Class of 2022; OS DEI Team
About
PATHWAY
Facilitating Social Change from the Inside Out: Positive Organizational Scholarship and Purpose-Driven Marketing
Now more than ever, a growing proportion of consumers actively seek out companies that not only sell products and services that fulfill their primary need, but look for those companies that resonate with their personal values. Businesses have begun to capitalize on this growing trend by implementing socially responsible policies and practices and integrating specific social causes into their marketing strategies. I am fascinated by the opportunity for businesses to expand the use of cause-marketing to facilitate more sustainable, lasting social change, while also increasing returns for investors and shareholders via brand growth and sales.
I believe that the culture of an organization is the biggest differentiator between a successful one-time marketing campaign and a long-lasting transformation in a company’s brand identity. In order for a socially conscious business to become a purpose-driven brand, that sense of purpose must be embedded within the core of the business: its culture. Paired with my minors in Community Action and Social Change and in Entrepreneurship, my OS pathway will allow me to deeply explore how businesses can enact social change by working from the inside out— beginning with their culture. I aim to better understand how embedding purpose into the mission of a business and creating alignment in the culture of the people and programs, can aid in the development of more sustainable and meaningful marketing strategies and materials. In this manner, companies can benefit the social cause, consumers, and their business.
My OS pathway, my minor studies, and my participation in the Ross Cappo Sales and Marketing track, all provide me with a multidisciplinary lens in exploring the area of brand development and purpose-driven marketing. My coursework at Michigan has encompassed a variety of topics including Marketing, Sales, Positive Organizational Scholarship, Corporate Social Responsibility, Organizational Leadership, Nonprofit Management, Social Psychology, and Entrepreneurship.
