AMA Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium 2018

Parkinson tower at night

We were delighted to welcome delegates to the 53rd Annual AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium in June 2018. The consortium provides a forum that brings together prominent scholars of today and talented young scholars of tomorrow.

The consortium began on Wednesday, June 27, in The Great Hall, University of Leeds Campus in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Events took place throughout the day on Thursday, June 28 and Friday, June 29 and the morning of Saturday, June 30, 2018.

2018 theme: The Power of Marketing in a Dynamic Global Economy

The decision to design the Consortium theme around the dynamic global economy is rooted in the topic’s relevance and criticality to the present day business environment. In exploring this theme, even a preliminary look reveals several challenges and opportunities for academic research and practical implementation that will be of interest to marketing scholars.

For instance, the rapid expansion of globalization of markets, trade, communication, and transportation; access to offerings from across various geographic markets; intensifying competition across industries and markets worldwide; consumer decision choices vis-à-vis the competitive offerings; maturing of many markets; and increasing pressures to justify marketing spending in the corporate boardroom are a few of the challenges that come to the fore.

In terms of opportunities, increasing market access for even small businesses; choice, timing, and mode of foreign market entry and expansion; strategies for marketing and allied business functions; meeting growth and profitability expectations; and designing, branding, advertising and positioning the product offerings that are geared to particular economies and cultures are a few that arise. While several insights have been uncovered in these areas through prior research, the dynamism of a global economy requires constant attention and scholars need to revisit thinking and renew the existing body of knowledge. 

About AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium

The AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium is the premiere consortium in the marketing discipline. It brings together the very best doctoral students from business schools in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the rest of the world.

The AMA-Sheth Foundation doctoral consortium is unique because it is the only consortium that exposes doctoral students to the rich diversity of topics, methodological perspectives, and theories that exist within the marketing discipline. This exposure is designed to spark creativity and insight by challenging students to think outside of their existing paradigms and to broaden their views on what constitutes good research.  The consortium is also designed to help students make a successful transition to their first faculty position by providing guidance on research, teaching, and service. Faculty scholars are selected who have made important contributions to the field and who are dedicated to helping doctoral students establish professional linkages among themselves and with faculty.

The first consortium was held in 1966. The programme was launched under the leadership of Thomas A. Staudt and from the beginning the focus on research and relationship building was key. In 1997 the name was changed to the AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium in recognition of the Madhuri & Jagdish N. Sheth Foundation’s commitment to finance part of the consortium on an ongoing basis with the establishment of an AMA Foundation endowed fund.

AMA Sheth Foundation Values

I. Value Proposition

The AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium (Consortium) is the premiere consortium in the marketing discipline. Consortium, beginning in 1966,has brought together the very best doctoral students and faculty from business schools around the world to share in a three-four day event, exposing doctoral students to a rich diversity of topics, methodological perspectives, and theories. The AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium is designed to spark creativity and insight by challenging students to think outside of their existing paradigms and to broaden their views on what constitutes excellent quality research. The Consortium helps students make a successful transition to their first faculty position by providing guidance on research, teaching, and service. Students interact with faculty scholars who have made important contributions to the field and who are dedicated to helping students become the next generation of leaders in the marketing discipline.

II. Consortium Objectives

  • To cultivate a collegial network among faculty and doctoral candidates, and establish traditions within the discipline that transcends individual universities and specialty areas.
  • To encourage top doctoral candidates within the marketing discipline to undertake meaningful research.
  • To expose doctoral candidates to various viewpoints and philosophies that may be different from those held by faculty in their own institutions.
  • To engage each doctoral candidate in building of a marketing career marked by contributions to the discipline through active research, creative teaching, and continued service.
  • To select outstanding consortium faculty from both the emerging and established scholar groups to discuss best practices, research methodologies and applications.

Read the full policies and procedures for the Consortium

Co-Chair details 

Professor Constantine Katsikeas
Arnold Ziff Research Chaired Professor of Marketing and International Management.

Professor Constantine S. Katsikeas an Associate Dean (Faculty), holds the Arnold Ziff Research Chair in Marketing and International Management, and is the Founding Director of the Global and Strategic Marketing Research Centre at Leeds University Business School (LUBS), Leeds University.

He served as Vice President of the Academy of Marketing Science (2012-2014) and in the Faculty Executive Board of LUBS (2007-2010). Prior to this, he held the Sir Julian Hodge Chaired Professor in Marketing and International Business at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University. He holds a B.Sc. from Athens University of Economics and Business, an M.A. from Lancaster University and a Ph.D. from Cardiff University. His doctoral studies were supported by a scholarship from the ONASSIS Foundation. He has significant business experience in sales and international management.

His interests are marketing and sales management, global marketing and management, strategic alliances and competitive strategy. He has published widely and his articles have appeared in Journal of Marketing, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of International Business Studies, Decision Sciences, Journal of International Marketing, Journal of World Business, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, and other journals. He is twice the recipient of the American Marketing Association Global Marketing SIG's 2013 and 2015 Excellence in Global Marketing Award for outstanding research, which has significantly influenced the direction of global marketing, the 2006 Hans B. Thorelli 5-Year Research Award by the American Marketing Association Foundation, and the 1999 S. Tamer Cavusgil Award for his research that advances the practice of international marketing management.

