The use of the spiritual technique of Lectio Divina as an aid for marketing decision making
by White, Gary S., Ph.D., UNION INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSITY, 2010, 193 pages; 3395014

Abstract:

This study discusses the theoretical, practical, and procedural role that spiritually-based marketing plays in modern commercial exchange. It stems from the research problem identification that, from a Christian perspective, it is the absence of Christ-centered principles in most corporate environments that contributes to the corrupted choices that are made on the part of decision-makers. The study begins by presenting recent scholarly arguments of the linkage between marketing, spirituality, and the practice of Lectio Divina (sacred reading). It examines the historical perspective of marketing practice and a discussion of the fundamental theories that are essential for modern-day marketing success. Next, an analysis of Christian spirituality in the context of the sixth century Benedictine practice of Lectio Divina is researched. Among the various notions of spirituality existing cross-culturally, both religious and secular, this research examines spirituality from a Christ-centered perspective. Scholarly evidence is presented to support the belief that there exists a fundamental connection between business marketing and Christian spirituality. The practice of Lectio Divina is presented as the vehicle for achieving spiritual guidance for marketing decision-making. The creation of a Lectio guide that emulates the procedural movements of the practice by cross-referencing Scriptural directives to specific business marketing situations is tested by way of quantitative and qualitative research. A group of students attending a Christian University are surveyed in order to determine the guide's effectiveness. The primary finding is that, through engagement in the Lectio praxis, the participant experiences a metanoia or change of heart, as reported by the test group. An additional finding was that those who claimed to not be particularly religious likewise derived a significant benefit. These findings represent a key contribution to the body of knowledge relative to effective marketing decision making technique. Although the focus of this research was with participants who were Christian believers, further study should explore the use of Lectio Divina by people who are not Christian believers in order to determine if a congruent benefit is experienced. Likewise, further study is required to determine effectiveness outside of the field of marketing and with a broader population.

 
AdviserJose Cedillos
SchoolUNION INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSITY
SourceDAI/A 71-02, p. , Apr 2010
Source TypeDissertation
SubjectsReligion; Marketing; Business education
Publication Number3395014
Adobe PDF Access the complete dissertation:
 

» Find an electronic copy at your library.
  Use the link below to access a full citation record of this graduate work:
  http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl%3furl_ver=Z39.88-2004%26res_dat=xri:pqdiss%26rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation%26rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3395014
  If your library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database, you may be entitled to a free electronic version of this graduate work. If not, you will have the option to purchase one, and access a 24 page preview for free (if available).

About ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
With over 2.3 million records, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database is the most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses in the world. It is the database of record for graduate research.

The database includes citations of graduate works ranging from the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in 1861, to those accepted as recently as last semester. Of the 2.3 million graduate works included in the database, ProQuest offers more than 1.9 million in full text formats. Of those, over 860,000 are available in PDF format. More than 60,000 dissertations and theses are added to the database each year.

If you have questions, please feel free to visit the ProQuest Web site - http://www.proquest.com - or call ProQuest Hotline Customer Support at 1-800-521-3042.