Rob Barlow is an Assistant Professor of ethics and corporate responsibility at Hult International Business School, where he teaches courses in business ethics, design thinking and the social sciences in the undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs. He received a PhD in Political Science from Stanford University in 2017. Rob’s research is broadly focused in the area of business ethics, where has written on a wide range of subjects, including the role of deliberation within international multi-stakeholder initiatives and the institutional features that prevent them from being effective. In collaboration with Matt Johnson, a separate research stream draws on work in neuroscience and behavioral psychology to establish diagnostic criteria by which to assess the effects of modern marketing practices on consumer autonomy. Other projects include papers on the psychological impacts of design thinking on end users, and the history of impact investing.
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent year... more Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent years. Implicit in this excitement is the notion that physical experiences provide unique value above and beyond what can be offered via digital means, and therefore that combining the two can galvanize sales. However, the specific sources of this marketing potential remain undertheorized and the factors determining the appropriateness of such implementations remain unclear. Based on an extensive review of relevant literatures, we begin by considering a particularly important potential source of phygital marketing’s power. Specifically, we bring together findings from consumer psychology and neuroscience to provide a mechanistic account explaining how the combination of reduced “pain of payment”, facilitated by digital purchasing technologies, and the product attachment generated by real or simulated product experiences prior to purchase holds the potential to increase sales. We then propose...
–The Asian Conference on Business and Public Policy 2020: Official Conference Proceedings, 2020
Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices ca... more Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices can play in undermining human autonomy through manipulation of the consumer's decision-making processes (cf. Arrington). However, researchers have not explored these issues from the perspective of those who may be targeted by such messages. In this study we employ an experimental approach to selectively probe consumer attitudes towards manipulative marketing, focusing specifically on how their views on the use of manipulative marketing tactics may change depending on how they feel about the consequences these tactics will bring about. In study 1, we isolate the selective impact of two specific variables on the evaluation of marketing tactics: 1) the persuasiveness of a marketing campaign, and 2) the consequences of the marketing campaign. Our results indicate that people are generally consequentialist in their evaluation of marketing advertisements, and that the persuasiveness of a given campaign only impacts it's ethical judgment when it produces negative consequences. We also discuss ongoing and future work, which aims to build upon, and extend these findings by directly examining how perceived manipulation influences ethical judgments.
Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to faci... more Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to facilitate deliberation among corporations, civil society groups, and others affected by corporate conduct for their decisions to be considered democratically legitimate. However, critics argue that decisions reached within deliberative MSIs will lack democratic legitimacy so long as corporations are granted a role in helping to make them. If the critics are correct, it leads to a paradox. Corporations must be excluded from holding decision-making authority within MSIs if they are to function as democratically legitimate regulatory institutions at a global level. However, this risks severely diminishing the incentive of corporations to support and participate within MSIs, which often depend heavily for their success on the visibility provided them by corporate participants. In this paper, I argue that this apparent paradox should be considered irrelevant to the future study of MSIs since it ...
Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices ca... more Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices can play in undermining human autonomy through manipulation of the consumer's decision-making processes (cf. Arrington). However, researchers have not explored these issues from the perspective of those who may be targeted by such messages. In this study we employ an experimental approach to selectively probe consumer attitudes towards manipulative marketing, focusing specifically on how their views on the use of manipulative marketing tactics may change depending on how they feel about the consequences these tactics will bring about. In study 1, we isolate the selective impact of two specific variables on the evaluation of marketing tactics: 1) the persuasiveness of a marketing campaign, and 2) the consequences of the marketing campaign. Our results indicate that people are generally consequentialist in their evaluation of marketing advertisements, and that the persuasiveness of a giv...
Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to faci... more Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to facilitate deliberation among corporations, civil society groups, and others affected by corporate conduct for their decisions to be considered democrati- cally legitimate. However, critics argue that decisions reached within deliberative MSIs will lack democratic legitimacy so long as corporations are granted a role in helping to make them. If the critics are correct, it leads to a paradox. Corporations must be excluded from holding decision-making authority within MSIs if they are to function as democratically legitimate regulatory institutions at a global level. However, this risks severely diminishing the incentive of corporations to support and participate within MSIs, which often depend heavily for their success on the visibility provided them by corporate partici- pants. In this paper, I argue that this apparent paradox should be considered irrelevant to the future study of MSIs since it is both unnecessary and impractical for researchers to focus on establishing democratically legitimate systems of governance within them. Instead, I recommend an approach informed by three touchstones of pragmatic philosophy to guide their future study—a criterion of usefulness, wariness of category disputes and commitment to experimentalism. I conclude by drawing on research in political science and social psychology that demonstrates an important practical role for deliberation within such organizations, arguing that researchers must zero in on the role that inclusive deliberation can play in bolstering their effectiveness as regulatory instruments.
