marketing phd topics 2021

Research Topics & Ideas: Marketing

50+ Marketing Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a marketing-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Here, we’ll explore a variety of marketing-related research ideas and topic thought-starters, covering both traditional marketing (offline media) and digital marketing (including social media marketing, content marketing and the like). We’ll also look at actual dissertations and theses from marketing students to give you a view of what a well-defined research topic looks like.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the marketing domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. 

Overview: Marketing-Related Topics

• How to find a research topic (video)
• Traditional (offline) marketing topics/ideas
• Digital (online) marketing topics/ideas
• Examples of actual dissertation topics
• Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
• Where to get extra help

How To Find A Research Topic

Before we look at specific research ideas and topics, it’s useful to first understand what the topic ideation process entails and how to go about finding and refining viable topic ideas. In the video below, we cover exactly that. So, if you’re a first-time researcher, be sure to watch this tutorial before jumping into the collection of marketing research topics we present below. 

Now that you’ve got a big-picture view of the topic ideation process, we can dive into a few research ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Please note that these research topic ideas are intentionally broad and generic, so you will need to refine them a fair deal using the techniques we discussed in the video above.

To make life a little easier for you, we’ve grouped the topic ideas based on two main categories – traditional marketing and digital / online marketing . For the latter, we’ve divided it up into a few subcategories, including social media marketing, content marketing and search marketing. That said, there is naturally some overlap between topics, so keep this in mind.

Research Ideas: Traditional Marketing

• The perceived effectiveness of different types of direct mail campaigns (e.g., postcards, catalogues, brochures) among small business owners in New York
• The perception and use of traditional marketing in creating and nurturing customer loyalty and retention among UK Financial Firms.
• The impact of demographic targeting on traditional marketing performance among green businesses
• The perception of different types of sales promotion (e.g., discounts, coupons, contests) among GenZ consumers
• The continued use of celebrity endorsements in traditional marketing campaigns, post-2020.
• Exploring factors related to outdoor advertising recall in India
• Measuring the ROI of traditional marketing efforts: a review of current methods
• Comparing the effectiveness of different traditional media channels (e.g., television, radio, print) in driving engagement and conversions among established brands
• The use of public relations in traditional marketing campaigns among large insurance companies
• The role of event marketing in building brand awareness and engagement: perceptions among marketing professionals in the UK

Research Ideas: Digital/Online Marketing

Social media marketing

• The use of artificial intelligence in social media marketing among online fashion companies in Sweden
• The impact of social media on public relations and media relations: a Case Study of Nandos
• The role of Twitter in crisis communication and reputation management: a discourse analysis
• The impact of social media influencer presence on brand loyalty and customer retention among Gen X.
• The use of social media for market research and consumer insights among SMEs in Kenya
• The impact of social media on consumer buying behaviour of fast food in Italy
• The challenges and opportunities of social media in global and multicultural marketing: perceptions of marketing departments in large corporations
• The relationship between social media engagement and website traffic: an analysis of fitness brands
• The effectiveness of influencer marketing on social media platforms for household cleaning products in the UK
• The perceptions and understanding of paid vs organic social media advertising among Gen Z consumers in San Francisco

Content marketing

• The use and understanding of micro-moments in creating personalized content experiences among content creators in the USA
• Comparing the effectiveness of methods of personalization of content marketing: an evaluation of best practice
• The experiences and use of SEO in content marketing strategy among small online businesses
• The use of social media influencers in content marketing campaigns: a Case Study of Hello Fresh
• Comparing different content distribution channels for different types of content: perceptions of best practices among content marketing experts
• The use of user-generated content in building brand trust and engagement among green companies in the UK
• Measuring the ROI of content marketing efforts among luxury brands
• The perception and use of Chat GPT in content creation among small online businesses
• The perceptions of interactive and immersive content formats (e.g., virtual reality, augmented reality) in marketing among consumers: an experimental study
• Comparing image and text-based content formats in driving engagement and conversions on social media: a multi-case study of NGOs

Search engine marketing

• The effectiveness of different ad formats (e.g., text ads, shopping ads, video ads) in Search Engine Marketing for tourist destinations
• The impact of search engine algorithm updates on Search Engine Marketing performance – who are the winners and losers?
• The perception and use of AI and machine learning in Search Engine Marketing strategy and bidding optimization within a UK marketing agency
• The use of voice search and its impact on Search Engine Marketing among food retailers in Switzerland
• The role of local SEO in driving brick-and-mortar sales: a case study of a local fashion outlet in France
• The impact of mobile optimization on Search Engine Marketing performance and conversion rates in Nigeria
• Comparing analytical tools for measuring ROI of Search Engine Marketing campaigns
• The effectiveness of different types of keywords and search queries in driving traffic towards restaurants in Italy
• The use of remarketing and retargeting in search engine marketing campaigns among marketers
• The understanding and use of schema markup and structured data in improving Search engine marketing performance among Start-Ups

Email marketing

• The perception and use of AI and machine learning in email marketing among NGOs: a focus on personalized content and dynamic segmentation
• The effectiveness of email subject line strategies in driving open and click-through rates: an experimental study
• Comparing A/B testing and multivariate testing in improving email marketing performance: a case study
• The use of personalization on email marketing performance among craft bloggers
• The impact of automated email marketing among local online retailers on customer loyalty and retention
• The use of automation and triggered emails in increasing engagement and conversion rates for online courses
• The perception and understanding of GDPR and other data privacy regulations on email marketing among SMEs
• The role of mobile optimization in email marketing targeting Gen Z consumers
• The challenges of measuring the ROI of email marketing campaigns: perceptions of SMEs
• The effectiveness of different email formats (e.g., text-based, HTML, interactive) in driving engagement: A/B testing for a small online retailer

Marketing-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding marketing-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various marketing-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• The Influences of Brand Personality, Culture, and Social Media on Iconic Brand Preferences (Whelan, 2021)
• Customer Success and the Transformation of Customer Relationships (Raines, 2022)
• The Effects of Online Incentivized Reviews on Organic Review Ratings (Jeong, 2020)
• Are You For Real? The Consumption-Driven Self-Authentication Process And Its Effects On Perceived Brand Authenticity (Kuchmaner, 2020)
• You Are What You Eat: How Food Texture And Packaging Influence Consumer Well-Being (Ning, 2020)
• Social Dialogic Listening: Connecting Marketing Activity To Strategy (Collins, 2020)
• Millennials’ Attitudes Towards Influencer Marketing And Purchase Intentions (Yu, 2019)
• Cannibalization between Two Mercedes-Benz Models and Consumer Behavior (Ma, 2020)
• Selling and Buying Aspects of Used Products That Are Brand Anthropomorphized (Kim, 2019)
• Global Identity: Conceptualization, Measurement, And Implications For Marketing Strategy (Yoruk, 2022)
• The Intersection of Organizational Frontline Marketing and a High-Tech World (Krotz, 2021)
• The Unexplored Impacts of Communication Elements in Marketing (Trinh, 2022)
• Founder Social Identity As A Predictor Of Customer And Competitor Orientation In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises (Rutherford, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are far more specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Research Topic

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your marketing dissertation or thesis, check out our 1-on-1 private coaching services below.

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Digital Commons @ USF > Muma College of Business > Marketing > Theses and Dissertations

Marketing Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

How Feeling Like a Minority Affects Preferences for Autonomous Digital Interfaces , Ye Seul Kim

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Spillover Effects in Product Customization , Samuel Babu Sekar

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

External and Internal Factors of Sports Sponsorship Selling Cycles in North American Professional Sports , Dan Kaufmann

Increasing Personal and Product Influence Through Background Auditory and Visual Cues , Zhihao Yu

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Effects of Product Recalls on Competitors’ Market Value and Recalling Firm’s Reputation , Dong Liu

Corporate Brand Impact on Sales / Revenue Per Share , Brad A. Puckey

Competition in Upstream Humanitarian Supply Chain: Investigation of Food Banks , Iana Shaheen

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

How Digital versus Non-Digital Modes of Food Ordering Influence Menu Healthfulness Perceptions and Food Choices , Annika Abell

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Impact of Digital Marketing Decisions on Market Outcomes in Residential Real Estate , Denise Hunter Gravatt

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Hate is a Strong Word: The Influence of Hate-Acknowledging Advertising on Brand Outcomes , Lisa Monahan

The Effects of Loneliness on Consumers’ Digital Engagement with Social Media Ads , Yu Qin

