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Research Topics & Ideas: Marketing

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

Marketing and advertising-based research topics

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. 

Research topic idea mega list

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

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

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

Research topic evaluator

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

Research Topic Kickstarter - Need Help Finding A Research Topic?

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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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, when the one true faith trumps all: low religious diversity, religious intolerance, and science denial, express: using price promotions to drive children’s healthy choices in a developing economy, regulating privacy online: an economic evaluation of the gdpr, recent insights by stanford business, in a polarized world, an open mind can hurt your reputation, a little fun — and a discount — can steer kids to healthier foods, what people really think about search engine ads. (you might be surprised.).

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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.

marketing phd research topics

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PhD in Marketing

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Develop your research skills in consumer behavior or economics/quantitative methods and prepare for a career at a leading research institution.

Our Marketing PhD Program gives you a strong theoretical foundation and builds your empirical skills.

You’ll have the flexibility to explore marketing through Chicago Booth while taking courses across the university in psychology , sociology , economics , computer science , and statistics . You’ll also have access to computer science courses at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC) .

The doctoral program defines marketing broadly as the study of the interface between firms, competitors, and consumers. This includes but is not limited to consumer preferences, consumer demand and decision-making, strategic interaction of firms, pricing, promotion, targeting, product design/positioning, and channel issues.

Our Distinguished Marketing Faculty

Chicago Booth’s marketing faculty serve as advisors, mentors, and collaborators to doctoral students.

Daniel Bartels

Daniel Bartels

Professor of Marketing

Pradeep Chintagunta

Pradeep K. Chintagunta

Joseph T. and Bernice S. Lewis Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing

Giovanni Compiani

Giovanni Compiani

Assistant Professor of Marketing

Sanjay K. Dhar

Sanjay K. Dhar

James M. Kilts, Jr. Professor of Marketing

Berkeley Dietvorst

Berkeley J. Dietvorst

Associate Professor of Marketing

Kristin Donnelly

Kristin Donnelly

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Stevens Junior Faculty Fellow

Jean Pierre Dube

Jean-Pierre Dubé

James M. Kilts Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Charles E. Merrill Faculty Scholar

Ayelet Fishbach

Ayelet Fishbach

Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing and IBM Corporation Faculty Scholar

Gunter Hitsch

Guenter J. Hitsch

Kilts Family Professor of Marketing

Andreas Kraft

Andreas Kraft

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Asness Faculty Fellow

Ann L. McGill

Ann L. McGill

Sears Roebuck Professor of General Management, Marketing and Behavioral Science

Sanjog Misra

Sanjog Misra

Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing and Applied AI

Bradley Shapiro

Bradley Shapiro

Professor of Marketing and True North Faculty Scholar

Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith

Avner Strulov Shlain

Avner Strulov-Shlain

Assistant Professor of Marketing and Willard Graham Faculty Scholar

marketing phd research topics

Abigail Sussman

Professor of Marketing and Beatrice Foods Co. Faculty Scholar

Oleg Urminsky

Oleg Urminsky

Alumni success.

PhD alumni in marketing go on to successful careers at top institutions of higher education across the world. 

Akshina Banerjee, PhD '23

Assistant Professor of Marketing Ross School of Business, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Akshina studies linguistic influence on consumer decision-making, hierarchical choices, and mental accounting. Her interests are, thus, inherently interdisciplinary, with overlaps in marketing, linguistics, economics, and psychology. Her dissertation area is in behavioral marketing.

Olivia Natan, PhD ’21

Assistant Professor of Marketing Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Olivia Natan studies how limited information affects consumer demand and firm behavior. Her empirical work focuses on settings with large product assortments. Her dissertation area is in marketing.

A Network of Support

At Booth, you’ll have access to the resources of several research centers that help to fund marketing PhD research, host innovative conferences and workshops, and serve as focal points for collaboration and innovation.

