IUE scientist receives international award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Özdamar Ertekin, a faculty member in Department of Business Administration at Izmir University of Economics (IUE), has been honored with an international award for her article on the relationship between the desire for innovation in the fashion industry and sustainability. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertekin received the prestigious ‘Outstanding Paper’ award (Literati Award 2024) from the Journal of Social Marketing, one of the leading marketing journals published by UK-based Emerald Publishing. Her achievement has brought great pride to Turkey. Having conducted research on sustainable fashion for nearly 15 years, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertekin distinguished herself with her original evaluations, comprehensive literature review, and proposed social marketing solutions presented in her article.

“A THREAT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS”

Sharing insights about her article, titled ‘Desire for Innovation and Sustainability: A Social Marketing Imperative in the Fashion Industry’, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertekin said, “The negative impacts of excessive fashion consumption on social and ecological well-being threaten future generations. As the need for sustainable solutions grows, supporting these efforts through social marketing has become more critical than ever. In this study, conducted with Prof. Dr. Deniz Atik, we examined the factors influencing consumers' desire for newness and the increasing necessity of sustainable consumption.”

“WE OFFERED SOCIAL MARKETING SOLUTIONS”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertekin continued as follows: “We focused on why consumers' desire for newness is so strong and how this contradicts the sustainability goals of the fashion industry. We aimed to explain the psychological and social needs behind this desire and the role fashion companies play in fueling it. Additionally, we proposed social marketing solutions to achieve sustainability goals.”

“THE DESIRE FOR NEWNESS SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED”

Stating that consumers' desire for newness in fashion persists, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ertekin emphasized that sustainability efforts should take this into account. Ertekin said, “Excessive consumption and production in fashion have dangerous consequences. However, as we explained in our study, the interest in newness in fashion is not insignificant. Brands should consider this desire when shaping their sustainability policies. For instance, greater focus could be placed on practices such as upcycling, sharing, repairing, second-hand fashion, circular fashion, and collaborative consumption. In our article, we also provided recommendations on how these strategies can be implemented. Sustainability is sometimes perceived as merely repurposing old items or wearing old clothes in fashion. However, we should not view it in such a limited way. By integrating the desire for innovation with the concept of sustainability in fashion, consumer demands can be met. A definition of ‘newness’ that aligns with consumer expectations can be created.”