Product Shadows and Ad Evaluations , Nazuk Sharma

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Understanding the Complexity of Product Returns Management: A Complex Adaptive Systems Theory Perspective , Jennifer Anne Espinosa

Branding Implications of Co-Created Social Responsibility , Alexander J. Kull

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

How You Categorize Influences How Helpful You Are: The Effect of Categorization Mindset on Consumers’ Social Decisions , Hsiao-Ching Kuo

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Taken for Granted or Taken with Gratitude? An Examination of the Differential Effects of Donations of Time and Money on Consumers' Evaluation of Corporate Philanthropy , Ryan Langan

Essays on Consumer's Psychological and Behavioral Responses toward Social Coupons , Chinintorn Nakhata

Muscling Consumers to Optimal Option Differentiation: The Influence of Incidental Muscular Sensations on Option Differentiation , Courtney Szocs

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Essays on Mental Accounting and Consumers' Decision Making , Ali Besharat

Perceived Firm Transparency: Scale and Model Development , Jennifer Dapko

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Antecedents and Consequences of Channel Alienation: An Empirical Investigation within Franchised Channels of Distribution , Ivan Lapuka

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

An Empirical Examination of the Dark Side of Relationship Marketing within a Business to Business Context , Brent L. Baker

Developing the Nomological Network of Perceived Corporate Affinity for Technology: A Three Essay Dissertation , David Earl Fleming

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Self-Directed Learning: Measures and Models for Salesperson Training and Development , Stefanie Leigh Boyer

Emotional Exhaustion and Its Role in Service Sabotage among Boundary Spanners , Diane R. Edmondson

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Essays on multiple identities and motivated consumption: Exploring the role of identity centrality on self-brand connections , Tracy R. Harmon

The impact of organizational climate variables of perceived organizational support, workplace isolation, and ethical climate on salesperson psychological and behavioral work outcomes , Robert J. Riggle

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

The Effect of Perceived Entitativity on Implicit Image Transfer in Multiple Sponsorships , FrancoÌ?is Anthony Carrillat

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Relationship Advertising: Investigating the Strategic Appeal of Intimacy (Disclosure) in Services Marketing , Andrea Diahann Gaye Scott

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From admission to dissertation. Tips on making the PhD journey happy, productive and successful

PhD Research Topics In Marketing

New PhD aspirants are anxious about researching the best topics for their PhD program in Marketing. Here I am sharing with you Top 25 PhD Research Topics in Marketing. With one of the topics, you can confidently go ahead into your doctoral program in Marketing

• Thesis of Client Profitability in marketing.
• The Effectiveness of Distribution.
• Customer Retention and Retrieval in the Retail Sector.
• Modern Trends embracing marketing sector
• Fare Marketing analysis and Entry Strategy
• Organized Retailing and Demographic Effects.
• Reliance Services in view of telecom application.
• Cellular Companies and its Future Arena.
• Retail Marketing Analysis in terms of Consumer.
• Impact of Confectionary Products on Kids.
• Reliance Money Structure in Brokerage.
• Marketing Project of famous company Bisleri.
• Consumer Buying Behavioral levels of satisfaction.
• The Impact of  Customer Relationship Management(CRM)
• Loan Search Burdens in the present generation.
• Worldwide Marketing Implementation Strategies.
• E-Marketing Rules to improvise Marketing Economy.
• Marketing (Your Country) Worldwide.
• Publicizing Critical Problems in the current Economy
• Convenience Stores and Loyalty Programs.
• Channel Development through marketing.
• Nonconventional tactics of Distribution.
• Survey of Advertising Channel.
• Packaging drawbacks and effects on Consumer.
•  Effects of Branding and Quality on Consumer.

After bachelors, you think of higher study and want to be at the professional level, a professor and a doctoral title. For this, you should apply for the Ph.D. This is a great challenge for every master’s level student. You must need to write a research paper. If you have excellent research skill and writing skill, then you can proceed with it. One of the most widely recognized issues when composing a Ph.D. research paper is picking the phd research topics in marketing. Luckily, there are Ph.D. pape- composing services and methodologies that will make point determination simpler on your part. To guarantee quality subjects, ensure that you characterize the reason for your paper; this will enable you to create Ph.D. look into topics in promoting that will induce your group of spectators and clarify the significance of your writing reagarding topics of research in marketing. Your preferred research topic ought not just to present a great extent of your field yet additionally give a chance to further research.

For your business development and improvement, marketing is fundamental. Therefore marketing/advertising task compositions can help you in building up a dependable and powerful limited-time plan for your organization that can bolster your business objectives. Subsequently, an understudy must pick an intriguing research paper topic that can develop their advantage while doing the research paperwork and make your project look proficient and fantastic. To release all your pressure and surpass in your scholastic profession, you have to get help from a specialist writer and an informative site from where you can get an idea about phd research topics in marketing.

What Makes Good phd research topic in marketing ?

Commit an error toward the beginning of your doctoral research by picking the wrong Ph.D. to look into topics in marketing, and you could do a lot of diligent work and worry for yourself. You should invest enough energy and exertion to choose the correct research topics in marketing/advertising for Ph.D. papers with the goal that you can make sure you will almost certainly get your paper finished effectively. This implies you should completely comprehend what is average from your examination thoughts. They should be:

Attainable: Searching for research topics is attainable. While you may have a couple of years to embrace your exploration in marketing, you should even now have the option to finish it on schedule and with the majority of different assets that you have accessible to you.

One of a kind: for your Ph.D., you should most likely demonstrate that the task you have picked has not as of now been investigated entirely by another. 

Significant: If the primary individual that will need to have a solution to your exploration questions is you, then you might not have chosen something that will bear some significance with your field. It must positively affect your region to be appropriate. 

Fascinating: you likewise need to think about your enthusiasm for your exploration. If you are probably not going to have the option to keep up that plan, at that point you are going to battle to finish the work.

Method for choosing Research Topics in Marketing?

Finding those ideal research subjects in promoting for Ph.D. searches for some is a battle. Coming up next are a portion of the manners in which that you can locate the perfect topic for your exploration:

Proceed with past research: various understudies will need to keep on taking a shot at something that they have begun to explore some research topics in marketing already in their scholarly profession.

Peruse papers in the regions of promoting that intrigue you: most papers will feature zones for further research in marketing or even feature where research is powerless. These can be phenomenal wellsprings of motivation.

Glance back at work involvement: are there specific issues that you experienced that would make for a decent venture?

Think about your future profession: what would you like to be known for, and what would you like to have the option to do in your next job? What openings does this feature for research?

Hope so; the above PhD topics in marketing will help you to take off your stress about your professional career. So read these topics and choose the best one suited you.

Step by step instructions to write an Effective Marketing Ph.D. Research Paper

The accompanying tips will assist you with ensuring that you compose a paper that will most likely submit proudly:

Plan your Ph.D. arranging: a great arrangement that subtleties out the achievements that you should meet to finish your composition will assist you in keeping things on track. Guarantee that you leave time in your arrangement for making modifications and checking your work.

Structure your paper : a straightforward layout with clear notes in each area of your paper concerning what ought to be composed will make your writing significantly simpler. It will likewise guarantee that you stay away from intemperate revising during the procedure.

Have clear focuses on your composition: set yourself an objective for what number of words you will compose each day and stick to it. Try not to put an aim that will overstretch your capacities.

Update and edit your composition with consideration: the norms expected of your Ph.D. paper in marketing are out and out flawlessness.

Syam Prasad Reddy T

Hello, My name is Syam, Asst. Professor of English and Mentor for Ph.D. students worldwide. I have worked years to give you these amazing tips to complete your Ph.D. successfully. Having put a lot of efforts means to make your Ph.D. journey easier. Thank you for visiting my Ph.D. blog.

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Consumer Behavior

Research focuses on issues related to the acquisition and retention of consumers and consumers' consumption of goods, services, ideas, and experiences. The research both relies on and contributes to theory in marketing, psychology, sociology, and economics and has practical relevance, answering questions that inform and improve marketing and public policy decisions and individual-level consumer well-being.

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Research focuses on developing theoretical models and empirical methods for applied marketing problems, drawing from economic theory, statistics, econometrics, and computer science to uncover novel insights, challenge existing theory, and advance marketing practice. The research, combining computational advances, fruitful collaborations with industry, and explosive growth in data availability, along with strong student demand for analytical training, portends a fulfilling academic career for those interested in quantitative marketing.