James M. Kilts Center for Marketing The Kilts Center facilitates faculty research, supports innovations in the marketing curriculum, funds scholarships for MBA students, and creates engaging programs aimed at enhancing the careers of students and alumni.

Center for Decision Research Devoted to the study of how individuals form judgments and make decisions, the CDR supports research that examines the processes by which intuition, reasoning, and social interaction produce beliefs, judgments, and choices.

Scholarly Journals

Chicago Booth is responsible for the creation and leadership of some of the most prestigious academic journals today. Quantitative Marketing and Economics , for example, which focuses on problems important to marketing using a quantitative approach, was founded in 2003 by Peter E. Rossi, MBA ’80, PhD ’84.

See the full list of academic journals at Booth .

Spotlight on Current Research

Our faculty and PhD students continually produce high-level research. The Chicago Booth Review frequently highlights their contributions in marketing.

'Thank You Can Be a Loaded Phrase'

Depending on where you are in the world, this call could be welcomed—or considered strange or even rude, suggests research by Chicago Booth PhD student Jiaqi Yu and Booth’s Shereen Chaudhry.

Your Spending Habits Are All in Your Head

Booth Professor Daniel Bartels and Booth PhD [grad] Lin Fei have been examining how mental representation and the categorization of expenses are crucial to to people’s budgeting approaches.

Walter Zhang's BFI Industrial Organization Initiative Award

The Becker Friedman Institute will fund Zhang's research project, "Targeted Bundling" (coauthor: Olivia Natan, Booth PhD grad). Their project studies the pricing of digital goods and the potential for increased price targeting in differentiated product markets.

Can a Fictional Ad Man Help Sell Real Cigarettes?

How do depictions of tobacco use affect sales off-screen? Chicago Booth’s Pradeep K. Chintagunta and Sanjay K. Dhar, along with their coauthors Ali Goli (Booth PhD grad) and Simha Mummalaneni (UWashington), brought together several datasets to examine this question.

The PhD Experience at Booth

Rima Toure-Tillery, PhD ’13, talks about the Booth faculty’s open-door approach to PhD students.

Rima

Video Transcript

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:00 I am assistant professor at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. And I am a motivation scholar. I study questions related to factors that influence people's motivation to persist in various types of goals.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:21 I think the PhD's very different from an MBA. You expect to be doing very different things when you're done. With a PhD most of us expect to conduct research, continue to ask deep questions, and just work on finding answers to those questions.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 00:35 Booth PhD Program is extremely rigorous. You're going to learn from the best. There's a good mix of letting you be in charge of your career and being independent, but also being extremely supportive. Most faculty have an open-door policy so you could just email someone, go to their office and start talking about a research idea. They're really going to help you develop the whole research approach, and thinking about ideas, and taking them from that really half-baked stage to something more advanced. Being able to approach whatever faculty I'm most interested in working with, I think that really permeated my whole time here.

Rima Toure-Tillery, ’13: 01:13 Being in the program really helped me see things in a different light. I really developed some new research interests as I learned more about what I didn't know. You can't solve problems that you don't even know existed. It's been a really amazing experience.

Meet Our Students

PhD students in marketing choose Chicago Booth because our multidisciplinary approach gives them the tools and training for a successful career. Recent dissertations have examined everything from customer retention and consumer purchasing decisions to the economics of retail food waste. Recent graduates have accepted positions at leading research institutions, including UCLA and Columbia University, and have gone on to data science careers in industry.

Current Students

Vanessa Alwan

Salman Arif

Soaham Bharti

Samuel Borislow

Shweta Desiraju

Sara Drango

Fatemeh Gheshlaghpour

Nicholas Herzog

Stephanie Hong

Quoc Dang Hung Ho

Minkwang Jang

Daniel Katz

Xinyao Kong

Juan Mejalenko

Natalie Moore

Timothy Schwieg Andrew Sharng

Semyon Tabanakov Sophie (Jiarui) Wang

Ningyin (Ariel) Xu

Shuqiong (Lydia) Zhao Grace Zhang

Walter Zhang

Program Expectations and Requirements

The Stevens Doctoral Program at Chicago Booth is a full-time program. Students generally complete the majority of coursework and examination requirements within the first two years of studies and begin work on their dissertation during the third year. For details, see General Examination Requirements by Area in the Stevens Program Guidebook below.

