Addressing ethical issues in retailing: a stakeholder perspective

This paper contends that, despite the dominance of the marketing paradigm in retail studies, benefits may be gained from applying stakeholder analysis to retailing. The development of stakeholder theory is outlined, and its problems and shortcomings reviewed. Notwithstanding these, retailing's stakeholders are defined in relation to "best practice". Examples of issues pertaining to stakeholder groups are given. Several ethical issues in retailing are then examined to demonstrate the benefits that accrue from applying a stakeholder approach. It is suggested that such a framework offers a broader perspective, and in particular that rising concern for ethical issues in retailing is better articulated through such a framework. The paper concludes such issues are better addressed when any retail marketing analysis is paralleled with a stakeholder analysis.