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 2021
Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent year... more Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent years. Implicit in this excitement is the notion that physical experiences provide unique value above and beyond what can be offered via digital means, and therefore that combining the two can galvanize sales. However, the specific sources of this marketing potential remain undertheorized and the factors determining the appropriateness of such implementations remain unclear. Based on an extensive review of relevant literatures, we begin by considering a particularly important potential source of phygital marketing’s power. Specifically, we bring together findings from consumer psychology and neuroscience to provide a mechanistic account explaining how the combination of reduced “pain of payment”, facilitated by digital purchasing technologies, and the product attachment generated by real or simulated product experiences prior to purchase holds the potential to increase sales. We then propose a more general theoretical framework grounded on a review of primary and secondary research findings from consumer psychology and consumer neuroscience to explain the potential power of phygital marketing experiences, account for their unique value, and provide a platform for future research. The paper equips both academics and practitioners with a better and more scientific understanding of the practical dimensions of phygital commerce and lays a foundation for future enquiry.
In this chapter, we argue that adopting a design thinking approach to food creation has broader i... more In this chapter, we argue that adopting a design thinking approach to food creation has broader impact than previously thought. We suggest here that this approach can not only lead to the development of new cuisines and culinary experiences, but transform the way that consumers perceive the taste of food itself. We review current design thinking practices and illustrate the psychological mechanisms by which this transformation may occur, with an emphasis on unconscious mental modeling, empathy, and storytelling. Given that many such mechanisms can be targeted through self-conscious design, our hope is not only to extend the current understanding of design thinking in the culinary world, but to further empower food designers to reshape the relationship between consumers and food.
The future of marketing will be rife with ethical challenges. To help address them, we propose a ... more The future of marketing will be rife with ethical challenges. To help address them, we propose a novel ethical framework and diagnostic criteria for marketing professionals. We start by making the case that consumer autonomy is among the most important values deserving of ethical consideration in this discussion. Then, drawing on decades of neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics research, we develop a theoretical understanding of how it is often undermined via the strategies available to modern marketing professionals, and of how such violations may be classified and diagnosed.
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent year... more Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent years. Implicit in this excitement is the notion that physical experiences provide unique value above and beyond what can be offered via digital means, and therefore that combining the two can galvanize sales. However, the specific sources of this marketing potential remain undertheorized and the factors determining the appropriateness of such implementations remain unclear. Based on an extensive review of relevant literatures, we begin by considering a particularly important potential source of phygital marketing’s power. Specifically, we bring together findings from consumer psychology and neuroscience to provide a mechanistic account explaining how the combination of reduced “pain of payment”, facilitated by digital purchasing technologies, and the product attachment generated by real or simulated product experiences prior to purchase holds the potential to increase sales. We then propose...
–The Asian Conference on Business and Public Policy 2020: Official Conference Proceedings, 2020
Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices ca... more Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices can play in undermining human autonomy through manipulation of the consumer's decision-making processes (cf. Arrington). However, researchers have not explored these issues from the perspective of those who may be targeted by such messages. In this study we employ an experimental approach to selectively probe consumer attitudes towards manipulative marketing, focusing specifically on how their views on the use of manipulative marketing tactics may change depending on how they feel about the consequences these tactics will bring about. In study 1, we isolate the selective impact of two specific variables on the evaluation of marketing tactics: 1) the persuasiveness of a marketing campaign, and 2) the consequences of the marketing campaign. Our results indicate that people are generally consequentialist in their evaluation of marketing advertisements, and that the persuasiveness of a given campaign only impacts it's ethical judgment when it produces negative consequences. We also discuss ongoing and future work, which aims to build upon, and extend these findings by directly examining how perceived manipulation influences ethical judgments.
Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to faci... more Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to facilitate deliberation among corporations, civil society groups, and others affected by corporate conduct for their decisions to be considered democratically legitimate. However, critics argue that decisions reached within deliberative MSIs will lack democratic legitimacy so long as corporations are granted a role in helping to make them. If the critics are correct, it leads to a paradox. Corporations must be excluded from holding decision-making authority within MSIs if they are to function as democratically legitimate regulatory institutions at a global level. However, this risks severely diminishing the incentive of corporations to support and participate within MSIs, which often depend heavily for their success on the visibility provided them by corporate participants. In this paper, I argue that this apparent paradox should be considered irrelevant to the future study of MSIs since it ...
Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices ca... more Academic discussion about the ethics of marketing typically focuses on the role such practices can play in undermining human autonomy through manipulation of the consumer's decision-making processes (cf. Arrington). However, researchers have not explored these issues from the perspective of those who may be targeted by such messages. In this study we employ an experimental approach to selectively probe consumer attitudes towards manipulative marketing, focusing specifically on how their views on the use of manipulative marketing tactics may change depending on how they feel about the consequences these tactics will bring about. In study 1, we isolate the selective impact of two specific variables on the evaluation of marketing tactics: 1) the persuasiveness of a marketing campaign, and 2) the consequences of the marketing campaign. Our results indicate that people are generally consequentialist in their evaluation of marketing advertisements, and that the persuasiveness of a giv...
Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to faci... more Political CSR scholars argue that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) should be designed to facilitate deliberation among corporations, civil society groups, and others affected by corporate conduct for their decisions to be considered democrati- cally legitimate. However, critics argue that decisions reached within deliberative MSIs will lack democratic legitimacy so long as corporations are granted a role in helping to make them. If the critics are correct, it leads to a paradox. Corporations must be excluded from holding decision-making authority within MSIs if they are to function as democratically legitimate regulatory institutions at a global level. However, this risks severely diminishing the incentive of corporations to support and participate within MSIs, which often depend heavily for their success on the visibility provided them by corporate partici- pants. In this paper, I argue that this apparent paradox should be considered irrelevant to the future study of MSIs since it is both unnecessary and impractical for researchers to focus on establishing democratically legitimate systems of governance within them. Instead, I recommend an approach informed by three touchstones of pragmatic philosophy to guide their future study—a criterion of usefulness, wariness of category disputes and commitment to experimentalism. I conclude by drawing on research in political science and social psychology that demonstrates an important practical role for deliberation within such organizations, arguing that researchers must zero in on the role that inclusive deliberation can play in bolstering their effectiveness as regulatory instruments.
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 2021
Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent year... more Interest in the application of phygital marketing to retail commerce has increased in recent years. Implicit in this excitement is the notion that physical experiences provide unique value above and beyond what can be offered via digital means, and therefore that combining the two can galvanize sales. However, the specific sources of this marketing potential remain undertheorized and the factors determining the appropriateness of such implementations remain unclear. Based on an extensive review of relevant literatures, we begin by considering a particularly important potential source of phygital marketing’s power. Specifically, we bring together findings from consumer psychology and neuroscience to provide a mechanistic account explaining how the combination of reduced “pain of payment”, facilitated by digital purchasing technologies, and the product attachment generated by real or simulated product experiences prior to purchase holds the potential to increase sales. We then propose a more general theoretical framework grounded on a review of primary and secondary research findings from consumer psychology and consumer neuroscience to explain the potential power of phygital marketing experiences, account for their unique value, and provide a platform for future research. The paper equips both academics and practitioners with a better and more scientific understanding of the practical dimensions of phygital commerce and lays a foundation for future enquiry.
In this chapter, we argue that adopting a design thinking approach to food creation has broader i... more In this chapter, we argue that adopting a design thinking approach to food creation has broader impact than previously thought. We suggest here that this approach can not only lead to the development of new cuisines and culinary experiences, but transform the way that consumers perceive the taste of food itself. We review current design thinking practices and illustrate the psychological mechanisms by which this transformation may occur, with an emphasis on unconscious mental modeling, empathy, and storytelling. Given that many such mechanisms can be targeted through self-conscious design, our hope is not only to extend the current understanding of design thinking in the culinary world, but to further empower food designers to reshape the relationship between consumers and food.
The future of marketing will be rife with ethical challenges. To help address them, we propose a ... more The future of marketing will be rife with ethical challenges. To help address them, we propose a novel ethical framework and diagnostic criteria for marketing professionals. We start by making the case that consumer autonomy is among the most important values deserving of ethical consideration in this discussion. Then, drawing on decades of neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics research, we develop a theoretical understanding of how it is often undermined via the strategies available to modern marketing professionals, and of how such violations may be classified and diagnosed.
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