Download the 2023-2024 Guidebook!

marketing phd research topics

Areas of Research

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.

Marketing @ Broad

From the conversation, featuring ayalla ruvio forrest morgeson, from ap news, featuring forrest morgeson, get connected with broad:.

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Quantitative Marketing

Subrata K. Sen teaching

The PhD degree in Marketing is a research degree that is focused on developing cutting-edge skills that are needed to do research on the frontiers of marketing.

Behavioral Marketing

Shane Frederick teaching

The PhD program in Behavioral Marketing at Yale focuses on how individuals think and behave in consumer-relevant domains. The program of study is inter-disciplinary, drawing from the fields of consumer behavior, social psychology, cognitive psychology, decision research, and behavioral economics.

Yale Marketing Seminar

The Yale Marketing Seminar Series presents recent research papers in marketing. The goal is to bring researchers from other universities to the Yale campus to stimulate exchange of ideas and deepen understanding of marketing trends.

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Marketing, PhD

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.

For more information: https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/program-requirements/

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

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs .

Required Courses 

The Ph.D. program in Marketing is based on the completion of the dissertation as well as a minimum of 15 graduate level course units.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2023 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

Sample Sequence Quantitative Track*

The exact sequence can vary from student to student. For example, students may select different economics and statistics sequences to best meet their personal needs. 

MKTG 9550 and MKTG 9570 are offered every other year. Students should take them when offered.

Sample Sequence Consumer Behavior Track*

The exact sequence can vary from student to student. For example, students may select different economics and statistics sequences to best meet their personal needs.

MKTG 9510 and MKTG 9530 are offered every other year. Students should take them when offered.  

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Effective solutions for complex business problems.

The Marketing PhD focuses on the demand and supply of products and services. Our students acquire a powerful skillset based in economics, econometrics, statistics, machine learning, and causal inference. These skills allow our students to answer substantive questions in marketing by applying or developing new empirical approaches. 

Our faculty engage with PhD students in a close mentoring relationship that allows students to develop both the technical and independent research skills needed for a successful academic career. Recent research by our faculty and PhD students studies broad areas including digital, online, retail competition, pricing, platform competition, word-of-mouth, and advertising.

  • Meet Marketing Faculty

Prepare with Math Camp.

Program outline: marketing, the first year each.

PhD Marketing student's schedule of courses is customized to address his or her background and interests. Classes occur in the Simon Business School and also in closely related areas including the University of Rochester Economics Department and the Computer Science Department. First year students are required to pass Preliminary Requirements by demonstrating proficiency in specific courses. A research oriented first-year paper is due by October 15 of the second year.

The Second Year

In the second year, student participation in marketing seminars is required as well as continuation in courses. This training rounds out the toolkit and continues to deepen exposure to the literature and is chosen in consultation with faculty to ensure the courses provide the appropriate training. The Qualifying Exam consists of passing an examination of the second-year research paper. This paper is due by September 15 of the third year and should be an original contribution to the marketing literature. The paper will be presented in a Marketing Workshop the fall of the students third year.

The Third Year and Beyond

In the third year, students move from course work to active research. In addition, continued participation in all Marketing seminars is required.

Required Courses.

The Course Catalog contains degree requirements and course descriptions. Please refer the Simon Registrar's website for the current Course Catalog. Classes occur in the Simon Business School and also in closely related areas including the University of Rochester Economics Department and the Computer Science Department.

