AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the major economic, political, social, and environmental crises of the current context, their scope, and their interrelationships within the framework of the polycrisis;
• Understand the role of uncertainty and risk in the transformation of consumer behavior and the importance of building a relationship of trust between businesses and consumers;
• Define green marketing, situate it within the broader debate on corporate sustainability, and distinguish it from inauthentic communication approaches such as greenwashing;
• Recognize the importance of approaches aimed at creating positive externalities from an economic, social, and environmental perspective;
• Analyze the external and internal environment to understand the market in which one operates;
• Segment the market based on sustainability and responsibility criteria, identify the most relevant consumer targets, and define a positioning consistent with the values of the contemporary consumer;
• Define the behaviors of sustainable consumers who increasingly demand consistency and transparency in corporate operations;
• Design trust-oriented marketing strategies capable of meeting the market’s ethical and environmental expectations;
• Read and interpret sustainable consumption trends at the national and international levels, including through data and market research;

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of lectures designed to spark discussion and reflection, including through the analysis of relevant real-world case studies. These activities aim to foster a critical and practical understanding of sustainability issues in contemporary consumption.

Students with disabilities, with SLD or with SEN, are reminded that, to request exam accommodations, they must first upload their certification to the University website at servizionline.unige.it<https://servizionline.unige.it/>, in the “Students” section. The documentation will be checked by the University’s Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with SLD. At the beginning of the course, students are advised to contact the lecturer to agree on exam arrangements which, while respecting the learning objectives of the course, take individual learning needs into account. To request compensatory tools or dispensatory measures, students with disabilities or SLD must fill in the dedicated Webform available athttps://unige.it/disabilita-dsa, at least 7 working days before the exam.

Students with SEN may instead send their request by e-mail to the lecturer, copying the Department Representative, Prof. Elena Lagomarsino, atinclusione.economia@unige.it<mailto:inclusione.economia@unige.it>, and the Inclusion Office atinclusione.studenti@info.unige.it<mailto:inclusione.studenti@info.unige.it>.

Requests from students will be assessed by the lecturer and may be approved or rejected.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Program Overview:

• The current consumer landscape: global and local trends, new lifestyles, and consumer cultures;
• Contemporary crises: economic, political, climate, health, and social;
• The concept of the polycrisis: origins, dynamics, and implications for the market;
• Uncertainty, risk, and trust: how expectations and purchasing behaviors are changing;
• The new consumer: profiles, values, and motivations of the sustainable and responsible consumer;
• Analysis of the external, internal, and competitive environments to assess the market situation in which one operates;
• Segmentation, targeting, and positioning in the sustainability market: criteria, tools, and models;
• Identity, corporate values, and brand ethos: from mission to sustainable value proposition;
• Definition and scope of green marketing: origins, evolution, and prospects;
• Trust-oriented marketing: principles, tools, and applications;
• Green marketing vs. greenwashing: ethical, legal, and communicative boundaries;
• Emerging trends: from the circular economy to the regenerative economy;
• Case studies to help understand the theoretical concepts covered.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The required reading is:

• Belz, F.M.; Peattie, K. (2012). Sustainability Marketing - A Global Perspective.
• Digital note: https://www.egeaeditore.it/ita/prodotti/marketing-e-vendite/sustainability-marketing.as

Supplementary teaching materials (slides, scientific articles, industry reports, and case studies) will be provided via the University’s e-learning platform.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written test designed to assess the student’s ability to discuss the topics covered in the course in a critical, comprehensive, and informed manner, drawing on concrete examples and real-world contexts.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The evaluation takes into account the accuracy and completeness of the answers, the ability to relate the course’s theoretical content to real-world contexts and case studies, the depth of critical analysis, and the quality of presentation and argumentation.