INSIDE-OUT: USING THE MARKETING CLASSROOM TO MIRROR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OF THE MARKETPLACE

Abstract

ABSTRACT Today’s students will work in an increasingly diverse environment which requires the ability to understand and connect with consumers from different social groups and cultures. The expectations placed on marketing practitioners to connect with a multiplicity of consumers requires a nuanced understanding of the different lifestyles, lived experiences and values of consumers. Exposing students to societal diversity and inclusive practices in their marketing curricula helps to inform their marketing practice in industry. Using an exploratory approach, through semi-structured expert interviews with marketing educators, two overarching themes emerged as crucial sources of inclusion in marketing education, namely pedagogical considerations and curriculum design considerations. This research proposes the Inside-Out framework as a guideline for marketing educators to foster inclusive teaching practices through the lens of the Experiential Learning Theory. Several recommendations for future research are presented, including the development of a teaching resource, an objective assessment of curriculum design and the continued examination of inclusive teaching practices within marketing education.