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The Texas McCombs Marketing doctoral program assumes that students have taken advanced courses to establish a reasonable mathematical, statistics, and economics background. Adequate computer programming skills are necessary for coursework.

Prospective applicants are required to hold a four-year bachelor's degree (does not require a formal degree in the area of study) or equivalent before starting the program. There are no additional prerequisites or requirements for the Marketing department.

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The marketing faculty embrace research traditions grounded in psychology and behavioral decision-making, economics and industrial organization, and statistics and management science.

These traditions support research inquiries into consumer behavior, firm behavior, the development of methods for improving the allocation of marketing resources, and understanding of how marketing works in a market setting.

A small number of students are accepted into the PhD Program in marketing each year, with a total of about 18 marketing students in residence. Student-faculty relationships are close, both professionally and socially. This permits the tailoring of the program of study to fit the background and career goals of the individual.

A marketing student’s program of study usually includes several doctoral seminars taught by marketing faculty, some doctoral seminars taught by other Stanford GSB faculty, and a considerable number of graduate-level courses in related departments outside the business school, depending on a student’s particular area of investigation.

The field is often broken down into two broad subareas: behavioral marketing and quantitative marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

Behavioral marketing is the study of how individuals behave in consumer-relevant domains. This area of marketing draws from social psychology and behavioral decision theory and includes a wide variety of topics such as:

• Decision making
• Attitudes and persuasion
• Social influence
• Motivation and goals
• New technologies
• Consumer neuroscience
• Misinformation

Students in this track take classes in behaviorally oriented subjects within Stanford GSB and also in the Psychology Department . All students have the opportunity to interact with Stanford GSB faculty in every group and, indeed, across the Stanford campus.

Behavioral Interest Group

There is also a formal institutional link between the behavioral side of marketing and the micro side of organizational behavior , which is called the Behavioral Interest Group. The Stanford GSB Behavioral Lab links members of this group. This lab fosters collaborative work across field boundaries among those with behavioral interests.

The Behavioral Lab is an interdisciplinary social research laboratory open to all Stanford GSB faculty and PhD students. The lab’s research primarily spans the fields of organizational behavior and behavioral marketing, and covers a rich and diverse array of topics, including attitudes and preferences, consumer decision-making, group dynamics, leadership, morality, power, and prosocial behavior.

Preparation and Qualifications

A background in psychology and experience with experimental methods and data analysis provide optimal preparation for students pursuing the behavioral track, though students from a variety of backgrounds have performed well in the program.

Quantitative Marketing

The quantitative marketing faculty at Stanford emphasize theoretically grounded empirical analysis of applied marketing problems. This line of inquiry draws primarily on fundamentals in applied microeconomic theory, industrial organization, and econometrics and statistics.

Questions of interest include:

Investigating consumer choices and purchase behavior

Examining product, pricing, advertising, and promotion strategies of firms

Analyzing competition in a wide range of domains

Development and application of large-scale experimentation, high-dimensional statistics, applied econometrics and big-data methods to solve marketing problems

A common theme of research is the use of rigorous quantitative methods to study important, managerially relevant marketing questions.

Cross-Campus Collaboration

Students in this track take common classes in quantitatively oriented subjects with others at Stanford GSB, as well as the Economics and Statistics Departments. All Stanford GSB students have the opportunity to interact with Stanford GSB faculty in every group and, indeed, across the Stanford campus.

Solid training in economics and statistical methods, as well as programming skills, offers a distinct advantage for quantitative marketing students, but students from various backgrounds such as engineering, computer science, and physics have thrived in the program.

Faculty in Behavioral Marketing

Jennifer aaker, szu-chi huang, jonathan levav, zakary tormala, s. christian wheeler, faculty in quantitative marketing, kwabena baah donkor, wesley r. hartmann, sridhar narayanan, navdeep s. sahni, emeriti faculty, james m. lattin, david bruce montgomery, michael l. ray, itamar simonson, v. “seenu” srinivasan, recent publications in marketing, express: using price promotions to drive children’s healthy choices in a developing economy, regulating privacy online: an economic evaluation of the gdpr, the allure of consensus: people (over)seek consensus in selecting group persuasion strategies., recent insights by stanford business, a little fun — and a discount — can steer kids to healthier foods, what people really think about search engine ads. (you might be surprised.), zoom in... or out why face-to-face meetings matter.

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Marketing PhD Program

Marketing is an interdisciplinary field that examines the interactions of consumers and businesses in the marketplace. Academic research in marketing draws upon theories and methodology from a wide variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, mathematics, statistics, and economics. Faculty members in Marshall’s marketing department represent numerous theoretical backgrounds and substantive interests. As mentors, they encourage students to identify their own interests and develop the analytic and methodological skills to pursue their own research questions.

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• ADMISSIONS EVENTS

CONCENTRATIONS

Quantitative marketing.

This area of marketing shares theories and methodologies with economics, mathematics, and statistics. Faculty advising students in this area are experts in a variety of topics such as

• Applications of artificial intelligence in marketing
• Understanding how businesses manage social interactions
• The impact of digital platforms on different industries
• Social networks and network structures in markets
• Strategic pricing decisions
• Distribution-channel strategies
• Innovation and product growth
• Global markets

Consumer Psychology

This area of marketing shares theories and methodologies with social and cognitive psychology and behavioral economics. Faculty advising students in this area are experts in a variety of topics such as

• Status and luxury goods
• Branding and consumers’ attachments to brands
• Consumers’ strategies to maintain a positive self-evaluations
• Emotions and their effects on consumers’ valuations of products
• How the use of technology affects consumers’ enjoyment and memories of experiences
• Consumers' responses to service and product failure
• Budgeting and saving decisions
• Consumer Creativity

Developing Marketing Scholars

The aim of the PhD program in marketing at USC is to develop outstanding researchers and prepare them for productive careers in academia. During their studies, students will transition from consumers of knowledge to producers and disseminators of knowledge.

Marshall’s PhD program in marketing is highly selective. The small size of the program allows for close collaborations between students and faculty and for students to tailor their program of study to fit their background and research interests.

From the beginning of the program, students have the opportunity to engage in different research projects and receive guidance and mentorship from faculty experts. Students are strongly encouraged to develop their own research program and have the freedom to pursue their own ideas.

Faculty members are experts in their areas and are highly committed to the training and guidance of PhD students.

Faculty Coordinator: Gülden Ülkümen, Professor of Marketing

REQUIREMENTS

During their first two years in the program, students are required to complete a series of classes in marketing as well as in other departments in Marshall and USC at large.

Within marketing, PhD students complete four marketing seminars (two in quantitative marketing and strategy, two in consumer behavior). These seminars cover the key areas of academic marketing research and provide students a broad perspective of the field of marketing.

Fall Semester — Even Years

MKT 613: Marketing Models in Consumer and Business-to-Business Markets

Spring Semester - Odd Years

MKT 616: Consumer Behavior Theory and Research

Fall Semester - Odd Years

MKT 615 Strategic and Marketing Mix Models

Spring Semester - Even Years

MKT 618: Consumer Behavior and Decision Making

In addition, students take classes in other departments in the business school (e.g., Management and Organizational Behavior, Data Science), as well as in departments across campus (e.g., economics, psychology, statistics, computer science).

First Year Summer Research Paper

The first year paper allows students to develop their own research interest and to demonstrate their research potential. Students develop an original research question and provide initial tests of their predictions. A faculty mentor and other marketing faculty form the first year research paper committee that guides the student’s process.

Qualifying Exam

Following the spring semester of their second year, students will take part in a qualifying exam that leads to the assessment of whether the student is ready for ascension to candidacy. The topics pursued in the qualifying exam often evolve into a substantial portion of the student’s dissertation. A faculty mentor and other faculty members from marketing and from outside the department form the qualifying exam committee that guides the student’s process.

After passing the qualifying exam, students are admitted to PhD candidacy and pursue their research, culminating in their dissertation.

Research Mentorship

Students work with different research mentors over the course of the program. In the first two years, students work with different faculty member each semester, in order to expose students to different researchers and research approaches. By the end of year two, students should have identified a primary research mentor who will guide them until completion of the dissertation, i.e., their faculty advisor.

Year 1: In year 1, the research mentor aims to advise the student with their courses, studies, and overall strategies in the program. Students may assist with a faculty research project if it offers a good learning experience and does not interfere with classes and other program requirements. In some cases, the relationship may involve the student working on their own research project, in which case the research mentor serves as an advisor. Further, the research mentor may be involved in guiding the development of the first-year paper.

