Public marketing to face wicked problems: theoretical essay for conceptual model construction

Abstract

This study aims to raise evidence of how the domain of public marketing can be a wicked problem instrument to deal with. The evolution of public administration, from bureaucratic to New Public Governance, demonstrated a growing need for interaction between the State and society, which would not be possible without using marketing techniques applied to the public sector in order to communicate with the citizens and other stakeholders, despite the fear of using marketing strategies for public purposes. A literature review realized on wicked problems in political science and how marketing fields have adopted the concept for public marketing purposes. This research was deepened by designing a proposal for a conceptual model involving public marketing and the wicked problem. The essay enabled the development of a State action model, which involves three stages: analysis of the environment, communication with stakeholders and formulation of public policies. When this entire process takes place efficiently, it benefits the construction of public branding. The paper strives to analyze how the State can be the protagonist in facing wicked problems in society through the performance of public policies.