Simon Registrar

Course Catalog

PhD Marketing Courses

This class is intended to provide PhD students with an advanced treatment of causal inference as well as a gentle introduction to frontier machine learning techniques that are useful in economic applications. From the machine learning toolkit, we will cover Lasso and Random Forests in detail, along with recent approaches to inference with HD nuisance parameters. Deep Learning will be covered only briefly. R packages for implementation of Lasso and Forests will be introduced. We will then consider the three canonical approaches to causal inference: the Rubin framework, the Pearl framework and the Heckman synthesis. Randomized control trials and associated methods of inference (Fisher exact p-values and randomization inference) will be covered briefly. We will then consider recent approaches based on synthetic control and matrix completion. We next turn to methods based on selective choice, including Roy models and control functions. Finally, we will consider some issues related to IV approaches, including problems of weak or many instruments (and a Lasso-based solution) and the local/selected nature of resulting estimands (LATE and MTE).

This course introduces students to canonical modeling approaches for analyzing decision making by both firms and consumers, focusing on static environments. Central topics include demand estimation, models of strategic interaction, networks and platforms and auctions. Applications include firm pricing decisions, new product introductions, strategic entry and vertical relationships. The course generally includes coding assignments and student presentations, in addition to the weekly lectures on methods and applications.

This course examines consumer and firm behaviors that involve inter-temporal trade-offs and as a result involve dynamic optimization on the part of both consumers and firms. It begins with an overview of dynamic programming methods, in both single and multi-agent settings, emphasizing methods that link estimation with computation. Single agent topics include models of capital replacement, dynamic demand, inventory models and salesforce management. Multi-agent topics include strategic innovation, learning by doing, demand smoothing, and product repositioning. A strong emphasis is placed on recent methods and frontier topics. The course generally includes coding assignments and several student presentations, in addition to weekly lectures.

This workshop provides a forum for the presentation of research ideas and completed research by students. The course includes discussion of current job market papers and job market presentations, journal reviewing, and generating new research ideas. In addition, some topics are covered to illustrate current research areas of interest for the faculty. All marketing PhD students who are not on the job market are expected to participate actively.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor

This course is designed for first, second, and third year students to provide exposure to the literature related to core research methods used in quantitative marketing research and to build student appreciation of what goes into conducting research in quantitative marketing. The content of the course varies by year with similar core topics, but rotating papers, and some rotating topics. The core topics include choice models, aggregate demand models, Bayesian models, consumer heterogeneity, and state dependence. Rotating topics have included structural model identification, experimentation, causal inference, search, learning, advertising effects, and conjoint analysis, and rotate each year. In addition, the course provides exposures to other perspectives on quantitative research. Course evaluation includes coding assignments and homework’s, and the final exam has both coding and conceptual parts to it. In addition, students are expected to submit a paper and present their own research.

This course covers advanced topics in quantitative marketing research. The topics rotate each time offered and are selected based on current topical areas in the marketing, economics, and related fields as well as student and faculty research interests. Part of the evaluation in the course is to submit a paper and present their own research. All marketing PhD students who are not on the job market are expected to participate actively.

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PhD Coordinator: Debanjan Mitra [email protected]

The Marketing concentration focuses on two broad areas: consumer behavior and marketing science. Students in consumer behavior learn the fundamentals of cognitive and social psychology and experimental research to examine how social, cognitive, contextual, individual, and cultural factors affect consumer behavior. Students in marketing science learn the fundamentals of microeconomics, industrial organization, and econometrics to address topics involving the mathematical and statistical modeling of consumer and firm behavior. UConn faculty work closely with doctoral students to publish articles in the top marketing journals.

Learn More About the Marketing Department

Danielle Brick Assistant Professor, Marketing Ph.D., Duke University

More Featured Videos

  • Brands and branding
  • Buyer-supplier relationships
  • Consumer attitudes and inferences
  • Cross-category and cross-media marketing
  • Cross-cultural consumer behavior
  • Consumer emotions
  • Consumer judgment and decision making
  • Consumer well-being
  • Competitive marketing strategy
  • Customer relationship management
  • Digital and social media marketing and analytics
  • Emerging markets
  • Information search
  • Marketing-Finance interface
  • Online retailing and channel design
  • Network effects
  • Pricing dynamics
  • Social interactions and peer effects

Graduates have accepted faculty positions at Georgia State University, New York Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, University of North Carolina, Western University (Ivey), and Wright State University.

