Marketing Solutions in Sustainable Territory Development based on

the Environmental Dimension

V. А. Bondarenko

, M. E. Botalova

and C. A. Morusov

Rostov State University of Economics, Rostov-on-Don, Russia

Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia

Keywords: Sustainable Development, Environmental Focus, Sustainable Development Marketing, Region,

Transformation.

Abstract: The article substantiates the role and importance of marketing solutions in sustainable development of

territories based on the environmental component. The authors conclude that the direction of sustainable

development marketing is the most demanded, demonstrating the responsible behavior of business and

regional authorities in the evolution of territories within the framework of the adoption of sustainable

development targets. Marketing solutions allow intensifying the targeting of economic, environmental and

social prerogatives on the one hand, and the targeting of environmental causes the need for marketing

activities on the other hand. It is concluded that it is necessary to expand the environmental component to

prepare strategic programs to develop territories and the definition of indicators indicating environmental

well-being. The article carries out analytical comparisons for a number of selected criteria characterizing the

environmental situation in the regions of Russia and substantiates the need for environmental transformation

in the target setting of the complex marketing of enterprises and organizations developing their activities in a

particular territory, finding a balance of interests of the compromise between government, business and local

community, actively involved in the implementation of "green initiatives".

1 INTRODUCTION

The issues of territorial development have been and

remain topical for modern theory and practice

associated with their strategic management processes.

In this practical sphere and ideology, one of the

leading roles belongs to territorial marketing

designed to develop a strategy and coordinate tactical

steps to transform the territorial economy in the

interests of business, population, competitive

positioning of products and services produced in the

region (Lugovaya, 2013).

The established paradigm of economic

management and the corresponding marketing theory

within the concept of sustainable

development(Realizaciya strategii ustojchivogo

razvitiya), in addition to purely economic interests,

bring to the spectrum of target indicators, those that

correlate with social interests and effects, which is

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manifested in the social and ethical orientation of

business (Dement'eva and Sokolova, 2018)and

environmental interests, allowing reducing the

harmful impact on the environment and provide

chances for future generations' life. This allows us to

talk about the prevalence in marketing theory of the

concept of sustainable marketing or marketing of

sustainable development of territories (Ginsburg, and

Bloom, 2004), which focuses managerial decisions,

business activity and demands of the local community

on social and environmental goals, taking into

account the intersection of the interests of the latter

and the search for possible trade-offs between the

interacting parties.

Researchers in the noted context note a number of

features of filling the marketing complex in

accordance with the expression of the population on

social and environmental effects in the business

functioning (figure 1).

Bondarenko, V., Botalova, M. and Morusov, C.

Marketing Solutions in Sustainable Territory Development based on the Environmental Dimension.

DOI: 10.5220/0010666500003223

In Proceedings of the 1st International Scientiﬁc Forum on Sustainable Development of Socio-economic Systems (WFSDS 2021), pages 227-233

ISBN: 978-989-758-597-5

227

A product in this approach embodies solutions

that combine safety, resource conservation,

recyclability, and labeling that demonstrate a

commitment to sustainability.

Figure 1: Marketing mix within the concept of sustainable

development.

The consumer price is set at a level that includes

the payment of a price premium for focusing on

environmental issues, safety, conservation of

resources.

The distribution element is aligned with green

logistics, supply chain management based on

sustainable development targets.

In the promotion element, demonstrating

commitment to sustainable development goals and, in

particular, environmental friendliness, appears to be a

leading component.

Processes involve the full participation of all

parties involved in the cycle of socially and

environmentally responsible behavior in creating and

promoting the product (from the idea to the end

consumer).

Personnel communicates the goals of sustainable

development, adopting an ecological orientation

necessary and desirable in life and work.

Physical attributes are the presence of the

necessary environmental certification, special

marking, product packaging, communication of

compliance with the requirements prescribed in

environmental standards.

These aspects are important not only concerning a

particular producer and its products but become

relevant when choosing the trajectory of

environmentally oriented improvement of the

territory, in general, based on the concept of

sustainable development marketing.

