Cases of Strategic Choice for Green Marketing in Japan
Volume 20, Number 3 Article by Parag Dubey September, 2008
Recycling Businesses: Cases of Strategic Choice for Green Marketing in Japan :
This paper examines issues in understanding the relationship between the discipline of marketing and public policy processes for recycling solid waste in Japan. With an impending environmental crisis, it is imperative that a sustainable system is established that recycles and reuses materials as far as possible, and drastically reduces the amount of waste material. The Japanese government envisages a recycling based society in the shape of a law and a plan for meeting numerical targets with regard to optimal use of resources, recycling and waste management; it also points out that a change in mindset along with technological innovation is the key to success.
In line with this, many established companies in Japan have begun to appreciate that they are part of the wider community and therefore must behave in an environmentally responsible manner. Thus, firms pursuing economic objectives could strategically employ stakeholder and CSR arguments for adopting green marketing.
This paper identifies cases of organisations that have promoted recycled products and practised green marketing, in response to the preferences of multiple stakeholders, prompted by strategic reasons. The strategic reasons identified were opportunity in the case of Teijin Fibres, social responsibility in the case of Kokuyo, cost-profit relationship in the cases of Ricoh and West Japan Auto Recycles, governmental pressure in the case of Matsushita Eco Technology Centre and competitive pressure in the case of Aeon.
These case studies suggest that the tasks of green marketers who favour collective sacrifices as vehicles for achieving their objectives are supplemented by the non-market environment. Based on analysis of these cases and appropriate variables of reasons for favouring green marketing and options for achieving green marketing objectives, the study arrives at a greening strategy matrix with green marketing strategic alternatives.
Reprint No 08302