Marketing PhD Faculty

Weining Bao Assistant Professor PhD, Johns Hopkins University Research Interests: Digital Marketing, Information Asymmetry and Incentives, Competitive Marketing Strategies, Financial Services Markets, Education Markets, Emerging Markets, Empirical Industrial Organization, Applied Econometrics.

Danielle Brick Assistant Professor PhD, Duke University Research Interests: consumer relationships, consumer well-being, brand relationships

Robin Coulter Professor of Marketing & Marketing Department Head VOYA Financial Fellow PhD, University of Pittsburgh Research Interests: global and local citizenship and cross-cultural consumer behavior, brands and branding in developed and emerging markets, consumer-based marketing strategy

Jane Gu Associate Professor of Marketing PhD, New York University Research Interests: digital marketing and analytics, online retailing, social media, behavioral economics, competitive marketing strategies

Kelly Herd Assistant Professor of Marketing PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder Research Interests: product design, creativity, identity, emotions

Stefan Hock Assistant Professor PhD, Virginia Tech Research Interests: consumer decision-making and well-being, firm performance and marketing strategies

Christina Kan Assistant Professor of Marketing PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder Interests: Consumer financial decision making, budgeting, price perceptions, sales promotions

Nicholas Lurie Professor of Marketing  VOYA Financial Professor PhD, University of California at Berkeley Research Interests: digital marketing, consumer decision making, social media, information search

Debanjan Mitra Professor of Marketing & PhD Coordinator, Marketing Department VOYA Financial Chair PhD, New York University Research Interests: innovation, quality, customer satisfaction, new product development, brand management, marketing analytics, marketing-finance interface, marketing strategy

Vishal Narayan Associate Professor PhD, New York University Research Interests: social media, marketing in emerging markets, marketing analytics

Joseph Pancras Associate Professor of Marketing PhD, New York University Research Interests: mobile and digital marketing, retailing, customer relationship management, marketing analytics, marketing media, competitive marketing strategy

Narasimhan Srinivasan Associate Professor of Marketing PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo Research Interests: survey research, consumer research, cross-cultural research, global/international issues

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Business PhD applications are open. For full consideration, and to allow time for competitive scholarship nomination, apply by December 15. If you need an extension, please inquire with the PhD Program at   [email protected]   .

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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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marketing phd research topics

  • How to Choose a PhD Research Topic
  • Finding a PhD

Introduction

Whilst there are plenty of resources available to help prospective PhD students find doctoral programmes, deciding on a research topic is a process students often find more difficult.

Some advertised PhD programmes have predefined titles, so the exact topic is decided already. Generally, these programmes exist mainly in STEM, though other fields also have them. Funded projects are more likely to have defined titles, and structured aims and objectives.

Self funded projects, and those in fields such as arts and humanities, are less likely to have defined titles. The flexibility of topic selection means more scope exists for applicants to propose research ideas and suit the topic of research to their interests.

A middle ground also exists where Universities advertise funded PhD programmes in subjects without a defined scope, for example: “PhD Studentship in Biomechanics”. The applicant can then liaise with the project supervisor to choose a particular title such as “A study of fatigue and impact resistance of biodegradable knee implants”.

If a predefined programme is not right for you, then you need to propose your own research topic. There are several factors to consider when choosing a good research topic, which will be outlined in this article.

How to Choose a Research Topic

Our first piece of advice is to PhD candidates is to stop thinking about ‘finding’ a research topic, as it is unlikely that you will. Instead, think about developing a research topic (from research and conversations with advisors).

