Journal of Public Policy & Marketing recently featured a research dialogue on the topic of disability, accessibility, and marketplace inclusion, with a focus on inclusive design: “a design process where products, services, spaces, and platforms are created to be usable by as many people as possible, without requiring specialized adaptations” (Lteif et al. 2025, p. 214). This page highlights these five pieces and offers a teaching toolkit on the topic of inclusive design, with 25 mini case studies.
Article
Creating Equity by Design: A Conceptual Framework for Marketplace Inclusion, by Lama Lteif, Helen van der Sluis, Lauren G. Block, Luca Cian, Vanessa M. Patrick, and Maura L. Scott
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the need to reduce inequalities based on disability to ensure a life of dignity for all. However, the marketplace has yet to fully address the needs of consumers who experience systemic choice restrictions and daily barriers due to disabilities. This article offers a conceptual framework that identifies sources of sensory, cognitive, behavioral, and social (mis)matches in a consumer’s journey, leading to perceptions of marketplace inclusion or exclusion. The authors examine the role of inclusive design in facilitating the alignment of abilities and its impact on consumer well-being and firm profitability. The article concludes with a stakeholder-focused inclusive design research agenda at the intersection of public policy, firm strategy, and consumer well-being. Read more
Commentaries
Disability as Identity: Advancing Innovation Through Hearing Ability Diversity, by Oden H. Groth, Michael Janger, and Diogo Hildebrand
The authors address the issue of disability identity through the lens of their research on Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Read more
A Neurodiversity Perspective on Fostering Marketplace Inclusion by Bridging Ability Mismatches, by Josephine Go Jefferies, Meredith Rhoads, Timothy J. Vogus, Cinthia B. Satornino, and Alicia A. Broderick
The authors build Lteif et al.’s framework by offering a neurodiversity-informed perspective. Read more
Fostering Marketplace Inclusion: Health Equity Implications, by Monica C. LaBarge and Kameron Block
In this commentary, the authors extend Lteif et al.’s model to focus on the health equity implications consumers, organizations, and policy makers. Read more
Comments on Creating Equity by Design, by Allyce C. Torres
The author discusses Lteif et al.’s piece from the perspective of her work with Disability:IN, a nonprofit resource for disability inclusion. Read more
Teaching Resource: Starter Kit and 25 Mini Case Studies for Classroom Use
Vanessa Patrick (vpatrick@uh.edu) has created a comprehensive, modular teaching resource designed to help instructors integrate inclusive design into marketing and business education. The flip book combines conceptual foundations, research-based frameworks, pedagogical guidance, and 25 concise, real-world mini case studies that can be flexibly deployed across undergraduate, graduate and executive classrooms. Access here