warehouses as well as clearing thousands upon

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warehouses as well as clearing thousands upon thousands of acres for banana plantations with their own housing and infrastructure. Along the way, Zemurray had to overcome the most brutal challenges the geography of a developing country can throw at a business person – thick jungles, tropical diseases, illiterate workers and societies prone to civil unrest. It is hard to accuse a leader such as Zemurray as being racist or imperialistic when he brought such an egalitarian ethic to the physically arduous work required to build the business that he envisioned – one rife with risks. But Cohen offers the following judgment on the entire banana industry: The original sin of the industry touched everyone: the way the banana men viewed the people and the land of the isthmus as no more than a resource, not very different from the rhizomes, soil, sun, or rain. A source of cheap labor, local color. One definition of evil is to fail to recognize the humanity in the other: to see a person as an object or tool, something to be put to use. The spirit of colonialism infected the trade from the start (Cohen 2013, p. 65).

Rich Cohen’s retelling of Zemurray’s life in The Fish that Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King, offers readers a stimulating read. Because of the enormous scope of his life’s endeavors, Zemurray’s story becomes a bit unwieldy later in the book. The author (probably fighting page limits imposed by the publisher) has to truncate episodes in Zemurray’s life including his effective lobbying with Latin American leaders to vote for the founding of the state of Israel at the United Nations in 1948. Because of the contradictions in his life, and his accomplishments, watch for a Hollywood film maker to render Zemurray’s life to film someday soon. Zemurray faced formidable challenges in business and in life, so readers will find themselves cheering for him often. When Zemurray encounters an ethical dilemma and chooses to better his firm, readers will likely exclaim out loud like I did ‘‘Unbelievable!’’ when they read what he decided to do (and what he made work). Cohen’s story casts Zemurray as a person whose only real identity appears to be as the pushy and bold leader of his firm, which innovated in banana farming, as well as in channels management. Cohen’s book should spur much debate in a marketing ethics class, or one focused on sustainable business practices or marketing and society. Teachers could begin with an inverted

Emilio Morales and Joseph L. Scarpaci Marketing without Advertising: Brand Preference and Consumer Choice in Cuba. New York: Routledge, 2011. 252 pp. $135.00 (hardcover list price; Kindle edition available). ISBN-10 978-0415896983. Reviewed by: Aliakbar Jafari, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom DOI: 10.1177/0276146713496107

funnel line of questioning focused first on episodes in Zemurray’s life and asking ‘‘Was Zemurray a good guy or a bad guy here?’’ This should lead to lively discussion. Finally, posing the overarching question ‘‘Was Zemurray a good man or a bad man?’’ should lead to some valuable insights on the complexity of important business figures involved in global markets. Unlike a mafia don, who engages in illegal enterprises, all of Zemurray’s activities were legal businesses much appreciated by millions of customers. But like a mafia don, Zemurray’s sins of commission (such as fielding the military invasion of a sovereign nation) as well as sins of omission (such as not doing more to improve the living conditions of those in poverty in Central America) were likely justified because ‘‘it was just business.’’ In this way, readers of Cohen’s book should be better able to grasp that business operations always carry a moral dimension that can either be embraced or denied by business persons. Macromarketers will recognize that Zemurray understood marketing systems because he built them (Layton 2010). Such knowledge of systems led to his many triumphs in business. When he broadened his systems thinking, he recognized that public sector officials could help further the aims of his business and geopolitical interests. Zemurray’s ethical blind spots make his story an engaging one for macromarketing scholars and students. Cohen’s book offers readers a valuable vantage point to appreciate a business person whose career illustrates so many macromarketing lessons. References The Economist (2004), ‘‘Buddy, Buddies: Fidel Castro and Gabriel Garcı´a Ma´rquez,’’ (February 12), (accessed June 3, 2013), [available at http://www.economist.com/node/2424015]. Mackey, John, and Raj Sisodia (2013), Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press. Layton, Roger A. (2007), ‘‘Marketing Systems: A Core Macromarketing Concept,’’ Journal of Macromarketing 27 (2), 193-213. Layton, Roger A. (2010), ‘‘Marketing Systems, Macromarketing and the Quality of Life. In The SAGE Handbook of Marketing Theory, Pauline Maclaren, Michael Saren, Barbara Stern and Mark Tadajewski, eds. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 415-442. Time (2013), ‘‘Guinea-Bissau –World’s First Narco State,’’ (accessed June 3, 2013), [available at http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1933291_1975610,00.html].