Consider several ideas and critically appraise them:

  • You must be able to explain to others why your chosen topic is worth studying.
  • You must be genuinely interested in the subject area.
  • You must be competent and equipped to answer the research question.
  • You must set achievable and measurable aims and objectives.
  • You need to be able to achieve your objectives within a given timeframe.
  • Your research question must be original and contribute to the field of study.

We have outlined the key considerations you should use when developing possible topics. We explore these below:

Focus on your interests and career aspirations

It is important to choose a topic of research that you are genuinely interested in. The decision you make will shape the rest of your career. Remember, a full-time programme lasts 3-4 years, and there will be unforeseen challenges during this time. If you are not passionate about the study, you will struggle to find motivation during these difficult periods.

You should also look to your academic and professional background. If there are any modules you undertook as part of your Undergraduate/Master degree that you particularly enjoyed or excelled in? These could form part of your PhD research topic. Similarly, if you have professional work experience, this could lead to you asking questions which can only be answered through research.

When deciding on a PhD research topic you should always consider your long-term career aspirations. For example, as a physicist, if you wish to become an astrophysicist, a research project studying black holes would be more relevant to you than a research project studying nuclear fission.

Read dissertations and published journals

Reading dissertations and published journals is a great way to identify potential PhD topics. When reviewing existing research ask yourself:

  • What has been done and what do existing results show?
  • What did previous projects involve (e.g. lab-work or fieldwork)?
  • How often are papers published in the field?
  • Are your research ideas original?
  • Is there value in your research question?
  • Could I expand on or put my own spin on this research?

Reading dissertations will also give you an insight into the practical aspects of doctoral study, such as what methodology the author used, how much data analysis was required and how was information presented.

You can also think of this process as a miniature literature review . You are searching for gaps in knowledge and developing a PhD project to address them. Focus on recent publications (e.g. in the last five years). In particular, the literature review of recent publications will give an excellent summary of the state of existing knowledge, and what research questions remain unanswered.

If you have the opportunity to attend an academic conference, go for it! This is often an excellent way to find out current theories in the industry and the research direction. This knowledge could reveal a possible research idea or topic for further study.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Discuss research topic ideas with a PhD supervisor

Discuss your research topic ideas with a supervisor. This could be your current undergraduate/masters supervisor, or potential supervisors of advertised PhD programmes at different institutions. Come to these meetings prepared with initial PhD topic ideas, and your findings from reading published journals. PhD supervisors will be more receptive to your ideas if you can demonstrate you have thought about them and are committed to your research.

You should discuss your research interests, what you have found through reading publications, and what you are proposing to research. Supervisors who have expertise in your chosen field will have insight into the gaps in knowledge that exist, what is being done to address them, and if there is any overlap between your proposed research ideas and ongoing research projects.

Talking to an expert in the field can shape your research topic to something more tangible, which has clear aims and objectives. It can also find potential shortfalls of your PhD ideas.

It is important to remember, however, that although it is good to develop your research topic based on feedback, you should not let the supervisor decide a topic for you. An interesting topic for a supervisor may not be interesting to you, and a supervisor is more likely to advise on a topic title which lends itself to a career in academia.

Another tip is to talk to a PhD student or researcher who is involved in a similar research project. Alternatively, you can usually find a relevant research group within your University to talk to. They can explain in more detail their experiences and suggest what your PhD programme could involve with respect to daily routines and challenges.

Look at advertised PhD Programmes

Use our Search tool , or look on University PhD listing pages to identify advertised PhD programmes for ideas.

  • What kind of PhD research topics are available?
  • Are these similar to your ideas?
  • Are you interested in any of these topics?
  • What do these programmes entail?

The popularity of similar PhD programmes to your proposed topic is a good indicator that universities see value in the research area. The final bullet point is perhaps the most valuable takeaway from looking at advertised listings. Review what similar programmes involve, and whether this is something you would like to do. If so, a similar research topic would allow you to do this.

