Internal social marketing, servicescapes and sustainability: a behavioural infrastructure approach

This chapter provides the results of case study research conducted amongst higher education institutions (HEIs) on the topic of sustainability. Sustainability for HEIs is a complex and potentially expensive goal. However, the measure used in this research illustrates that sustainability principles need not be esoteric or predominantly theoretical. The case study takes a whole-of-system look at how sustainability is enacted within the organization. The results show that the barriers and facilitators to sustainability within HEIs can be classified according to their cumulative effects on the servicescape elements. Furthermore, using an importance /performance matrix, the study highlights specific areas for improvement for HEIs seeking to enhance their sustainability efforts. A principal finding is that internal social marketing is necessary to sustainability efforts within HEIs, as is the creation of an appropriate behavioural infrastructure to allow participation in sustainability activities.