands, Sean & Karpen, Ingo, 2020. "Product customization: A profile of consumer demand," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    16. David Crockett, 2022. "Racial Oppression and Racial Projects in Consumer Markets: A Racial Formation Theory Approach [The Ghetto Marketing Life Cycle: A Case of Underachievement]," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 49(1), pages 1-24.
    17. Yi Xie & Siqing Peng & Daniel P. Hampson, 0. "Brand user imagery clarity (BUIC): conceptualization, measurement, and consequences," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-17.
    18. Detlev Zwick & Janice Denegri-Knott & Jonathan Schroeder, 2007. "The Social Pedagogy of Wall Street: Stock Trading as Political Activism?," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 177-199, September.
    19. Vikas Arya & Hemraj Verma & Deepa Sethi & Rajat Agarwal, 2019. "Brand Authenticity and Brand Attachment: How Online Communities Built on Social Networking Vehicles Moderate the Consumers’ Brand Attachment," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 8(2), pages 87-103, July.
    20. Rahman, Muhammad Sabbir & Bag, Surajit & Hossain, Md Afnan & Abdel Fattah, Fadi Abdel Muniem & Gani, Mohammad Osman & Rana, Nripendra P., 2023. "The new wave of AI-powered luxury brands online shopping experience: The role of digital multisensory cues and customers’ engagement," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:66:y:2023:i:4:p:463-479. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/bushor .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.