Social marketing of a different pace : between liberal and paternalistic management of social change

english

2011

volume 48, issue 6

Social marketing    Management    Social change    Slovenia    society 

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za družbene vede

This article examines social marketing as one of the approaches for managing social change. We place the concept of social marketing on the continuum between liberal and paternalistic approaches to social change management. Furthermore, we consider which forms of social change management in Slovenia are dominant, and in which position among them is social marketing. The presumption of the discussion is that social marketing has developed at different paces and with different acknowledgements around the world, according to the prevailing governmental philosophy: paternalism or liberalism. Societies based on liberal models of governance seem keener to accept and develop liberal approaches and social marketing among them. In societies with a tradition of paternalistic social change management, where we position Slovenia, social marketing is evolving slowly, with more caution, although incorporating the essential principles of social marketing developed in liberal market societies. We conclude the discussion with an assessment of the current stage of the life-cycle of social marketing in Slovenia, and the opportunities and obstacles to its further development.

19.06.2014