As social constructs, markets are constantly being (re)constructed by many institutions. Politics, as a forceful institution, play a very crucial role in determining market contents and structures. Marketing without Advertising: Brand Preference and Consumer Choice in Cuba is an attempt to demonstrate the historical role of politics in Cuba’s ever-changing market economy and society. Emilio Morales and Joseph L. Scarpaci base their book on the key question of whether politics shape

Downloaded from jmk.sagepub.com at University of Strathclyde on April 5, 2016

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markets or markets shape politics. This enquiry in their account is translated into ‘‘whether economic reforms lead to political freedom or vice versa’’ (page xviii). To this end, the authors argue throughout the book, as one would expect, that the relationship between the two (politics and economy) is a symbiotic one; that is, whilst political freedom facilitates economic reforms, economic forces necessitate political reforms. The authors’ meticulous examination of the historical development of the Cuban market economy demonstrates the evolution of the market after the 1959 Revolution. They show how the revolutionary ideals and moral rewards of the socialist society evolved over time and are gradually being replaced by material rewards and aspirations such as engagement with brands and consumer culture. This evolution is not a unique characteristic of Cuba as many other countries (e.g., particularly China and Iran) have experienced similar transitions. This transition, as the authors argue, is largely due to the incoming flow of global socio-cultural and economic signs (see Appadurai 1990) through consumer goods that reflect consumer culture and lifestyle trends. The book’s essence is about how in the absence of sophisticated advertising – as we generally know in free market economies – consumers’ brand awareness and brand preference knowledge increase through word of mouth. For instance, the authors explain how Cuban expatriates contribute to the development of consumer culture and a market economy by bringing new consumer goods (such as clothes and home appliances) and injecting money into their homeland. Such contributions both enhance local Cubans’ zest for consumption and increase their purchasing power in order to actively participate in consumer culture. Regardless of their political systems, many other societies around the world (e.g., less developed and developing) have experienced this process of market participation. The book is comprised of eight chapters excluding the surprisingly short preface. The authors open the book with a short account of where Cuba stands in its politico-economic journey and envisage that, in the long term, the socialist party’s ideology will not be able to prevent Cuba from further opening up its market. Chapter 1 briefly justifies the rationale of the book and explains that research on consumer behavior in Cuba is scarce. It also provides an overview of the socio-cultural, economic and political environment in Cuba, arguing how in the absence of political and economic freedom, Cubans enjoy high levels of consumption and market literacy. Chapter 2 focuses on the history of retailing. Whilst in the first half of the twentieth century, Cuba’s market development lagged one or two decades behind its northern neighbor, the post-revolutionary state’s interference in the market further weakened the country’s economic infrastructure (agriculture, supply chain and retailing) and decreased consumption and production. Chapter 3 discusses consumer-based brand equity (CBBE). As elaborated above, in the absence of developed marketing communications system in the market, consumers accumulate and disseminate their knowledge of brands through peers, a viral marketing process that is cost-free and relies on the quality of brands and consumers’ appreciation of such brands. Using a series of case studies

on popular brands, Chapter 4 demonstrates that in Cuba, as an emerging market, consumers’ interest in and interpretation of brands and their advertising goes through consumers’ learning process as they gradually are exposed to new advertisements. As such the authors argue that comparative advertising may be a better way of educating consumers on their brand preference. Chapter 5 focuses on franchising as an effective way of building brands in the country. Given the restrictions in the Cuban market, franchising can help to prevent counterfeiting using different techniques in packaging and advertising. In Chapter 6 the authors nicely demonstrate that although certain product categories such as tobacco and alcohol have developed in the country, Cuba has serious issues with basic consumer goods such as water quality, food, and supply transportation systems. The uneven market expansion of Cuba has left a large number of people – particularly the elderly and those from low-income backgrounds – vulnerable because they cannot participate in the market. One of the main causes of such problems is that the state’s economic policies prioritize foreign companies over local businesses. As a result, basic consumer goods remain poor and foreign luxury products fill up the market. Chapter 7 discusses the eminent role of remittances in the country. The authors’ analysis clearly demonstrates how the Cuban diaspora fuels the socio-economic development of the country. The injection of cash enhances local Cuban families’ participation in the market; therefore, remittances are seen as a significant empowering force for the population. Besides, other dynamics, such as physical distance, have resulted in the decriminalizing of cell phone use in the country (which had experienced certain restrictions). Finally in Chapter 8 the authors summarize their key findings under several sub-headings: (1) regulatory framework: economic dynamics have made Cuban politicians realize that in order to sustain their sovereignty they need to undertake certain reforms to enhance citizens’ quality of life through market development (e.g., retailing and privatization); (2) advertising: there is change of perception in the state that advertising is not a Capitalist weapon. Advertising can help the growth of businesses and economic prosperity through balanced consumption and production; (3) branding and consumer behavior: Cuban society has a tendency for confirmation-based processing of brands’ adverts as their engagement with brands has historically been shaped based on word of mouth and peer groups; (4) Cuban retailing: Cubans engagement with retailers still occurs through word of mouth and window displays. Although retailers have started to develop customer loyalty programs through the use of technology, such programs will take time to flourish as consumers need to feel that they are trusted by retailers; (5) situating the Cuban consumer in the global marketplace: although during the past century global culture has influenced Cuba, the flow is not one-way. Cuban consumers have appropriated foreign goods and signs according to their own socio-cultural and economic situation. Overall, the book provides first-hand knowledge on explicating the socio-economic and political complexities of a geographical context less written about in academic literature. As Jafari et al. (2012) note, much of the marketing literature is