Writing a Research Proposal

As part of the PhD application process , you may be asked to summarise your proposed research topic in a research proposal. This is a document which summarises your intended research and will include the title of your proposed project, an Abstract, Background and Rationale, Research Aims and Objectives, Research Methodology, Timetable, and a Bibliography. If you are required to submit this document then read our guidance on how to write a research proposal for your PhD application.

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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 science dissertation topics or thesis? Here are the trending science dissertation titles so you can choose the most suitable one.

Are you looking for trending online marketing dissertation topics to work on your dissertation? Check out our list of unique topic ideas.

If you are strangled in selecting the right topic for your public relations dissertation, here are a few topics along with their research aims for your guidance.

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Research topics in marketing for PhD

Research topics in Marketing for PhD

If you are searching for good research topics for your PhD. in Marketing then this article will guide you to find the best Research topics in marketing for PhD

Research topics in marketing for PhD

Marketing management is one of the best-preferred topics for a Ph.D. in Management. Every year thousands of applicants want to peruse a Ph.D. in Marketing Management. Marketing is a topic that changes every time and it depends upon various aspect as geopolitical issues, new technology, consumer behavior, and consumer perception. production diversification etc.

In this article, we will discuss some of the trending topics for the Ph.D. in Marketing.

This will also make you understand the process to find some tips and tricks from someone who has a good amount of experience.

Here are some of the latest and trending topics.

List of research topics in Marketing Management

  • Creation of a global luxury brand.
  • Global versus local marketing strategy.
  • Global customer management.
  • The strategy of Neuromarketing.
  • Effectiveness of business outsourcing.
  • Measuring Customer satisfaction.
  • Effective branding using social media and digital marketing.
  • social media on customer purchasing choices.
  • Emotions and consumer decision-making.
  • Neuroscience and consumer emotions.
  • Consumption-based affect regulation.
  • Engineering of feelings and emotions in the marketplace.
  • Emotion and consumption experiences.
  • The emotional impact of the marketing mix (pricing, product, distribution, communication).
  • Emotions and social media.
  • The Emotions and branding.
  • Emotions and marketing effectiveness.
  • Emotions and consumer happiness and well-being.
  • Big data of emotion in the marketplace.
  • Consumer psychology and judgment and decision-making.
  • Emotional and cognitive factors influence consumer judgments and decision-making.
  • Cultural variations in judgment and decision behavior.
  • Consumer adoption of technology products, and strategies for multi-sided platforms.
  • long-term effects of marketing actions and optimal allocation of marketing budgets.
  • Marketing and strategy problems in digital marketing and social media.

Many Ph.D. students appear to start their project with over-ambitious topics but the important thing is, to keep the topic to the point and resume to one central research question.

  • Presenting at a conference for the first time 5 must things to do
  • How to choose your dissertation topic

Before taking the decision to finalize one topic one must start working on different topics and make sure that such a topic is new and no one else worked on it.

So here are some of the topics you can work on to find a good topic for your Ph.D.

Comment below if there are any current Research topics in marketing for Ph.D .

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100 best marketing research topics for all.

marketing research topics

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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  1. Research Topics In Marketing (+ Free Webinar)

    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 ...

  2. Marketing

    Marketing. The doctoral program in Marketing draws on a variety of underlying disciplines to research important marketing management problems centered on the immediate and future needs and wants of customers. Students in the marketing program work closely with faculty in the Marketing Unit and engage in a broad spectrum of disciplinary bases.

  3. Marketing

    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.

  4. Top 8 Topic Categories for PhD in Marketing: A Topic ...

    In this article, we delve into different categories of PhD marketing thesis topics, providing insights into potential areas of exploration and research within each domain. 1- Consumer Behaviour ...

  5. Marketing

    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 ...

  6. Marketing PhD

    A Network of Support. At Booth, you'll have access to the resources of several research centers that help to fund marketing PhD research, host innovative conferences and workshops, and serve as focal points for collaboration and innovation.. James M. Kilts Center for Marketing The Kilts Center facilitates faculty research, supports innovations in the marketing curriculum, funds scholarships ...