Year 2: In year 2, the student should gain further research skills by assisting the faculty mentor with a research project that offers a good learning experience. Activities may include data collection, data cleaning, data organizing, coding, and estimation for empirical projects, and checking models and proofs for theoretical projects. In some cases, the relationship may involve the student working on their own research project, in which case the research mentor serves as an advisor. Further, the research mentor advises the student in developing the second-year paper.

Year 3: In year 3, the student will continue to gain research skills by working on research projects from previous years that should involve different faculty. If not yet done, the student will start developing their own research projects and agenda. The research mentor will primarily serve as an advisor.

Year 4: In year 4, the student will continue to improve their research skills, advancing research projects from previous years, and start new ones. The research mentor will continue to serve as an advisor.

Year 5: In year 5, the research mentor serves to advise the student on completion of the dissertation. In most cases, the advisor will serve as the student’s dissertation chair.

You will work hands-on in a thriving research culture with constant exposure to new and important ideas. Marshall is ranked 5th in the world in research for the years 2018–2022 by the UT-Dallas Research Rankings.

Our faculty regularly publish in the field’s top journals, such as:

• Journal of Marketing
• Journal of Marketing Research
• Journal of Consumer Research
• Marketing Science
• Management Science

Our faculty also continuously publish in the premiere journals of related disciplines

• American Economic Review
• Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
• Journal of experimental Psychology: General
• Psychological Science
• The Rand Journal of Economics

Selective List of Journal Publications With Students

From the very beginning of the program, students collaborate with faculty on research projects with the goal of producing research that will be published in the top journals. Below, please find a selection of recent articles that resulted from these collaborations. * denote current or former PhD students.

Ceylan*, Gizem, Kristin Diehl, and Wendy Wood (forthcoming), “To Imagine or Not to Imagine: A Meta-Analysis Investigating the Effectiveness of Mental Simulation of Positive Experiences on Behavior,” Journal of Marketing .

Ceylan*, Gizem, Kristin Diehl, and Davide Proserpio (forthcoming), “Words Meet Photos: When and Why Visual Content Increases Review Helpfulness,” Journal of Marketing Research .

Chandrasekaran*, Deepa, Gerard J. Tellis and Gareth James (2022), “Leapfrogging, Cannibalization, and Survival during Disruptive Technological Change: The Critical Role of Rate of Disengagement,” Journal of Marketing.

D’Angelo*, Jennifer K., Kristin Diehl, and Lisa A. Cavanaugh. "Lead by Example? Custom-Made Examples Created by Close Others Lead Consumers to Make Dissimilar Choices." Journal of Consumer Research 46, no. 4 (2019): 750-773.

Donovan*, Leigh Anne and Priester, Joseph (2020). Exploring the psychological processes that underlie interpersonal forgiveness: Replication and extension of the model of motivated interpersonal forgiveness. Frontiers in Psychology.

Donovan*, Leigh Anne Novak, and Joseph R. Priester. "Exploring the psychological processes underlying interpersonal forgiveness: The superiority of motivated reasoning over empathy." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 71 (2017): 16-30.

Dukes, Anthony and Yi Zhu* (2019) “Why Customer Service Frustrates Consumers: Exploiting Hassel Costs by a Tiered Customer Service Organization,” Marketing Science, 38(3): 500-515.

Hong*, Jihoon, Max Wei and Gerard J. Tellis (2022), “Machine Learning for Creativity: How Similarity Networks Can Identify Successful Projects in Crowdfunding,” Journal of Marketing .

Jayarajan*, Dinakar, S. Siddarth, and Jorge Silva-Risso. "Cannibalization vs. competition: An empirical study of the impact of product durability on automobile demand." International Journal of Research in Marketing 35, no. 4 (2018): 641-660.

Paulson*, Courtney, Lan Luo, and Gareth M. James. "Efficient large-scale internet media selection optimization for online display advertising." Journal of Marketing Research 55, no. 4 (2018): 489-506.

Pei*, Amy, and Dina Mayzlin (2021), "Influencing the Influencers." Marketing Science, forthcoming.

Proserpio, Davide, Isamar Troncoso*, and Francesca Valsesia* (2021) "Does gender matter? The effect of management responses on reviewing behavior." Marketing Science, Forthcoming.

Gerard J. Tellis, Ashish Sood, Nitish Sood, Sajeev Nair* (2023), “Lockdown Without Loss? A Natural Experiment of Net Payoffs from to Covid COVID-19,” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing .

Troncoso*, Isamar and Lan Luo (2023), “Look the Part? The Role of Profile Pictures in Online Labor Marketplace,” Marketing Science .

Valsesia*, Francesca and Kristin Diehl (2022), “Let Me Show You What I Did Versus What I Have: Sharing Experiential Versus Material Purchases Alters Authenticity and Liking of Social Media Users,” Journal of Consumer Research¸ Volume 49, October, p. 430-449.

Tellis, Gerard J., Deborah J. MacInnis, Seshadri Tirunillai*, and Yanwei Zhang*. "What drives virality (sharing) of online digital content? The critical role of information, emotion, and brand prominence." Journal of Marketing 83, no. 4 (2019): 1-20.

Valsesia*, Francesca, Kristin Diehl, and Joseph C. Nunes (2017), “Based on a True Story: Making People Believe the Unbelievable,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 71, 105-110

Valsesia*, Francesca, Joseph C. Nunes, and Andrea Ordanini (2021), “I Am Not Talking to You: Partitioning an Audience in an Attempt to Solve the Self-Promotion Dilemma,” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 165, 76-89.

Valsesia*, Francesca, Davide Proserpio, and Joseph C. Nunes. "The Positive Effect of Not Following Others on Social Media." Journal of Marketing Research (2020): 0022243720915467.

Xu*, Zibin, Yi Zhu and Shantanu Dutta (Forthcoming), “Platform Screening Strategies And The Role of Niche Sellers on Service Provision”, International Journal of Research in Marketing

Xu*, Zibin and Anthony Dukes, (2021) “Personalization, Customer Data Aggregation, and the Role of List Price,” Management Science, forthcoming.

Xu*, Zibin, and Anthony Dukes. "Product line design under preference uncertainty using aggregate consumer data." Marketing Science 38, no. 4 (2019): 669-689.

Zhang*, Mengxia and Lan Luo (2023), “Can Consumer Posted Photos Serve as a Leading Indicator of Restaurant Survival? Evidence from Yelp,” Management Science , Vol. 69, No. 1, 25–50

Zhu*, Yi and Anthony Dukes (2017), “Prominent Attributes under Limited Attention,” Marketing Science, 36(5): 683-698.

Faculty Honors

The research of our faculty has been recognized repeatedly as innovative and highly impactful. Faculty members have been named fellows in the field’s leading professional organizations.

• American Marketing Association IO Lifetime Achievement Award
• Vijay Mahajan Lifetime Contribution to Marketing Strategy Award
• Alpha Kappa Psi Award
• Harold H. Maynard Award
• William F. O’Dell Award
• Donald R. Lehmann Award
• John D.C. Little Award
• INFORMS Society for Marketing Science Long-term Impact Award
• Fellow of INFORMS Society for Marketing Science
• Fellow of American Marketing Association
• Fellow of Association of Consumer Research
• Fellow of Society of Consumer Psychology

Proven Thought Leaders

Our faculty have a substantial role in shaping the discipline through their positions as editors, associate editors and editorial board members of:

• Journal of Consumer Psychology

Our faculty also include former presidents of major professional organizations, such as the Association for Consumer Research, the Association for Consumer Psychology, and INFORMS Society of Marketing Science (ISMS).

Program Culture

The culture of the program is research focused, collegial, supportive, and highly interactive. PhD students are “junior colleagues” encouraged to participate in academic research with faculty from the very beginning. The low PhD student/faculty ratio coupled with the marketing faculty’s “open door” policy promotes frequent and meaningful interactions between faculty and students about research, careers and teaching. Students also serve as colleagues and mentors to each other and often develop papers together.

Research Environment Faculty and students attend weekly scholarly presentations from invited faculty from around the world. In addition internal brown bag seminars and reading groups allow students and faculty to exchange ideas and receive feedback on research topics.

Student Background Our students come from all of over the world. They have strong academic backgrounds and bring with them a variety of experiences prior to joining the program.