A number of experts rightly note that in order to

prevent the risks manifested at the current stage of

economic management it is necessary to develop

comprehensive solutions based on economic,

environmental and social aspects (including those

broadcast in the promotion of the territorial brand)

(Dudin, Kalendzhyan and Lyasnikov, 2017), which

requires constant monitoring and forecasting, as well

as specialized research (sociological, marketing) to

take into account public sentiment, market interests

and the choice of future development trajectories of

the region, in accordance with the principles of a

sustainable vector for the evolution of territories. In

such an ideological perspective, researchers note the

importance of the unity of economic, environmental

and social goals, which can be fully coordinated in the

territorial development on the basis of the concept of

sustainable marketing (Clifton, 2010).

In this regard, we explain that, in our opinion, in

the study of the problems of marketing solutions

application in the sustainable development of

territories, the environmental component is actualized

on the one hand, and for the full development of the

territory in the direction of the environmental vector,

the marketing support seems to be in demand.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

To study the relevance of marketing solutions in the

sustainable development of territories based on the

environmental component, we clarify the significant

target settings of the concept of sustainable

development, determine the priority value in

territorial evolution at the present stage of the concept

of marketing sustainable development; we analyze

the implantation of environmental issues in the

strategic development programs of several Russian

regions, as well as determine the main indicators that

indicate the ecological well-being of the territories,

conduct appropriate analytical comparisons and

substantiate the leading role of marketing theory and

practice in focusing on positive transformations of the

regional economy in the direction of the

environmental component.

3 RESEARCH RESULTS

It should be emphasized that successful

implementation of the declared and implemented

targets in the development of the territory is of great

importance in the acceptance of the environmental

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228

priorities by the local community and involvement of

the active part of the population into the processes of

relevant positive transformations. Thus, a previous

study highlights the lack of public engagement in

targeting territorial issues and understanding of

efforts to implement green initiatives in particular

(Bondarenko, Ivanchenko and Kalieva, 2017). At the

current stage, it is justified to involve civic activists

in this process and transfer (by word-of-mouth

induction) the meaning of "green" orientation in the

transformation of the territory with the involvement

of the local community.

Russian and foreign experts also emphasize the

advisability of involving as many stakeholders as

possible in the process of ecological transformation

based on a marketing concept that allows taking into

account their interests (Frolov and Strekalova, 2015).

To understand the current situation regarding the

integration into the marketing support of territorial

development according to the environmental

scenario, it is advisable to cite the results of the study

regarding the Southern macro-region of Russia,

where the focus is pronounced on the agricultural

component, food production, which initially implies

the need to follow the "green values". We consider it

significant to cite the assessment results on the

implantation of the environmental component in the

strategic planning for the development of the

economy of the regions included in this macro-

region.

According to the research data, it turns out that the

problems of environmental development are realized

by the management module of all the analyzed

regions, while the targets, objectives, evaluation

indicators in the relevant strategies, possible

scenarios (from basic to desirable), priority projects,

SWOT analysis, implemented regulatory

mechanisms are not present in all strategic plans

(Figure 2). We believe that the situation in several

other regions of Russia is similar. Let us also point

out that it is advisable to refer to the indicators

indicating such (environmental) orientation, for

example, the share of land stock without a

pronounced anthropogenic load, the share of the

captured harmful substances, as well as the amount of

clean drinking water. It is justified to compare regions

with metropolitan areas, as advanced solutions are

being implemented there, which are further scaled up

to the entire region.

When comparing land in the land fund, we

obtained the following data (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Representation of environmental issues in the strategic development programs of some regions of Southern Russia.

Marketing Solutions in Sustainable Territory Development based on the Environmental Dimension

229

Figure 3: Land area by type of land in several Russian regions in 2019 as % of the total area.

The availability of land, which is not included in

the agricultural land, provides an opportunity to

provide forest walks, hunting, etc., in such areas is

minimized anthropogenic load, and there is an

opportunity to maintain a favorable environmental

situation, as due to the forests effectively purifies the

air. In areas where agricultural activities are carried

out, it is also possible to maintain a balance; the main

condition is the implementation of sustainable land

use and observance of the balance between economy,

ecology, and social effects, as well as the inclusion in

the marketing planning of spatial development of a

clearly defined environmental component.

