IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v197y2025ics0148296325002991.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Manipulation: An integrative framework of unethical influence in marketing

Author

Listed:
  • Arango-Kure, Maria
  • Garz, Marcel

Abstract

Marketing practices are often criticised for manipulating people. However, the academic literature does not offer a clear consensus on what constitutes manipulative marketing and when it should be considered unethical. Relevant terms and concepts are often used interchangeably, which makes it difficult to assess the phenomenon and provide ethical guidelines for practitioners. This article develops an integrative framework to assess manipulation in marketing in clear distinction from other forms of influence, including coercion, intimidation, nudging, and persuasion. We identify intent/negligence and lack of consent as key conditions for manipulation, while deception and exploitation are mechanisms through which it takes place. In our framework, marketing tactics are categorised along two dimensions of the influence spectrum: freedom of choice and transparency of information. We provide a flowchart that can guide decision-makers through the process of assessing the characteristics and ethical implications of their actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Arango-Kure, Maria & Garz, Marcel, 2025. "Manipulation: An integrative framework of unethical influence in marketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:197:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325002991
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115476
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325002991
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115476?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kent Walker & Fang Wan, 2012. "The Harm of Symbolic Actions and Green-Washing: Corporate Actions and Communications on Environmental Performance and Their Financial Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 227-242, August.
    2. Shlomo Sher, 2011. "A Framework for Assessing Immorally Manipulative Marketing Tactics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 102(1), pages 97-118, August.
    3. Kaushik Basu, 2018. "Markets and Manipulation: Time for a Paradigm Shift?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(1), pages 185-205, March.
    4. Singhapakdi, Anusorn, 1999. "Perceived Importance of Ethics and Ethical Decisions in Marketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 89-99, May.
    5. Brenkert, George G., 1998. "Marketing and the Vulnerable," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(S1), pages 7-20, January.
    6. Friestad, Marian & Wright, Peter, 1994. "The Persuasion Knowledge Model: How People Cope with Persuasion Attempts," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 21(1), pages 1-31, June.
    7. Nicholas McClaren, 2015. "The Methodology in Empirical Sales Ethics Research: 1980–2010," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(1), pages 121-147, March.
    8. Barnhill, Anne, 2016. "I’d Like to Teach the World to Think: Commercial Advertising and Manipulation," Journal of Marketing Behavior, now publishers, vol. 1(3-4), pages 307-328, February.
    9. Cornelius, Kristin B., 2019. "Zombie contracts, dark patterns of design, and 'documentisation'," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 8(2), pages 1-25.
    10. Tanja Pavleska & Borka Jerman Blažič, 2017. "User bias in online trust systems: aligning the system designers’ intentions with the users’ expectations," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 404-421, April.
    11. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    12. Michael Klenk, 2022. "(Online) manipulation: sometimes hidden, always careless," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 80(1), pages 85-105, January.
    13. Sunstein, Cass R., 2016. "Manipulation, Welfare, and Dignity: A Reply," Journal of Marketing Behavior, now publishers, vol. 1(3-4), pages 351-361, February.
    14. Susser, Daniel & Roessler, Beate & Nissenbaum, Helen, 2019. "Technology, autonomy, and manipulation," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 8(2), pages 1-22.
    15. T. M. Wilkinson, 2013. "Nudging and Manipulation," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 61(2), pages 341-355, June.
    16. Wertenbroch, Klaus, 2016. "From the Editor: Manipulation and Marketing: The Elephant in the Room?," Journal of Marketing Behavior, now publishers, vol. 1(3-4), pages 209-212, February.
    17. Andrea Stevenson Thorpe & Stephen Roper, 2019. "The Ethics of Gamification in a Marketing Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(2), pages 597-609, March.
    18. Rajshekhar G. Javalgi & La Toya M. Russell, 2018. "International Marketing Ethics: A Literature Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(4), pages 703-720, April.
    19. Mele, Cristina & Russo Spena, Tiziana & Kaartemo, Valtteri & Marzullo, Maria Luisa, 2021. "Smart nudging: How cognitive technologies enable choice architectures for value co-creation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 949-960.
    20. Masakazu Ishihara & Minjung Kwon & Makoto Mizuno, 2023. "An empirical study of scarcity marketing strategies: Limited-time products with umbrella branding in the beer market," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 1327-1350, November.
    21. O. C. Ferrell & Victoria L. Crittenden & Linda Ferrell & William F. Crittenden, 2013. "Theoretical development in ethical marketing decision making," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 3(2), pages 51-60, June.
    22. Laczniak, Gene R. & Murphy, Patrick E., 2019. "The role of normative marketing ethics," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 401-407.
