Prof Morven McEachern

Professor of Sustainability & Marketing Ethics
Chester Business School
m.mceachern@chester.ac.uk
Morven McEachern

Professor Morven McEachern is Professor of Sustainability and Marketing Ethics at Chester Business School, University of Chester. Following various senior teaching and research roles, she has taught/led modules on research methods, consumer behaviour and social sustainability. She is the Chester Business School lead for PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. With a specialist emphasis on food systems and place, her research revolves around sustainable/ethical production and consumption, including the impact of austerity and poverty. As an experienced PhD/DBA/MRes supervisor, she has capacity for doctoral supervision on areas relating to sustainability, ethics and consumption behaviour.

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  • Key Teaching:

    • BU7040 Research Methods (Level 7)
    • BU7501 Business Dissertation
    • Various guest teaching sessions on sustainability across Business & Management PGR programmes

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My research interests lie within a variety of sustainable production and consumption contexts, especially food, fashion and place. In addition to informing policy and industry practice, this research has been presented at a number of international conferences and a range of academic journals such as Marketing Theory, Consumption, Markets and Culture, Sociology and the Journal of Business Ethics. She has co-edited various Journal special issues around her related research interests; contributed to edited books (e.g. The Handbook of Marketing Ethics, Sage, 2021) and is co-author of Contemporary Issues in Green and Ethical Marketing (Routledge, 2014) as well as appearing on various media to talk about her research.
She is particularly interested in supervising PhDs in the following areas:
• Sustainability - food ethics; business ethics; consumption ethics.
• Social enterprise - social impact; austerity; food poverty.
• Place – consumption of space and place; community spaces e.g. parks, greenspace; rural space.

Following on from a British Academy/Leverhulme grant (https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/evaluation/case-study-morven-mceachern/), and various publications ( e.g. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00380385211003450), details of her current edited book published by Routledge titled is ‘Researching Poverty and Austerity: Theoretical Approaches, Methodologies and Policy Applications’ (https://lnkd.in/eMSuHYKV) which represents an important and timely collection of international and interdisciplinary studies offering rich contributions to poverty and austerity research.

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Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications 

Fagbola, L., McEachern, M.G. and Raftopoulou, E. (2022). The Negotiation and Reconciliation of Liminal Consumption and Identity within Nigerian Wedding Rituals. Marketing Theory. Article. 

Vik, P., McEachern, M.G., Curtis, J. Kane, K. and Dayson, K. (2021). Social Goals versus Business Necessity: The Nature and Determinants of Innovation in Financial Inclusion. Social Business. Article.  

McEachern, M.G, Warnaby, G. and Moraes, C. (2021) The Role of Community-Led Food Retailers in Enabling Urban Resilience. Sustainability. 13(14), 7563. Article.

Moraes, C., McEachern, M. G., Gibbons, A. and Scullion, L. (2021) ‘Understanding lived experiences of food poverty through a paraliminality lens’, Sociology. 55(6), 1169-1190. DOI 101177/00380385211003450

Szmigin, I., O'Loughlin, D., McEachern, M.G., Karantinou, K., Barbosa, B., Lamprinakos, G. and Fernández-moya, E.M. (2020) Keep Calm and Carry On: European Consumers and their Persistent Resilience in the Face of Austerity, European Journal of Marketing. 54(8), 1883-1907. 

McEachern, M.G., Middleton, D. and Cassidy, T. (2020) Encouraging sustainable behaviour change via a social practice approach: A focus on apparel consumption practices. Journal of Consumer Policy. 43(2), 397-418. DOI 10.1007/s10603-020-09454-0

McEachern, M.G. (2018) Ethical Meat Consumption: Transitioning Towards Sustainability? 26-33. In: Marylyn Carrigan (Ed) Special Issue on Food & Ethical Consumption. Journal of Consumer Ethics. 2(2), 26-33. ISSN 2515-205X

Cheetham, F., McEachern, M.G. and Warnaby, G. (2018) A Kaleidoscopic View of the Territorialised Consumption of Space and Place, Marketing Theory. 18(2), 149-265. Article.

Onyas, W.I, McEachern, M.G. and Ryan, A. (2018) Co-constructing Sustainability: Agencing Sustainable Coffee Farmers in Uganda, Journal of Rural Studies, 61(July), 12-21. 