18,3

14,9

37,5

9,5

47,3

13,2

40,6

66,9

57,5

47,6

74,6

51,2

2,3

17,7

77,6

84,3

62,3

17,4

45,1

59,8

70,2

49,8

17,7

30,6

33,1

12,8

40,6

51,1

73,3

9,2

5,2

2,9

20,4

5,8

3,2

21,5

11,9

3,7

7,4

5,3

16,4

1,4

13,5

4,8

7,5

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Moscow

St.Petersburg

Moscowregion

Leningradregion

Novosibirskregion

Sverdlovskregion

NizhnyNovgorodRegion

RepublicofTatarstan

Chelyabinskregion

Omskregion

SamaraRegion

RepublicofBashkiria

Krasnoyarskregion

PermTerritory

Voronezhregion

Volgogradregion

Rostovregion

Krasnodarregion

farmland forestland Surfacewaters,includingswamps

WFSDS 2021 - INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEMS

230

Figure 4 - Share of captured and decontaminated air pollutants in the total amount of waste pollutants from stationary sources

in some regions of Russia in 2017-2019.

Figure 5 - Volume of fresh water in a number of Russian regions in 2019 in million cubic meters per 1,000 inhabitants.

The following analytical data on the share of

captured and decontaminated air pollutants in the

total amount of waste pollutants from stationary

sources in several country regions can be given

(Figure 4). As we can see, the most prosperous

regions of the country seem to be Leningrad region,

Krasnodar region, Krasnoyarsk region, Rostov

region, and Perm region. The situation is difficult in

Samara region, Omsk region, Moscow, St.

Petersburg, and Sverdlovsk region.

Marketing Solutions in Sustainable Territory Development based on the Environmental Dimension

231

To complete the picture within the framework

of assessing the situation with the aim of ecological

development within the framework of marketing and

creation of relevant program documents concerning

the regions of the country, a different, expanded list

of indicators that give an understanding of the

ecological well-being can be used.

We believe that marketing planning of

territorial development based on economic,

environmental, and social effects will improve the

quality of life of the population and the possibility of

competitive positioning of the country's territories.

However, this requires adopting appropriate

documents, implanting an environmental component

into them, and following the tactical steps of the

sustainable development marketing concept in

aligning the desired effects and interests of the target

audiences. The increased involvement of the local

community in solving regional problems also seems

to be a significant factor.

4 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

The expert community also considers the increase of

organic agricultural production as one of the

significant components to ensure the sustainable

development scenario of the territory. However, there

may be certain difficulties associated with the need

for additional costs for the business, which may

discourage promising investors (Sokolov and

Ponomareva, 2014).

This involves activation of the marketing

component in terms of communications, finding a

compromise of target audiences' interests in the

territorial development to prevent negative

consequences of this kind. This circumstance

mediates the strengthening of the business image and

brand promotion of the promising territory for the

audience of potential investors ((Bondarenko,

Ivanchenko and Kalieva, 2017).

Such researchers as Dudin M., Kalendzhyan S.,

Lyasnikov N. emphasize the importance of "green"

innovations in territorial development, which

suggests the need for advanced marketing initiatives

in the spectrum of strategic solutions and their

practical refraction in the sectors of interest of the

regional economy (Dudin, Kalendzhyan and

Lyasnikov, 2017).

Mirzekhanova Z. explores the targeting of

environmental component growth, mainly in the

agricultural sector of the Far Eastern macro-region of

Russia, noting the efforts made and the need to find a

balance between the economy, society, and ecology,

which at the current stage is not always possible

(Mirzekhanova,2018). Our view, which coincides

with the expert opinion, finding a priority model of

regional economic development can be implemented

in the ideological pool of sustainable development

marketing with a full-fledged emphasis on the

environmental component.

5 CONCLUSION

To summarize, we should note that marketing

solutions in the sustainable development of territories

based on the environmental component seem to be a

desirable and unchangeable option for the evolution

of regions from the strategic perspective. In refraction

to the goals of sustainable development, accepted by

modern society, the marketing concept of sustainable

development is in demand in the transformation of the

regional economy. The concept strikes a balance

between economic, social, and environmental effects.

At the given approach in marketing decisions on

the strategic planning of regional development and

carried out tactical steps, it is necessary to prescribe

in corresponding documents the purposes, tasks,

forecasts, possible scenarios, indicators, to consider

the realized and perspective projects, to substantiate

methodology of necessary analytical work. For the

time being, such activities are carried out in an

eclectic format, implying the need for streamlining

and comprehensiveness.

It also seems important to introduce

environmental changes into the target settings of the

marketing complex of enterprises and organizations

developing their activities in a particular territory and

finding a compromise between the government,

business (external and internal investors), and the

local community, actively involved in the

implementation of "green initiatives".

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