  7. Ph.D. in Marketing Areas of Research

    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. ... Knowledge Competence, and Innovation," International Journal of Research in ...

  8. PhD Program

    PhD Program. 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 ...

  9. Marketing

    The Yale Marketing Seminar Series presents recent research papers in marketing. The goal is to bring researchers from other universities to the Yale campus to stimulate exchange of ideas and deepen understanding of marketing trends. Yale School of Management. Edward P. Evans Hall. 165 Whitney Avenue. New Haven, CT 06511-3729.

  10. Marketing, PhD < University of Pennsylvania

    Required Courses. The Ph.D. program in Marketing is based on the completion of the dissertation as well as a minimum of 15 graduate level course units. The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2023 and later.

  11. PDF Marketing: Selected Doctoral Theses

    Marketing: Selected Doctoral Theses "Essays on MarTech: Learning to Design, Deliver, and Diffuse Interventions" Author: Jeremy Yang (2021) Committee: Juanjuan Zhang (co-chair), Sinan Aral (co-chair), Dean Eckles Abstract: Chapter one develops an algorithm to predict the causal effect of influencer video advertising on product sales.

  12. PhD Marketing

    The course includes discussion of current job market papers and job market presentations, journal reviewing, and generating new research ideas. In addition, some topics are covered to illustrate current research areas of interest for the faculty. All marketing PhD students who are not on the job market are expected to participate actively.

  13. PhD Research Topics 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.

  14. FAQ about the PhD in Marketing

    Marketing research is vast and varied, encompassing a wide range of topics and methodologies to understand how consumers and firms behave and interact in markets. ... This program allows a student who was admitted to Penn's PhD program in Psychology to also graduate with a joint PhD in Marketing, and vice-versa. For more information about the ...

  15. Marketing

    Marketing. PhD Coordinator: Debanjan Mitra [email protected]. The Marketing concentration focuses on two broad areas: consumer behavior and marketing science. Students in consumer behavior learn the fundamentals of cognitive and social psychology and experimental research to examine how social, cognitive, contextual, individual, and ...

  16. Marketing Dissertation Topics

    The following is a list of topics that can be undertaken as a part of social networks and marketing dissertation: Topic 86:The role of Facebook as a marketing tool. Topic 87:Social media marketing vs. traditional marketing evaluating the success rate. Topic 88:Building relationships with customers through social media.

  17. Marketing Theses and Dissertations

    Theses/Dissertations from 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.

  18. How to Choose a PhD Research Topic

    How to Choose a Research Topic. Our first piece of advice is to PhD candidates is to stop thinking about 'finding' a research topic, as it is unlikely that you will. Instead, think about developing a research topic (from research and conversations with advisors). Did you know: It took Professor Stephen Hawking an entire year to choose his ...

  19. PhDs in Business & Management: Five Hot Research Topics

    Here, course leaders identify five of the most in-demand areas of business research. 1. Managing technology & innovation. "Management of innovation and technology is of particular importance right now," says Sabatier. "Questions about R&D, strategy and business models, and innovation are very important both from a theoretical and ...

  20. Your complete guide to a PhD in Marketing

    Marketing students will develop technical and analytical skills, but they will also learn how to be great storytellers. You will discover how to create advertising campaigns, focusing on the four golden concepts of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. Marketing is also a great discipline if you want to learn how to identify your ...

  21. 25 Marketing Management Dissertation Topics

    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.

  22. Research topics in Marketing for PhD

    List of research topics in Marketing Management. Creation of a global luxury brand. Global versus local marketing strategy. Global customer management. The strategy of Neuromarketing. Effectiveness of business outsourcing. Measuring Customer satisfaction. Effective branding using social media and digital marketing.

  23. Top 100 Marketing Research Topics For Your Paper

    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.