Sutton, E., McEachern, M.G. and Kane, K. (2018) Communicating a Social Agenda within HEIs: The Role of the Social Enterprise Mark, Social Enterprise Journal. 14(3), 328-347.

Patterson, Z. and McEachern, M.G. (2018) Financial Service Providers: Does It Matter If Banks Don’t Behave Ethically? International Journal of Consumer Studies. 42(5), 489-499. Article.

O'Loughlin, D., McEachern, M.G., Szmigin, I., Karantinou, K., Barbosa, B., Lamprinakos, G. and Fernández-moya, E.M. (2017) European Consumers and their Persistent Resilience in the Face of Austerity, Advances in Consumer Research, Volume 45,  A. Gneezy, V. Griskevicius and P. Williams, Duluth, MN: Association for Consumer Research. Pages 785 – 786.

Chatzidakis, A., McEachern, M.G. and Warnaby, G. (2017) Consumption in and of Space and Place: Introduction to the Special Issue, Marketing Theory. 18(2), 149-153. Article.

O'Loughlin, D., Szmigin, I., McEachern, M.G., Karantinou, K., Barbosa, B., Lamprinakos, G. and Fernández-moya, E.M. (2016) Man Thou Art Dust: Liminal Vulnerability in Austere Times, Sociology. 51(5), 1050-1066. doi:10.1177/0038038516633037

Carrigan, M., McEachern, M.G., Moraes, C. and Bosangit, C. (2016) The Fine Jewellery Industry: CSR Challenges & Institutional Forces Facing SMEs, Journal of Business Ethics. 143(4), 681-699. DOI10.1007/s10551-016-3071-4

O'Loughlin, D., McEachern, M.G., Szmigin, I., Karantinou, K., Barbosa, B., Lamprinakos, G. and Fernández-moya, E.M. (2015), Austere Times: Male Experiences of Liminal Vulnerability, Advances in Consumer Research, Volume 43, eds. Kristin Diehl and Carolyn Yoon, Duluth, MN: Association for Consumer Research, pages 633-634

McEachern, M.G. (2015) Corporate Citizenship and its Impact upon Consumer Moralization, Decision-making and Choice, Journal of Marketing Management, 31(3-4), 430-452. 

Chatzidakis, A., McEachern, M.G. and Warnaby, G. (2014) The Concept of Place in Marketing Theory and Research, Marketing Theory, Virtual Special Issue.

Conference Publications (Selected List)

O'Loughlin, D. and McEachern, M.G. (2022). Exploring the Normalisation of Sustainable Consumption During Austere Times. Academy of Marketing Annual Conference 2022. 4-7th July. University of Huddersfield, UK.

McEachern, M.G. and Moraes, C. (2022) Food Aid Providers and Their Responses to Food Insecurity: A Spatial Perspective. British Sociological Association Annual Conference 2022, 20-22nd April,  Online.

McEachern, M.G, Perry, P., Middleton, D. and Cassidy, T (2020) Mend More, Buy Less? Exploring Consumer Perceptions of Sustainable Clothing, Sustainability & Textiles in the Circular Economy, 2-11thSeptember, Huddersfield, UK.

McEachern, M.G., Moraes, C., Gibbons, A. and Scullion, L. (2020) Improving Poverty, Segregation and Place: The Role of Cross-Sector Partnerships in Administering Emergency Food Provision. Cross-sector Social Interaction (CSSI) 2020. 24-26th June, Limerick, Ireland.

Gibbons, A., Scullion, L., McEachern, M.G. and Moraes, C. (2020) Surviving the Permanence of Precarity, When Security is no Longer a Right. Food and Poverty: Evidence for Change. ENUF, London.

McEachern, M.G., Moraes, C., Scullion, L. and Gibbons, A. (2019) The Provision of Liminal Spaces of Food Aid for Vulnerable Users, How to Make a Just Food Future: Alternative Foodways for a Changing World Conference, University of Sheffield, UK, 8th-10th July 2019. Sponsored by RGS-IBG Food Geographies Working Group (FGWG), the University of Sheffield and the University of Sheffield Research Institute for Sustainable Food Futures (SheFF).

McEachern, M.G., Moraes, C., Gibbons, A. and Scullion, L. (2019, Invited presentation) An Insight into Community-Based Food Aid and its Vulnerable Users, Future Food Symposium, 20th June, Nottingham Business School, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.

