A theory of the Firm Perspective on Marketing and Distributive Justice

This article applies a theory-of-the-firm perspective to gain insights about a just allocation of economic resources by the marketing system. It discusses three groups of firm perspectives (i.e., economic theories, contingency theories, and marketing-oriented theories of the firm) and their implications for (1) the definition of distributive justice; (2) the sources, frequency, and intensity of conflict; and (3) approaches to conflict resolution. Finally, the authors argue that a stakeholder perspective of the firm is the most appropriate theory to avoid conflict and promote cooperation between the firm and its stakeholders because of both its instrumental and normative foundation. © 2008 Sage Publications, Inc.