Awards Marketing Ph.D. students have contributed to the field by publishing in leading journals and winning numerous prestigious research awards, including the SCP Sheth Award and the William O’Dell Award for long term contributions to marketing for articles published in the Journal of Marketing Research. Students have been recipients of INFORMS Society for Marketing Science (ISMS) Doctoral Dissertation Competition Award, finalists for the John D. Little Award for best paper in Marketing Science, and early career achievement award in marketing. Student research proposals have been funded by the Marketing Science Institute (MSI) and the Institute for The Study of Business Markets (ISBM).

PHD STUDENTS

Stephan (steve) carney.

• PhD Student in Marketing

Maansi Dalmia

Aparna jayaram, soohyun kim.

Our PhD graduates contribute to marketing research and practice throughout the world. We have a long history of mentoring PhD students who are on the faculty of top universities around the world.

Recent Placements (2023-2019)

Elisa Solinas (2023) Assistant Professor, IE, Spain

Wensi Zhang (2023) Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Dallas, USA

Gizem Ceylan (2022) Postdoctoral Researcher, Yale University

Ilya Lukibanov (2022) Data Scientist, AXS, USA

Sajeev Nair (2022) Assistant Professor, University of Kansas, USA

Isamar Troncoso (2022) Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School, USA

Chaumanix Dutton (2021) Assistant Professor, Arizona State University, USA

Jihoon Hong (2021) Assistant Professor, Arizona State University, USA

Mengxia Zhang (2021) Assistant Professor, Ivey Business School, Western University, Canada

Jennifer D'Angelo (2020) Assistant Professor, TCU, USA

Amy Pei (2020) Assistant Professor, Northeastern University, USA

Yao Yao (2019) Assistant Professor, San Diego State University, USA

APPLYING TO THE PhD PROGRAM

Dates + deadlines.

December 15, 2023: Application Deadline - Accounting, Data Sciences & Operations, and Management & Organization* 

January 15, 2024: Application Deadline - Finance & Business Economics and Marketing 

The link to the PhD Program application is available on the Admissions page and the next opportunity to apply is for Fall 2024 admission. Late applications may or may not be considered at the discretion of the admissions committee. 

Admissions decisions are made from mid-February to mid-April. You will be notified by email when a decision has been made.

ADMISSIONS CONTACT

Ph.D. Program USC Marshall School of Business 3670 Trousdale Parkway, BRI 306 Los Angeles, California 90089-0809 EMAIL

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Stay Informed + Stay Connected

• Youth Program
• Wharton Online

Wharton’s Marketing faculty, the most published and cited in the world, are leaders in developing new knowledge in marketing and related core disciplines.

The Wharton doctoral program offers students an unmatched interdisciplinary environment within which to generate creative ideas and hypotheses and to develop the analytic skills to evaluate them.

Faculty members are active in diverse research areas that connect to initiatives and centers both within Wharton more broadly, and other departments within the university. Recent research topics include such areas as: cognitive processes of consumers; consumer preference measurement; marketing decision support systems; design and adoption of new products and services; and social media and consumer inter-dependencies.

The Marketing Program requires students to have a basic knowledge of various business areas, computer programming, calculus, and matrix algebra.

For information on courses and sample plans of study, please visit the University Graduate Catalog .

For more information about the Joint Doctoral Degree in Marketing and Psychology:  https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/joint-doctoral-degree-in-marketing-and-psychology/

Get the Details.

Visit the Marketing website for details on program requirements and courses. Read faculty and student research and bios to see what you can do with a Marketing PhD.

Tepper School of Business

Ph.D. Program in Marketing

Studies include brand-choice models, analytical and structural models, marketing/operations interface, marketing/it interface, and theories of consumer behavior..

The Tepper School's doctoral program in marketing has a reputation of producing highly skilled and innovative researchers who are well grounded in the basic disciplines underlying marketing thought and who practice and create the state-of-the-art in marketing. Most go on to become faculty members at premier academic institutions throughout the world.

The Ph.D. program offers one of the most complete and solid sequence of Ph.D. courses among leading universities in the world. Students usually take one and a half years of required courses offered by the marketing, economics, psychology and statistics departments. After passing the qualifying exam at the end of one and a half years, they begin the research stage, find advisors according to their own research interests, and start writing their Ph.D. dissertation under the guidance of the advisors. Typically, it takes four to five years to complete the program and obtain the Ph.D. degree. In addition to rigorous course work, students benefit from the weekly seminars in which scholars from all over the world come present their most recent research. Students also have their own workshops in which they present their own research work.

The Tepper School boasts excellent faculty, specializing in adopting analytical, empirical and consumer behavior approaches to address fundamental marketing problems. Historically, Tepper School faculty and graduates have made fundamental contributions to marketing theory in the areas of brand-choice models, analytical models for marketing strategy, empirical structural models, conjoint analysis, marketing and operations management interface, marketing and information systems interface and theories of consumer behavior.

A few examples of research topics that students and faculty members have recently worked on are:

• How a manager allocates marketing resources to various alternatives such as promotion, advertising and sales force. By developing decision support systems to aid managers, we hope to understand better the allocation problem and to improve marketing efficiency.
• How to design new products while simultaneously considering consumer preferences, engineering constraints and design aesthetics.
• How to understand latent preferences of online customers by statistically analyzing their web browsing patterns.
• Psychological processes that drive consumer choice among alternative products. How we can help them make better decisions.

Starting from 1971, the Tepper School has produced a significant number of leading researchers in marketing, including at least ten chaired professors at top-ten business schools and many other world-renowned marketing researchers (high ratio given the size). Recent students who graduated from the Tepper School marketing program have obtained faculty positions at top research schools such as Chicago, Columbia, Duke, Stanford and New York University. More recent graduates have won dissertation awards from the American Marketing Association, the Association for Consumer Research, and the American Psychological Association.

Given the size of our Ph.D. program, these achievements of our Ph.D. alumni demonstrate the outstanding quality of our Ph.D. program and also win us the reputation as one of the best schools that produce the most promising marketing researchers.

As a Ph.D. student of marketing at the Tepper School, you will notice a few things that distinguish your experience at the Tepper School.

Outstanding Training in Economics, Psychology and Statistics Foundations

As a tradition, our students are required to obtain rigorous training in economics, econometrics, psychology and statistics. The comprehensive and rigorous training equips our students with a solid understanding of economics and psychology, the state-of-the-art research techniques, and cutting-edge approaches for solving fundamental research problems. Historically, this approach has had high payoffs - our students are not only capable of solving ground-breaking research problems using the most cutting-edge techniques, but also demonstrate great endurance in their future academic careers.

Comprehensive Sequence of Marketing Doctoral Courses

We offer the most complete sequence of Ph.D. courses. You will find many Ph.D. courses offered by marketing faculties that cover their research expertise. These marketing Ph.D. courses progressively and comprehensively introduce cutting-edge research methodologies, the development of literature in each discipline, and the most recent research interest of each faculty member. Faculty are almost available 24/7 to work with Ph.D. students. They also spend an enormous amount of time preparing students for their job market. Most students continue working with faculty at CMU even after graduating and enjoy a lifetime of support and friendship from them.

Close and Caring Working Relationship Between Faculty and Students

At the Tepper School, our most important mission is to produce the best Ph.D. students. We treat Ph.D. students as junior faculty and the excellent mentoring system guarantees enough time from faculty to each Ph.D. student. The school typically admits only a few students each year. The doctoral program is intentionally kept small in order to increase faculty-student interaction and to take advantage of the business school's resources. They develop, in close conjunction with the faculty members, flexible programs addressing their specific research interests. Our students have access to award-winning faculty - many of whom are leaders in their field. Our faculty works closely with students creating new knowledge on a daily basis with their students.

Inspiring and Innovative Inter-Disciplinary Research Environment

Recognized for our unique interdisciplinary environment, students are often encouraged to work across departmental lines. As a result, our graduates have opportunities to engage in groundbreaking research and sharpen their ability to solve complex problems through leadership and collaboration.

In summary, the marketing group has a strong commitment to research and devotes considerable resources to training future scholars. We emphasize the development of sophisticated, state-of-the-art research skills that are required to solve fundamental research problems and create new knowledge in a chosen area of marketing. The Ph.D. program welcomes applications from candidates from all countries with distinguished academic backgrounds who are interested in pursuing a career in research universities. Admission to the marketing program at the Tepper School offers the student an opportunity to continue in this tradition of high achievement and excellence.

Research Topics

The research focus of our program directly translates in their early involvement in research projects. Our doctoral students work closely with faculty members to produce high quality research in several relevant marketing topics.