McEachern, M.G., Moraes, C., Scullion, L. and Gibbons, A. (2019) Vulnerable Consumers and Ethical Liminal Spaces of Community-Based Food Aid Provision, 7th International Symposium on Marketing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, 7th-9th April, Karlstad Business School, Karlstad, Sweden.

Ogunoye, F., McEachern, M.G. and Kane, K. (2018) Social Value Creation within Social Enterprise Places: A Case Study of the Cities of Salford and Plymouth, ISBE Conference 2018, 7-8th November, Birmingham.

Fagbola, L., McEachern, M.G. and Raftopolou, E.C. (2018) Pursuing the Fairytale Wedding: The Role of Liminality & Bridal Identity, 11th European Association for Consumer Research, 21-23rd June, Ghent.

McEachern, M.G. and Adams, M. (2018) The Sustainability of Social Supermarkets: Can They Solve Food Insecurity? 2018 Conference on Food and Poverty, ENUF, 16-17th April, London.

McEachern, M.G. and Warnaby, G. (2017) Exploring Community in the Context of Independent Co-operative Food Retailers, Institute of Place Management 4th International Biennial Conference, 7th – 8th September 2017, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester UK. ISBN 978-1-9998459-0-2.

McEachern, M.G. (2017) Driving Circularities in the Food Supply Chain: The Sustainable Role of Alternative Food Retail Enterprises (AFREs), The Circular Economy: Transitioning to Sustainability. Coventry University. 11th July, 2017.

Mtonga, V.J., McEachern, M.G. and Sahadev, S. (2017) Is there a place for customer relationship management schemes in the land-based gambling industry? Academy of Marketing Conference, 3-6th July, Hull, UK.

McEachern, M.G. (2016) Pursuing Social & Ethical Capital in the Alternative Food Marketplace, 8th International Social Innovation Research Conference, September 5-7th, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow. (pp.52-53). Isirc Conference 2016.

Ogunoye, F.O., Kane, K. and McEachern, M.G. (2016) Exploring Place Branding in Social Enterprise Places, 8th International Social Innovation Research Conference, September 5-7th, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow. (pp.114-115). Isirc Conference 2016.

McEachern, M.G. (2016) Evaluating Ethical Capital within Alternative Models of Food Retailing, Academy of Marketing, July 4-7th, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

McEachern, M.G. (2016) The Ethical Capital of Alternative Retail Formats, International Marketing Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: An Academic Symposium, April 24-26, EDHEC, Lille.

O'Loughlin, D., McEachern, M.G., Szmigin, I., Karantinou, K., Barbosa, B. and Fernández-moya, E.M. (2015), Liminality in Recessionary Times – The Male View, Academy of Marketing Conference, 2015, July 6-9th, Kemmy Business School, Limerick.

Texts/Working Papers

McEachern, M.G. (2020). Food Marketing Ethics. In Eagle, L., Dahl, S., De Pelsmacker, P. and Taylor, R. (Eds). The SAGE Handbook of Marketing Ethics. Chapter 26, pp. 354-363. SAGE Publications. London.

McEachern, M.G., Moraes, C., Gibbons, A. and Scullion, L. (2020) Understanding Food Poverty and the Transitional Behaviour of Vulnerable Individuals: Research Brief Update. Huddersfield Business School. West Yorkshire. Inspiring Global Professionals. 

Lever, J., Cheetham, F. and McEachern, M.G. (2018) Supermarket food waste: prevent, redistribute, share: Towards a circular economy? Inspiring Global Professionals. Huddersfield Business School. West Yorkshire. Report.

McEachern, M.G. and Warnaby, G. (2018) Community Building Strategies of Independent Co-operative Food Retailers, p.1-11, In Byrom, J. and Medway, D. (Eds),  Case Studies in Food Retailing and Distribution: A Volume in the Consumer Science and Strategic Marketing Series, Elsevier, Oxford. ISBN B978-0-08-102037-1.00001-3. Article.

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  • PhD in Marketing (University of Salford)
  • MSc in International Agricultural Economics & Food Marketing (University of Newcastle upon Tyne)
  • Diploma in Management Studies (Abertay University)
  • BTechnology in Agricultural Business Management (University of Aberdeen)
  • Fellow of the Higher education Academy (FHEA)

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