Scott Berkun

Do boycotts ever work?

In response to my recent debate inducing post, Why the Whole Foods boycott is stupid, where I offered that boycotting someone for having an opinion isn’t that bright (though is within our rights).  In response I got an email from Steven Levingston at the Washington post.

He informed me they asked an expert on boycotts to give an opinion on the Whole Foods issue, particularly the merits of boycotts: Whole Foods Boycott: The Long View

Unlike my post, it’s grounded and informative. It’s definitely worth a read – the author is a professor of history at the University of South Carolina and unlike myself, has more than just opinions and rants to offer.

He provides some nice context to the history of American boycotts, and why they work and often don’t, and how they can have an impact long term even when they fail in the short.

• Posted Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 am


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