Good Works!: Marketing and Corporate Initiatives that Build a Better World...and the Bottom Line

by Philip Kotler, David Hessekiel, Nancy R. Lee

Businesspeople who mix cause and commerce are often portrayed as sinners or saints: Either they are heartless, opportunistic corporate "causewashers" cynically exploiting nonprofits to make a buck, or they are visionary social entrepreneurs for whom conducting trade is just a necessary evil in their quest to create a better world. Instead of black and white, the intersection of doing well and doing good is painted many shades of gray. Over the past 30 years, corporations have created numerous programs that generate significant resources for nonprofit partners while achieving business objectives. Stadiums could be filled with all the social entrepreneurs who've learned the hard way that a commitment to "doing the right thing" alone is not enough to guarantee commercial viability. Whether one works for a Fortune 500 behemoth or a start-up, cause marketing requires a delicate balancing act between what it takes to generate financial and social dividends. Cause marketing is not a panacea, but for many businesses it can yield tremendous returns. For many businesspeople, it can add tremendous personal satisfaction to a job well done. This is a cause MARKETING book, not a CSR treatise. It is meant for businesspeople who want their work to generate positive social impacts, but need to produce bottom line business results. Written in a practical, "were in this together" style, it makes the case that purpose-driven marketing has moved from a "nice to do" to a "must do" for businesses that want to thrive in today's marketplace.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published June 5, 2012

About the author

Professor Kotler's book, Marketing Management, is the world's most widely used graduate level textbook in marketing. His other textbooks include Principles of Marketing and management: An Introduction and they are also widely used around the world.
Kotler developed new concepts in marketing including atmospherics, demarketing, megamarketing, turbomarketing and synchromarketing. He believes that marketing theory needs to go beyond price theory and incorporate the dynamics of innovation, distribution and promotion systems into analyzing, explaining and predicting economic outcomes.
Kotler has worked for many large companies in the areas of marketing strategy, planning and organization, and international marketing.
He presents seminars in major international cities and countries around the world on the latest marketing developments to companies and other organizations.
"He is the father of Marketing Management".
(Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Mai Thuy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book identified 6 different kinds of doing good as a company, including Cause Promotion, Cause-related Marketing, Corporate Social Marketing, Corporate Philanthropy, Community Volunteering, Socially Responsible Business Practice. In each chapter, they gave specific example for each initiative include how the big brand such as Starbuck, Levi...doing it. They also summarize all the important information like what is the definition of the cause, typical format, benefits, key to success, potential concerns, when to consider the cause...The book is suitable for those who interested in working for the community affairs, corporate communications, public relations of big companies or nonprofit and pulic sector agencies. This is an easy level book.

[Amir Jabbari · Rating 3 out of 5]

My two main take aways from the book are that, sometimes people will the remeber the cause and not the brand behind the cause. To avoid that, you need to select a cause that is unique and not pursued by manu other companies. This will help your company build a lasting association with that. The other take away is that you need to have a mindset of solving problems fpr good and not having a provisional approach.
A good book for marketers and PR people

[Pradyuman Singh Rajput · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corporate Social Responability- An element of a Concious Company

[Vishal Kale · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is hardly an MBA, at least in India, who hasn’t heard of Philip Kotler. Without his book, one cannot imagine studying Marketing. Thus, on noticing a book co-authored by this Author, I didn’t have to think twice before buying it. The book in question is titled : “Good Works! Market And Corporate Initiatives That Build A Better World… And The Bottom Line”. It was the last few words that got my attention; CSR will likely remain an afterthought, a regulatory requirement, unless it is linked with the Bottom Line. That is the nature of the modern for-profit organization.

I strongly recommend every marketer, corporate honcho and management eduationist in India should read this book; the theoretical framework it presents combined with the real life examples stated herein make for deep learning and give natural insights, as well as act as provocators of independent thought.

My mind, once again, goes to the same old conundrum : I can find a Western book, with few connects to India and Indian Realities, in an Indian Book Store. And I am yet to find a good book on Indian Case Studies – I am aware of a minimum of 6 excellent books of case studies of which I myself have studied 5 {Anisha Motwani, Prachi Garg – 2, Anuradha Goel, and a book on Positioning}, with a fifth in my purchase list already. Not one of these has made it to bookstores in India. Why is this shocking pusillanimous and thoroughly repugnant fascination we have for the West still present? To management faculty, institutes and colleges – my blunt & straightforward question – ALL of these are Corporate Professionals. Why have you abandoned your core duty of documentation and research? Where are you in this list?

Read full review here : https://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.in/20...

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The purpose of this book is to help businesses discover how they can profit from doing good.

Kotler and his co-writers introduce six social initiatives that they illustrate with a lot of case studies. The initiatives are divided into Marketing-Driven Initiatives and Corporate-Driven Initiatives. The marketing ones are Cause Promotion, Cause-Related Marketing, Corporate Social Marketing. The corporate ones are Corporate Philanthropy, Workforce Volunteering, and Socially Responsible Business Practices.

By defining corporate social responsibility and walking you through the ways your business can implement it, Kotler and his team will inspire you to chose social initiatives that support your business objectives.

It's largely an academic book, but a worthwhile read for an entrepreneur with the experience to make it reality.

[Megha Parmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each concept is explained very nicely with case studies. Book explains how a company can blend its CSR initiatives for brand building, contribute to top line & much more. Must read for people who take CSR seriously.

[Kezia Kristi]

Good book

[Kassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to give up on this book because I couldn't take the narrator of the audiobook.