• Behavioral and Experimental Economics
• Charitable Giving and Nonprofit Marketing
• Consumer Financial Decision Making
• Consumer Happiness/Satisfaction
• Electronic Commerce
• Hedonic Adaptation
• High Tech Marketing
• Judgment and Decision Making
• Micro-marketing
• Optimal Pricing Strategies
• Service Productivity and Performance Pay
• Sports Marketing and Celebrity Endorsements
• Structural Estimation Methods
• Two-sided Market Pricing

P lease visit our Ph.D. Student Profiles page t o view the profiles of our current doctoral candidates.

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At the Eli Broad College of Business, students in the marketing Ph.D. program have the opportunity to work and publish with some of the most prolific researchers in marketing. Faculty-student collaboration is a significant part of the doctoral experience, and it leads to results. Doctoral students work with faculty to research the most compelling issues facing businesses today, and Broad provides the resources to get it done.

Focused on marketing strategy, Broad’s faculty has developed four areas of research excellence:

• Marketing strategy
• Product and brand management
• Relationship marketing
• International marketing

Research Prestige

Research in marketing.

The available marketing doctoral coursework covers a broad range of topics, including marketing strategy, modeling marketing problems, consumer behavior and statistics. Ph.D. students are expected to be in residence on a full-time basis during the program. While in the coursework stage of the program, doctoral students are also assigned as teaching and/or research assistants. Upon completion of coursework, students are required to pass a comprehensive exam in marketing and then complete a dissertation that demonstrates their ability to conduct an original research project.

The program curriculum is designed with a focus on research mentorship and training and includes several writing requirements to ensure our students are prepared for the job market and ready to succeed as assistant professors. The Ph.D. handbook provides details on the program requirements, and the curriculum schedule is presented below.

Centers of Research Excellence

Marketing strategy.

The anchor for this focus is our strong reputation and core faculty studying marketing strategy. Among notable faculty in this center of research excellence are Tomas Hult, Roger Calantone, Ahmet Kirca and Irina Kozlenkova.

Product and Brand Management

The Eli Broad College of Business has long been recognized for its excellence in product and brand management. In a study by Pianpain Yang and Lei Tao, MSU ranked #3 among universities for innovation management and #1 in the Big Ten. Scholarship in this area has been a long-standing strength at Broad, and its faculty has won numerous awards in this center of research excellence.

As a doctoral student, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with renowned scholars in product and brand management. The Broad faculty continually works with doctoral students in this area. Among notable faculty in this center of research excellence is Roger Calantone, who has been ranked the world’s #2 scholar in innovation management and the tenth most-cited marketing researcher worldwide. In addition to these accomplishments, he is a University Distinguished Professor, has chaired many dissertations, and has published numerous articles with doctoral students. Calantone and other faculty in this area – such as Cornelia Droge, Ahmet Kirca and Hang Nguyen – enjoy working with doctoral students and providing tutelage on research.

Relationship Marketing and Sales

Relationship marketing and sales is one of the hottest areas of marketing research today. At Broad, you’ll have access to some of the top faculty in the field. With multiple publications in leading journals, the college’s relationship marketing and sales center of research excellence is becoming one of the best in the nation. Here is but a brief list of awards in this center of research excellence:

• AMA’s Emerging Service Scholar Award
• AMA Sales SIG Excellence in Research Award
• Winner of the 2011, 2012 and 2015 Industry Relevance Awards granted by the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research

Doctoral students who focus on relationship marketing and sales have access to some of the best faculty in the field. Among notable faculty in this center of research excellence is Douglas Hughes. Hughes is the incoming editor of the  Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management  and an area editor for the  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science . His research focuses on sales force management issues and has appeared in the  Journal of Marketing , the  Journal of Marketing Research  and the  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science . In addition, a number of other faculty work in this area, including Roger Calantone, Tomas Hult, Irina Kozlenkova and Stephanie Mangus.

International Marketing

The Broad College of Business has been ranked #1 in international business research. Doctoral students who choose to focus on international marketing will have access to resources such as MSU-CIBER and to faculty who are thought leaders in the field. The Broad faculty regularly collaborates with doctoral students in this area and have served as committee members and chairs of several dissertations.

Among notable faculty in this center of research excellence is Tomas Hult, director of the International Business Center (MSU-CIBER), former editor of the  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science , and one of the 50 most cited researchers in marketing. During his time at MSU, Hult has co-authored several books on international business, has chaired multiple dissertation committees, and has collaborated with doctoral students on numerous publications. In addition, Roger Calantone, Ahmet Kirca and Irina Kozlenkova also conduct research in this area.

Publications

Recent publications in each of the four core areas of research are listed below.

Katsikeas, Constantine S., Neil A. Morgan, Leonidas C. Leonidou, and G. Tomas M. Hult (2016), “Assessing Performance Outcomes in Marketing,” Journal of Marketing , 80 (2), In Press. Bamiatzi, Vassiliki, Konstantinos Bozos, S. Tamer Cavusgil, and G. Tomas M. Hult (2016), “Revisiting the Firm, Industry and Country Effects on Profitability under Recessionary and Expansion Periods: A Multi-level Analysis,” Strategic Management Journal , In Press. Ozkaya, Erkan, Cornelia Droge, G. Tomas M. Hult, Roger Calantone , and Elif Ozkaya (2015), “Market Orientation, Knowledge Competence, and Innovation,” International Journal of Research in Marketing , 32 (3), 309-318. Arrfelt, Mathias, Robert M. Wiseman, Gerry McNamara, and G. Tomas M. Hult (2015), “Examining a Key Corporate Role: The Influence of Capital Allocation Competency on Business Unit Performance,” Strategic Management Journal , 36 (7), 1017-1034. Lee, J. –Y., Kozlenkova, I. V. , and Palmatier R. W., “Structural Marketing: Using Organizational Structure to Achieve Marketing Objectives,” (forthcoming),  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.

Dean, Tereza, David A. Griffith, Roger J. Calantone , “New Product Creativity: Understanding Contract Specificity in New Product Introductions,”Forthcoming, Journal of Marketing. Sarangee, K., J. Schmidt, and R. J. Calantone (2015), “Does the Future Impact the Present during New Product Development?”  Journal of Product and Innovation Management . Vickery, S., Y. Bolumole, M. Castel, and R. J. Calantone (2015), “The Effects of Product Modularity on Launch Speed,”  International Journal of Production Research , Vol. 53, Iss. 17. Vickery, S., X. Koufteros, C. Dröge, and R. J. Calantone (2015), “Product Modularity, Process Modularity and New Product Introduction Performance: Does Complexity Matter?”  Production and Operations Management , p1-20. Bolumole, Y., R. Calantone , C. A. Di Benedetto, and S. A. Melnyk (2015), “New Product Development in New Ventures: The Quest for Resources,”  International Journal of Production Research , Vol. 53, Iss. 8, p2506-2523. Chauduri, M., R. Calantone , and P. Randhawa (2015), “New Wine from Old Grapes: Innovation in the Eco-Friendly B2C Space,”  Journal of International Consumer Marketing , Vol. 27, Iss. 2, p99-122. Ozkaya, H. E., C. Dröge, G. T. M. Hult, R. Calantone , and E. Ozkaya (2015), “Market Orientation, Knowledge Competence, and Innovation,”  International Journal of Research in Marketing .

Bolander, Willy, Cinthia Santornino, Douglas E. Hughes , and Gerald R. Ferris (2015), “Social Networks within Sales Organizations: Their Development and Importance for Salesperson Performance,”  Journal of Marketing . Kozlenkova, Irina, G. Tomas M. Hult, Donald Lund, Jeannette A. Mena, and Pinar Kekec (2015), “The Role of Marketing Channels in Supply Chain Management: A Review of the Literature and Takeaways for Future Research,”  Journal of Retailing , 91 (4), 586-609. Miao, C. Fred, Douglas E. Hughes , Keith A. Richards, and Frank Q. Fu (2015), “Understanding the Interactive Effects of Service Climate and Transactional Sales Climate on Service Quality and Sales Performance,”  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science . Baldus, B., C. Voorhees, and R. J. Calantone (2015), “Online Brand Community Engagement: Scale Development and Validation,”  Journal of Business Research , Vol. 68, Iss. 5, p978-85.

Kostova, Tatiana and G. Tomas M. Hult (2016), “Meyer and Peng’s 2005 Article as a Foundation for an Expanded and Refined International Business Research Agenda: Context, Organizations, and Theories,”  Journal of International Business Studies , 47 (1), In Press.

