University of Isfahan New Marketing Research Journal 2228-7744 15 1 2025 05 22 Identifying and Ranking the Components of Benevolent Marketing with a Focus on Ethical Principles and Social Responsibility Identifying and Ranking the Components of Benevolent Marketing with a Focus on Ethical Principles and Social Responsibility 55 86 29521 10.22108/nmrj.2025.143940.3136 FA Bahar Brakhasy Ph.D. student, Department of Business Management, Kish International Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kish Island, Iran Mohammad Mahdi Parhizgar Professor, Department of Business Administration, Payam-e Noor University, Tehran, Iran 0009-0003-0726-0315 Mohammad Nasrollahniya Assistant professor, Department of Business Management, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2025 01 20 This study aimed to identify and rank the components of a benevolent marketing model grounded in ethical and responsible practices, drawing on insights from experts in ethics and social responsibility. The research employed a qualitative approach through interpretive phenomenology. The target population for component identification consisted of managers engaged in benevolent marketing. Following the principle of data saturation, 15 individuals were selected using a purposive, criterion-based sampling method. Data collection was conducted via semi-structured interviews. To validate the research, a homogeneity matching method was applied, while reliability was assessed through test-retest methods and dual coding. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis by following the framework established by Braun and Clarke (2006) and processed with MaxQDA 2024 software. The findings revealed 46 initial themes, which were distilled into 12 basic themes, 4 organizing themes, and 1 overarching theme. The key areas identified included collaborations and benevolent partnerships, corporate social responsibility, marketing strategies, and cultural-ethical factors. In the second phase of the study, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was employed to rank these components. The statistical population for this phase comprised academic experts selected through snowball sampling. After reaching data saturation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. An ISM questionnaire was designed to analyze the relationships among the model's elements using an n×n matrix. The ISM findings highlighted reciprocal influences among the identified components, underscoring the importance of collaboration with charitable organizations and environmental sustainability. At the first level, honesty, justice, and organizational culture emerged as foundational elements of transparency, crucial for building trust and fostering effective stakeholder relationships. At the second level, transparency, media and social networks, technology, and advertising were recognized as influential tools for enhancing collaborations and creating participatory networks. Lastly, at the third level, these elements were identified as critical factors in decision-making related to charitable activities and environmental sustainability. Introduction In today’s competitive business landscape, companies are increasingly seeking innovative strategies to differentiate themselves by creating unique value, fostering deep connections with audiences, and addressing evolving customer needs. Philanthropic marketing has emerged as a modern approach that integrates business objectives with social responsibilities, transcending traditional marketing focused solely on sales. This strategy allows businesses to contribute to societal welfare through charitable initiatives, thereby enhancing brand reputation and customer loyalty. However, achieving success in philanthropic marketing requires a comprehensive model that incorporates ethical principles, such as transparency, honesty, and respect for stakeholder rights, alongside cultural and strategic dimensions. This model must strike a balance between commercial goals and sustainable social contributions, especially in industries like automotive, where economic development and social impact intersect. This research aimed to explore the key components of a philanthropic marketing model, prioritizing and contextualizing them within ethical and cultural frameworks to align business and societal goals. By addressing these challenges, the study sought to develop a robust framework for ethical and socially responsible marketing practices. Materials & Methods This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological approach to identify and rank the components of cause-related marketing, emphasizing ethical principles and social responsibility. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 purposefully selected marketing managers, who had experience in cause-related marketing, social responsibility, and professional ethics, adhering to the principle of data saturation. Data collection involved interviews and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) for ranking the components. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's (2006) framework was employed to analyze the interview data in three stages: "description and decomposition", "interpretation", and "text integration", using MaxQDA 2024 software. To ensure validity, homogeneity checks were implemented and reliability was assessed through re-tests and dual coding. The ISM method was used to create a structural model of the relationships among the components, employing a matrix-based n×n questionnaire. Additionally, snowball sampling was utilized to interview 12 academic experts with a focus on reaching saturation to finalize data collection. Research Findings The findings of this study indicated that the philanthropic marketing model grounded in ethical principles and social responsibility comprised 4 main organizing themes: Philanthropic Collaborations and Partnerships: This included collaboration with charitable organizations, creation of participatory networks, and selection of business partners within the automotive industry. Corporate Social Responsibility: This theme encompassed environmental sustainability and charitable activities specific to the automotive sector. Marketing Strategies: This included the use of technology, advertising, and social media platforms. Cultural-Ethical Factors: This theme covered justice, organizational culture, transparency, and honesty. These themes were categorized into 4 levels based on thematic analysis and structural-interpretive modeling. At the first level, honesty, justice, and organizational culture were identified as foundational elements. The second level featured transparency, social media platforms, technology, and advertising. The third level included the creation of participatory networks, collaboration with charitable organizations, and selection of business partners. Finally, environmental sustainability and charitable activities were positioned at the fourth level. This categorization enhanced our understanding of the interrelationships and mutual impacts among the components, providing a comprehensive and systematic model for philanthropic marketing. Discussion of Results & Conclusion The study concluded that the mutual interaction among elements—particularly collaboration with charitable organizations and environmental sustainability—was essential. Honesty, justice, and organizational culture served as the foundation for transparency, which fostered trust and promoted effective stakeholder relationships. Transparency, along with media, technology, and advertising, functioned as a tool to enhance partnerships, select ethical business partners, and create collaborative networks. These factors, in turn, drove decision-making related to charitable activities and sustainability initiatives. To foster a sustainable ecosystem, companies should partner with charities to support underprivileged communities, establish stakeholder networks for resource sharing, and prioritize ethical business practices. Investments in clean technologies, socially responsible advertising campaigns, and internal ethical training programs are crucial. Additionally, encouraging suppliers to align with these principles will further strengthen the commitment to social responsibility and sustainability. This study aimed to identify and rank the components of a benevolent marketing model grounded in ethical and responsible practices, drawing on insights from experts in ethics and social responsibility. The research employed a qualitative approach through interpretive phenomenology. The target population for component identification consisted of managers engaged in benevolent marketing. Following the principle of data saturation, 15 individuals were selected using a purposive, criterion-based sampling method. Data collection was conducted via semi-structured interviews. To validate the research, a homogeneity matching method was applied, while reliability was assessed through test-retest methods and dual coding. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis by following the framework established by Braun and Clarke (2006) and processed with MaxQDA 2024 software. The findings revealed 46 initial themes, which were distilled into 12 basic themes, 4 organizing themes, and 1 overarching theme. The key areas identified included collaborations and benevolent partnerships, corporate social responsibility, marketing strategies, and cultural-ethical factors. In the second phase of the study, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was employed to rank these components. The statistical population for this phase comprised academic experts selected through snowball sampling. After reaching data saturation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. An ISM questionnaire was designed to analyze the relationships among the model's elements using an n×n matrix. The ISM findings highlighted reciprocal influences among the identified components, underscoring the importance of collaboration with charitable organizations and environmental sustainability. At the first level, honesty, justice, and organizational culture emerged as foundational elements of transparency, crucial for building trust and fostering effective stakeholder relationships. At the second level, transparency, media and social networks, technology, and advertising were recognized as influential tools for enhancing collaborations and creating participatory networks. Lastly, at the third level, these elements were identified as critical factors in decision-making related to charitable activities and environmental sustainability. Introduction In today’s competitive business landscape, companies are increasingly seeking innovative strategies to differentiate themselves by creating unique value, fostering deep connections with audiences, and addressing evolving customer needs. Philanthropic marketing has emerged as a modern approach that integrates business objectives with social responsibilities, transcending traditional marketing focused solely on sales. This strategy allows businesses to contribute to societal welfare through charitable initiatives, thereby enhancing brand reputation and customer loyalty. However, achieving success in philanthropic marketing requires a comprehensive model that incorporates ethical principles, such as transparency, honesty, and respect for stakeholder rights, alongside cultural and strategic dimensions. This model must strike a balance between commercial goals and sustainable social contributions, especially in industries like automotive, where economic development and social impact intersect. This research aimed to explore the key components of a philanthropic marketing model, prioritizing and contextualizing them within ethical and cultural frameworks to align business and societal goals. By addressing these challenges, the study sought to develop a robust framework for ethical and socially responsible marketing practices. Materials & Methods This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological approach to identify and rank the components of cause-related marketing, emphasizing ethical principles and social responsibility. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 purposefully selected marketing managers, who had experience in cause-related marketing, social responsibility, and professional ethics, adhering to the principle of data saturation. Data collection involved interviews and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) for ranking the components. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's (2006) framework was employed to analyze the interview data in three stages: "description and decomposition", "interpretation", and "text integration", using MaxQDA 2024 software. To ensure validity, homogeneity checks were implemented and reliability was assessed through re-tests and dual coding. The ISM method was used to create a structural model of the relationships among the components, employing a matrix-based n×n questionnaire. Additionally, snowball sampling was utilized to interview 12 academic experts with a focus on reaching saturation to finalize data collection. Research Findings The findings of this study indicated that the philanthropic marketing model grounded in ethical principles and social responsibility comprised 4 main organizing themes: Philanthropic Collaborations and Partnerships: This included collaboration with charitable organizations, creation of participatory networks, and selection of business partners within the automotive industry. Corporate Social Responsibility: This theme encompassed environmental sustainability and charitable activities specific to the automotive sector. Marketing Strategies: This included the use of technology, advertising, and social media platforms. Cultural-Ethical Factors: This theme covered justice, organizational culture, transparency, and honesty. These themes were categorized into 4 levels based on thematic analysis and structural-interpretive modeling. At the first level, honesty, justice, and organizational culture were identified as foundational elements. The second level featured transparency, social media platforms, technology, and advertising. The third level included the creation of participatory networks, collaboration with charitable organizations, and selection of business partners. Finally, environmental sustainability and charitable activities were positioned at the fourth level. This categorization enhanced our understanding of the interrelationships and mutual impacts among the components, providing a comprehensive and systematic model for philanthropic marketing. Discussion of Results & Conclusion The study concluded that the mutual interaction among elements—particularly collaboration with charitable organizations and environmental sustainability—was essential. Honesty, justice, and organizational culture served as the foundation for transparency, which fostered trust and promoted effective stakeholder relationships. Transparency, along with media, technology, and advertising, functioned as a tool to enhance partnerships, select ethical business partners, and create collaborative networks. These factors, in turn, drove decision-making related to charitable activities and sustainability initiatives. To foster a sustainable ecosystem, companies should partner with charities to support underprivileged communities, establish stakeholder networks for resource sharing, and prioritize ethical business practices. Investments in clean technologies, socially responsible advertising campaigns, and internal ethical training programs are crucial. Additionally, encouraging suppliers to align with these principles will further strengthen the commitment to social responsibility and sustainability.

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