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based on western contexts, whereas non-western societies are largely understudied if not ignored. Thus, Morales and Scarpaci’s book is a very useful source of knowledge for a number of stakeholders in marketing theory and practice. Because the discussion takes an historical approach, doctoral researchers will benefit from understanding how research in marketing and consumer behavior is not politics-free. Scholars in diverse areas of marketing and consumer behavior (e.g., marketing communications, branding, and retailing) can take up the areas the authors have identified in the book for further research. Similarly, marketing managers can gain valuable knowledge of how marketing without advertising works. Despite all these good qualities, the book has its limitations. As the authors explicitly state in Chapter 1, their main purpose is offering managerial implications. Given the historical and political dynamics described in the text, mere focus on managerial implications detracts from the quality of conclusions rendered throughout the book. The authors could have expanded their analysis in order to discuss the socio-cultural changes the Cuban society has experienced during the transitional period of market development. Right from the beginning, the authors foresee that the Cuban political system will have to submit to

the will of the new generations, but this important issue remains somewhat ambiguous in the book. Last but not least, the authors seem to be in favor of the free market economy and political freedom. Yet, their focus on retailing and branding has deterred them from acknowledging the possible socio-cultural and economic consequences (as experienced in more economically developed contexts) the society may eventually face (see Bauman 2000). Change is not cost-free and the extant literature in critical marketing, macromarketing, consumer research, sociology and many other disciplines have already demonstrated the myriad problems faced by less developed societies with free market economies.

Branko Milanovic, (2011), The Haves and the Have Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality. New York: Basic Books, 258 pp. $27.95. ISBN-13: 9780465019748

ending with the issue of global inequality, which is treated as a combination of the previous two inequalities. With the progress of rapid globalization, the third form of inequality is becoming increasingly important. Milanovic begins by explaining how in the early 19th century, Ricardo identified distribution as the central concern in economics and professed that the share of the landlords would increase as a growing population required more food resulting in less fertile land available for cultivation, and hence raising rents. Karl Marx further predicted increasing polarization of society into workers and capitalists. According to him, this everincreasing polarization would lead to a proletarian revolution. Marx’s predictions, however, did not pan out to be true as data from England in the late 19th century showed an increase in real wages for the workers. However, by the advent of the 20th century, income differences among the rich countries in North America, Western Europe and Oceania and the rest of the world living in Africa, Asia and Latin America increased dramatically. The proletarian vs. capitalist distinction became irrelevant as workers in developed capitalist countries began earning increasingly higher wages, even as their counterparts in poorer countries continued to be exploited. The work of Italian civil engineer turned economist, Vilfredo Pareto, indicated that change would be socially acceptable only if the welfare of each individual was improved or at least stayed at the status quo. In other words, someone’s gains must not be a reason for anyone else’s losses. Professor Milanovic points out that such economic policy is almost a utopian dream since someone invariably loses. Pareto also observed that inequality distribution within a nation did not depend on the

Reviewed by: Abhijit Roy, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA DOI: 10.1177/0276146713497757

‘‘Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to each other’’ Euclid (Greek mathematician, 300 BC)

What are the various forms of inequality? How are they measured? What are the antecedents of this phenomenon and what impact do they have on various economic indicators and quality of life? Has inequality increased or decreased over time, and how is the phenomenon impacting various nations around the world? World Bank economist Branko Milanovic draws on his three decades of expertise working on these questions to give us these answers and much more in his latest book, The Haves and the Have Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality. The book is organized into three sets of essays, each containing seven to ten vignettes that address various facets of inequality. Tangible examples of these ideas are outlined in each essay. At the outset, the author identifies three types of inequalities. He begins with a discussion of inequality among individuals within a system, typically, a country. He then moves on to a broader discussion of inequalities among countries, finally

References Appadurai, Arjun (1990), ‘‘Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy,’’ in Global Culture: Nationalism, Globalisation and Modernity, Mike Featherstone, ed. London, UK: Sage, 295-310. Bauman, Zygmunt (2000), Liquid Modernity. Cambridge, MA: Polity. Jafari, Aliakbar, Fuat Firat, Ahmet Su¨erdem, Søren Askegaard, and Daniele Dalli (2012), ‘‘Non-Western Contexts: The Invisible Half,’’ Marketing Theory, 12 (1), 3-12.