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25 Marketing Management Dissertation Topics

Published by Owen Ingram at January 2nd, 2023 , Revised On August 18, 2023

Are you a marketing or management student looking for specific marketing management dissertation topics? If yes, your search is over because this article provides 25 highly focused marketing management dissertation ideas and examples for your consideration.

Marketing management refers to planning, organising, coordinating, and controlling marketing functions within a company. Sales, distribution, and customer service are all related to marketing management because they connect a brand with customers, suppliers, and other partners. Other areas of marketing management include public relations and direct advertising activities.

Furthermore, marketing management involves planning for the marketing mix, which is essential for promoting any business. It encompasses various responsibilities, from product development to pricing strategies and channel selection.

Marketing managers perform:

• Detailed market research
• Develop product and service branding strategies
• Develop strategies for targeting customers
• Identify the marketing activities to be undertaken within the budget.

Increased sales revenue and market share are the primary goals of marketing management. Therefore, improving product quality and service levels will improve customer satisfaction.

Also read Sports management dissertation topics , event management thesis ideas , operations management thesis ideas , management thesis topics , and asset management thesis topics .

Marketing Management Research Areas For Dissertation

Marketing management can be divided into four main types as categorized by the American Marketing Association (AMA):

• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Product lifecycle management (PLM)
• Supply chain management (SCM)
• Market analytics.

These are briefly explained below.

Customer Relationship Management

Customers who have not engaged with a company for a long time can be won back through CRM strategies—providing personalized products, services, and communication to create a long-term relationship with the customer.

Product Lifecycle Management

The PLM process adds new features, services, and components to existing products over time to create more value. Maintaining consumer needs helps companies improve their margins.

Supply Chain Management

SCM uses technologies like supply chain software to manage inventory flows throughout their supply chain, which extends the company’s internal resources into all aspects of their external relationships with vendors, suppliers, distributors, and retailers.”

Market Analytics

Companies use market analytics to gather insights into consumer behaviour and preferences to make better business decisions. Business Intelligence: Business intelligence collects, analyses, and interprets data from multiple sources to understand how the business performs.

Furthermore, if you are studying business, you may also want to look at the list of business dissertation topics  and  finance dissertation topics .

Benefits of Marketing Management

There are various benefits of using Marketing Management. Some of them are as follows:

• It increases sales and profits.
• It improves customer satisfaction.
• It reduces costs
• It helps you to identify the problems in your business.
• It improves the quality of products and services.
• It builds a competitive advantage.
• It makes processes more efficient.
• It increases customer satisfaction.
• It improves sales
• It helps to identify new markets.

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List of Dissertation Topics for Marketing Management

Marketing management is a vast field, and it can be challenging to know where to start! Luckily, we’ve done the work for you. Here is a list of the latest marketing management dissertation topics to help you out.

• Using financial products in the UK retail banking sector
• A study of how service quality and customer satisfaction affect brand equity
• A study of the antecedents and consequences of a firm’s reputation
• Impact of social media marketing on consumer behaviour
• The role of internet advertising as a marketing tool
• A study of how supermarket retailers can use customer relationship management (CRM) data to identify consumers and predict buying behaviour
• The influence of reference groups on purchasing patterns among British consumers
• Factors that influence product packaging decisions
• An investigation into how organizational culture influences employee behaviour
• A preliminary study examined how sales assist the marketing role of security solutions.
• A thorough analysis of the literature on the term “Coopetition.”
• The function of marketing management in maintaining efficient supply chains
• Review of the literature on product innovation in multinational companies
• The psychology of consumers, how to evaluate it, and how it relates to digital marketing
• Several of the most prevalent errors are made today in email marketing.
• Correlation between marketing problem-solving techniques and marketing management support systems.
• A comparison of marketing management practices in industrialized and developing countries.
• A comprehensive review of the connection between management sciences and marketing management.
• Exploring the potential link between corporate financial success and corporate social responsibility
• A comparison of the regional strategic management of fashion apparel brands.
• Analysis of market segmentation’s effect on hotel industry customer loyalty.
• The analysis of the influence of social media on customer relationship management in the hotel industry.
• The analysis of supply chain management on operational efficiency in the hotel industry.
• The relationship between customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability
• An empirical study into the relationship between brand image and consumer perception.

Marketing management has a broad scope as it is not confined to one industry or market. It is necessary to effectively market goods and services in any economic sector. In marketing, strategic thinking, management practices, and techniques are used to develop and implement marketing programs that help businesses flourish and grow. We hope you can pick one from the aforementioned marketing management dissertation topics.

Alternatively, you may want to read about the dissertation proposal writing service and the full dissertation writing service to see how our services can ease your workload by completing your dissertation to the required criteria.

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How to find dissertation topics about marketing management.

For dissertation topics in marketing management:

• Study recent marketing challenges.
• Explore consumer behavior trends.
• Analyze digital marketing innovations.
• Investigate branding strategies.
• Examine market segmentation.
• Consider ethical marketing issues.

You May Also Like

Need interesting and manageable law dissertation topics or thesis? Here are the trending law dissertation titles so you can choose the most suitable one.

It can be challenging to develop the ideal dissertation topic in waste management. To maintain health, all human civilizations need to manage waste in some form, but that does not mean that individuals need to know all the specifics.

Authorizing your dissertation is a very challenging task. As determined by the supervisors and advisors, the subjects should be innovative and creative, cover both theoretical and practical aspects, and add something new to the field.

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100 best marketing research topics for all.

Because of the many aspects of marketing, choosing marketing topics to write about may put one in a dicey situation. This article provides some hot topics in marketing that will help you select an area of focus and select relevant topics from that niche. From marketing research topics for college students to social issues in marketing, we have got you covered! So sit down and relax as we take you through the list of marketing research topics our professional writers prepared just for you!

Marketing Thesis Topics

Are you in need of well-thought-out marketing thesis topics and marketing dissertation topics? Then you’re in the right place! This list of marketing paper topics presented will give you a distinct thesis/dissertation.

• Analysis and determination of consumer buying behavior for Coca-Cola
• A study on famous well-marketed brands that got away with selling substandard quality products
• A study showing the impact of advertising on consumer behavior
• Brand advertising and political campaigns: a possible interwoven impact?
• A review of the outcomes of advertising in a recession
• Exhaustive research on how brands exploit impulsive buying
• A study of how celebrity endorsements on ROI affect CPG brands
• A survey of the impact of augmented reality on marketing experiences
• Critical research on how AI will help make better marketing decisions
• A study of the perspective and reception of Americans to targeted ads based on their browser history

Current Marketing Issues

There are numerous marketing issues around the world today. These global marketing issues threaten the survival of many businesses and the economy at large. Here is a list of current marketing issues!

• A decline in organic reach on social media platforms
• Difficulty in building a well-recognized brand name
• Getting readers to see content
• Understanding marketing results
• Marketing budgets included by BREXIT
• Optimizing business for voice search
• Bridging the technology gap
• Ensuring compliance with GDPR
• Overdependence of potential customers on amazon
• The effect of COVID-19 on the global economy

Marketing Research Topics

Getting marketing topics for research has been made considerably more comfortable with this list of marketing research paper topics. Ready to explore the marketing research topics we have, let’s delve right in!

• Exploring how organizations use corporate social responsibility (CSR) to reinforce brand equity
• The effect of social media on buying choices
• Online purchasing: a study of the product characteristics buyers look for
• An exploration of the differences in marketing strategies across cultures
• Manipulation tactics: how brands can get more customers
• A study of how customer loyalty is affected by brand image
• Analyzing how TV advertising affects the top of mind awareness
• Do people appreciate being click baited into sponsored posts?
• A study on how to make customers purchase goods and services in the luxury category

Digital Marketing Blog Topics

Digital marketing remains a very important aspect of marketing in the world today. Here are some very juicy digital marketing topics you can write a great blog on!