    23. Eric Anderson & Duncan Simester, 2003. "Effects of $9 Price Endings on Retail Sales: Evidence from Field Experiments," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 93-110, March.
    24. Shafir, Eldar, 2016. "Manipulated as a Way of Life," Journal of Marketing Behavior, now publishers, vol. 1(3-4), pages 245-260, February.
    25. Bodo Schlegelmilch & Magdalena Öberseder, 2010. "Half a Century of Marketing Ethics: Shifting Perspectives and Emerging Trends," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 1-19, April.
    26. Mats Alvesson & Jörgen Sandberg, 2020. "The Problematizing Review: A Counterpoint to Elsbach and Van Knippenberg’s Argument for Integrative Reviews," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(6), pages 1290-1304, September.
    27. Bargh, John A, 2002. "Losing Consciousness: Automatic Influences on Consumer Judgment, Behavior, and Motivation," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 29(2), pages 280-285, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ashton, John K. & Hudson, Robert S., 2008. "Interest rate clustering in UK financial services markets," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(7), pages 1393-1403, July.
    2. Nikil Mukerji & Adriano Mannino, 2023. "Nudge Me If You Can! Why Order Ethicists Should Embrace the Nudge Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(2), pages 309-324, August.
    3. Hyeong Kim & Thomas Kramer, 2006. "“Pay 80%” versus “get 20% off”: The effect of novel discount presentation on consumers’ deal perceptions," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 311-321, December.
    4. Andrea L. Micheaux & Dominique Crié & Annabel Martin-Salerno & Daphné Salerno, 2018. "The importance of being Earnest in social media: juxtaposing Oscar Wilde’s script with an empirical case study to examine digital deceit from the blogger’s perspective," Post-Print hal-01828584, HAL.
    5. Minton, Elizabeth A. & Cornwell, T. Bettina & Yuan, Hong, 2021. "I know what you are thinking: How theory of mind is employed in product evaluations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 405-422.
    6. Biroli, Pietro & Bosworth, Steven J. & Della Giusta, Marina & Di Girolamo, Amalia & Jaworska, Sylvia & Vollen, Jeremy, 2020. "Framing the Predicted Impacts of COVID-19 Prophylactic Measures in Terms of Lives Saved Rather Than Deaths Is More Effective for Older People," IZA Discussion Papers 13753, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Levy, Daniel & Snir, Avichai & Gotler, Alex & Chen, Haipeng (Allan), 2020. "Not all price endings are created equal: Price points and asymmetric price rigidity," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue forthcomi.
    8. Cardella, Eric & Seiler, Michael J., 2016. "The effect of listing price strategy on real estate negotiations: An experimental study," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 71-90.
    9. Victor I. Espinosa & William Hongsong Wang & Jesús Huerta de Soto, 2022. "Principles of Nudging and Boosting: Steering or Empowering Decision-Making for Behavioral Development Economics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, February.
    10. Lena V. Bjørlo, 2024. "Freedom from interference: Decisional privacy as a dimension of consumer privacy online," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 14(1), pages 12-36, June.
    11. Yana R. Avramova & Patrick De Pelsmacker & Nathalie Dens, 2018. "How reading in a foreign versus native language moderates the impact of repetition-induced brand placement prominence on placement responses," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(6), pages 500-518, November.
    12. Abdulaziz Sezer & Abdulvahap Baydas, 2024. "Marketing Ethics and Customer Loyalty: The Serial Mediating Role of Relationship Quality and the Moderating Role of Voluntary Simplicity," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 22(5), pages 548-585.
    13. Bruno Dyck & Rajesh V. Manchanda, 2021. "Sustainable marketing based on virtue ethics: addressing socio-ecological challenges facing humankind," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 11(1), pages 115-132, June.
    14. Marco Bertini & Luc Wathieu, 2008. "Research Note—Attention Arousal Through Price Partitioning," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(2), pages 236-246, 03-04.
    15. Elena Kantorowicz‐Reznichenko & Jaroslaw Kantorowicz, 2021. "To follow or not to follow the herd? Transparency and social norm nudges," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(3), pages 362-377, August.
    16. Teck Ming Tan & Jari Salo, 2023. "Ethical Marketing in the Blockchain-Based Sharing Economy: Theoretical Integration and Guiding Insights," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(4), pages 1113-1140, April.
    17. James Alm & Lilith Burgstaller & Arrita Domi & Amanda März & Matthias Kasper, 2023. "Nudges, Boosts, and Sludge: Using New Behavioral Approaches to Improve Tax Compliance," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-22, September.
    18. Quinn Keefer & Galib Rustamov, 2018. "Limited attention in residential energy markets: a regression discontinuity approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 993-1017, November.
    19. Garz, Marcel, 2018. "Effects of unemployment news on economic perceptions – Evidence from German Federal States," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 172-190.
    20. T. Poehlman & Ravi Dhar & John Bargh, 2016. "Sophisticated by Design: the Nonconscious Influence of Primed Concepts and Atmospheric Variables on Consumer Preferences," Customer Needs and Solutions, Springer;Institute for Sustainable Innovation and Growth (iSIG), vol. 3(1), pages 48-61, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:197:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325002991. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.