• 10 insightful differences between paid search and organic search
• Tips for promoting content on Pinterest
• SEO tactics to avoid like the plague
• How to increase your followers on social media
• Best tips to help you grow your paid social ROAS
• Why should you follow your competitors on social media?
• Dos and don’ts of social media marketing
• How to create content your audience will be eager to share

Marketing Essay Topics

• What is the most effective form of marketing?
• Internet marketing trends to expect in the future
• What important brand attributes lead to an increase in customer loyalty?
• A look into marketing approaches that broke through strong market monopoly
• The impact of social media on consumer buying behavior
• Comparison of advertising versus building brand equity
• Rebuilding trust in influencer marketing
• How to generate leads effectively

Content Marketing Topics

• 10 biggest graphic design mistakes companies make in their marketing pieces
• How to create captivating e-newsletters that people will pay attention to
• Repurposing marketing content for small businesses
• Working more micro-content into marketing efforts
• Multi-step versus one-step content marketing campaigns
• The five Cs when creating content marketing copy
• Creating compelling content marketing campaigns in 10 steps
• Content marketing: how to generate more leads and close sales

Strategic Marketing Problems

There are many marketing problems in companies and businesses that threaten to cripple the advancement of the industry. Here is a list of some marketing problems you may be willing to proffer solutions to.

• Inability to explain products or services delivered
• Not clearly defining a company’s market segment
• Lack of innovating commercial department
• Lack of business visibility
• Missing links between sales and marketing departments
• Lack of marketing plan
• Lack of personal branding, brand image, and professional reputation
• Thinking the company or business can survive without marketing

Marketing Blog Topics

• Facebook advertising: pros and cons
• 10 benefits of inbound marketing
• The most frustrating problems faced in inbound marketing
• How to generate subscribers for your blog faster than ever!
• 10 benefits of content marketing lead magnets
• Five video content marketing myths you must discard
• 30 social media campaign ideas from big brands

Controversial Marketing Topics

• Does google give preferential treatment to big brands?
• Does social media affect SEO ranking?
• Are grey SEO techniques safe?
• Are YouTube videos more engaging than TV ads?
• Are building e-mail lists still one of the best ways to sell?
• Will immersion marketing through VR technology to be accepted?

Sport Marketing Research Topics

Sports marketing continues to remain a significant source of revenue. Hence, research in this area will continue to stay relevant. Here are some sport marketing topics you could consider working on.

• How the extraordinary content offered by intelligent chatbots can help sports teams strengthen fan loyalty
• Emerging opportunities in sports marketing and how to capitalize on them
• How to effectively capitalize on the wearables market
• Should more women and children get into sports?
• Should seniors be allowed to participate in some games?

Marketing Presentation Topics

• Mastering in-house SEO
• The path to gaining and building customers trust
• Brand awareness versus ROI
• Effectively personalizing customer communications
• The best SEO strategies that increase site traffic

International Marketing Topics

Marketing connects the global world, and this is why it is essential to marketing development. Here are some international marketing topics to consider!

• The effect of globalization on consumer behavior
• How do international brands compare to local brands?
• Do international brands always have advantages over a local brand?
• Creating brand awareness by utilizing global event marketing
• How to market products on an international level

Marketing Plan Topics

• The importance of a marketing plan to the success of a business or product launch
• Building a tactical marketing plan
• How is a marketing strategy different from a marketing plan?
• Indispensable parts in writing a marketing plan

Ethical Issues In Marketing

• Targeted Ads based on browser history
• Immersion marketing through virtual reality
• The exploitation of impulsive buying
• Click baiting into sponsored posts

Affiliate Marketing Topics

• How to find profitable niches in affiliate marketing
• How to get readers interested in what you market
• How to build a personal website: the ultimate guide

Congratulations! We hope you have been able to guide you in choosing your desired topic in marketing successfully. Alo, you can check out our business topics. We wish you the best in your research!

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Doctoral study in Marketing

Why study with us.

• One of Asia-Pacific’s leading research-led business schools. Our Business School is in the 1% of Business Schools worldwide to hold Triple Crown accreditation from the leading international bodies: AACSB International, EFMD-EQUIS and AMBA.
• The QS World University Rankings by Subject (2021) confirmed the University of Auckland Business School as the best place in New Zealand to study many business disciplines.
• We are New Zealand's most innovative university, ranked 35th in the Reuters Top 75: Asia’s Most Innovative Universities ranking.
• We offer state-of-the-art facilities including a dedicated postgraduate lounge and computer labs.
• Our Business School Careers Centre can help you with career planning delivered through a programme of skills workshops, employer interactions and individual support.

Research opportunities

When you join us for your doctorate in Marketing, you'll join a high-calibre research community and have the opportunity to publish papers, attend international conferences and develop your network in academia and industry.

We welcome research proposals in topics relating to our key research specialisations:

Consumer behaviour

• Consumers in the digital environment
• Consumers’ responses to marketing communications
• Consumers’ experience of shopping
• Consumers’ experience of possessions and place

Ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR)

• Marketing, practice and service innovation
• Marketing in the service economy and sharing economy
• Information and communication technology (ICT) and changing marketing practice
• Marketing science, market measurement and performance
• The marketing-entrepreneurship interface

Contemporary issues in branding

• Branding in the service economy
• Managing brands, market-based assets and market performance
• The nature of intense brand relationships and brand communities
• The development of brand meaning

Sustainability and societal issues in marketing

• Marketing and sustainability
• Consumer resistance and anti-consumption
• Dissatisfaction and complaining behaviour
• Alternative marketing practices
• Corporate social responsibility, ethics, and frameworks of dominance, justice and hegemony in the contemporary market

Pursue your topic with us and benefit from exceptional standards of support and supervision from internationally recognised researchers. Professor Roderick John Brodie : Relationship marketing and marketing strategy, managing brands, service management, marketing theory Dr Denise Conroy : How we identity and our sense of self shapes our consumption choices, how we allocate and spend our resources, and where we choose to focus our attention. Associate Professor Karen V. Fernandez : Consumer culture theory, particularly consumers’ relationships with possessions, places and technology as well as nostalgic, music and sustainable consumption Dr Mike Lee : Anti-consumption and consumer resistance, especially brand avoidance, innovation resistance, dissatisfaction and complaining behaviours; understanding and applying anti-consumption to areas of public policy and consumer well-being, with particularly interest in consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behaviour towards waste and waste utilisation Dr Charlotta Windahl : Design practice and market innovation, including B2B and B2C activities related to innovating the experience, products and services, solutions, systems, business models and strategy in various contexts and sectors Dr Yuri Seo : Digital consumer culture and behaviour, luxury consumption, cultural branding, multicultural marketplaces and globalisation

Past research topics

• “Seeking Believability in Consumption: An Exploration of Women's Responses to the Concept of Weight Management Foods” (supervised by Denise Conroy )
• “Shifting Personal Brandscapes: Young Sojourners” Consumer Acculturation’ (supervised by Karen Fernandez and   Bodo Lang )
• “The role of self-construal in developing resistant consumer identities” (supervised by Karen Fernandez and Sandra Smith )
• "An Examination of Consumer's Awkward Service Experiences (ASEs)” (supervised by Laszlo Sajtos )
• “Understanding Reciprocity in Chinese Social Media: Examining the Influence of Social Capital and Emotion on Reciprocal Behaviour” (Supervised by Rod Brodie and Rick Starr )

Experience doctoral study

Carry Zimmerman, from Germany, is currently doing her PhD in Marketing under the supervision of Dr Denise Conroy and Dr Yuri Seo. She holds a Master of Science in Business Psychology and worked for the Department of Sustainable Management at the University of Bremen (Germany) before she came to New Zealand. With her PhD focussing on in vitro meat/lab protein, she is working in the areas of sustainability, food and consumer behaviour and wants to contribute to the SDG 12: Responsible Food Production and Consumption.

Meet a graduate

Dr Angela Cruz, now Senior Lecturer at Monash University (Melbourne), has won multiple prizes for her research. She has developed significant expertise in understanding the role of consumption practices and rituals in helping globally mobile and multicultural consumers settle into their adopted cultures. Her research, which contributes to a growing discourse on the importance of non-Eurocentric perspectives in an era of globalised marketplaces, has been published in world class journals including European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Qualitative Market Research, and International Marketing Review. She has also guest-edited a special issue in the Journal of Consumer Marketing.

Angela completed the following programmes at the University:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce conjoint in Marketing, Psychology and Film, TV and Media Studies
• Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) in Marketing
• Master of Commerce (First Class Honours) in Marketing
• PhD in Marketing

Scholarships and awards

There are several scholarships you may be eligible for when you decide to pursue your doctoral studies in Marketing.

University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships

Barry Spicer and Owen G Glenn PhD Scholarship

Non-University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships

Phone the University

•  923 7186 (within Auckland)
• 0800 61 62 63 (outside Auckland)
• +64 9 373 7513 (overseas)

Doctoral programmes

• Doctor of Philosophy

Related subjects

• International Business

Related links

• DEACTIVATED Find a scholarship or award