He is the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of International Marketing, published by the American Marketing Association, Area Editor of Journal of International Business Studies, and Area Editor of Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. He was Associate Editor of British Journal of Management (2004–2007) and serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Management International Review, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Marketing Management. He is an active member of the American Marketing Association, the Academy of International Business, the Academy of Marketing Science and the European Marketing Academy. He has engaged in management development courses on strategic marketing, international management and exporting, sales management, key account management, and competitive strategy. He has taught managers of a wide range of organizations including Toyota, Delhaize Le Lion, Aramco, Coca Cola, Atkins, Siemens, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gorenje, Sabic, Nedec, Philip Morris, Minerva, Audi, Mitsui Chemicals, Fortnum & Mason, A1 Telekom Austria, Mercedes-Benz, FirstPlus, Prozone, AB Vassilopoulos, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson & Johnson. 

Professor Robert W. Palmatier
Professor of Marketing John C. Narver Endowed Professor in Business Administration. 
Research Director of the Center for Sales and Marketing Strategy. 

Professor Robert W. Palmatier is Professor of Marketing, and he holds the John C. Narver Chair of Business Administration at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. He is also the research director of UW’s Center for Sales and Marketing Strategy. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as an MBA from Georgia State University, a doctoral degree from the University of Missouri, and post-doctoral studies as Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to entering academia, Professor Palmatier held various industry positions, including President and Chief Operating Officer of C&K Components and European General Manager and Sales & Marketing Manager at Tyco-Raychem Corporation. He also served as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant onboard nuclear submarines.

Professor Palmatier’s research interests focus on relationship marketing, channels, and marketing strategy. His research has appeared in Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, Marketing Letters, and International Journal of Research in Marketing. His research has also been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Electrical Wholesaling, Agency Sales, and The Representor, as well as on NPR and MSNBC.

In addition to serving as an Area Editor for Journal of Marketing, Professor Palmatier is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science since June 2015. He also sits on the editorial review boards of Journal of Marketing, Journal of Retailing, AMS Review, and Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing. His publications have received multiple awards, including the Harold H. Maynard, Lou W. Stern, and the American Marketing Association Best Services Article awards. He teaches marketing strategy in the doctoral, EMBA, and MBA programs at University of Washington. 

Professor V. Kumar
Regents Professor, Richard and Susan Lenny Distinguished Chair, and Professor of Marketing, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Brand and  Customer Management, and Director of the PhD Programme in Marketing, Georgia State University. Chang Jiang Scholar, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Lee Kong Chian Fellow, Singapore Management University in Singapore. ISB Senior Fellow, Indian School of Business.

Dr V. Kumar (VK) is the Regents’ Professor, Richard and Susan Lenny Distinguished Chair and Professor of Marketing, Executive Director, the Center for Excellence in Brand & Customer Management, and the Director of the PhD programme in Marketing at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University. He is also the Chang Jiang Scholar, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Lee Kong Chian Fellow, Singapore Management University in Singapore; and the ISB Senior Fellow, Indian School of Business. He teaches a wide variety of courses including Database Marketing, E-Marketing and Customer Relationship 10.

Executive Dean Professor Peter Moizer's welcome message, June 2018

Welcome to the 53rd American Marketing Association–Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium.

Leeds University Business School is proud to host this year’s Doctoral Consortium “The Power of Marketing in a Dynamic Global Economy”. We are particularly pleased as this is only the second time this prestigious event has been held outside of North America since its establishment in 1966. The Consortium offers a forum for sharing ideas and learning that is designed to spark creativity and collaboration. I hope that you make the most of this opportunity to meet leading scholars in the field and broaden and deepen your professional links within the global marketing community.

Leeds University Business School is a research-driven triple-accredited business school. Our mission is to make an exceptional impact on business and society globally through leadership in research and teaching. We enable individuals to develop their academic potential, their employability, their global and cultural insight and their ethical awareness to enhance their potential to benefit business and society. Our world-class research increases knowledge, skills, understanding and impact.

As Executive Dean of the School, I would like to congratulate our Marketing Division on bringing the Doctoral Consortium to Leeds and providing a good reflection of their dedication to learning and teaching, commitment to scholarship, and contribution to the community.

Leeds is a dynamic and vibrant city, the largest centre outside London for financial, business, and creative services, as well as having the greatest concentration of Universities outside the capital. Take a look at our large portfolio of programmes and offerings at undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels, our corporate connections and executive education programs, and internationalisation activities. In addition to established undergraduate programmes, our MBA and specialised Masters’ programmes have been particularly popular—attracting nearly 1800 students per year from over 50 countries. We are constantly evolving in response to changes and developments in the business world and I am justly proud of what the School has achieved.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Marketing Division faculty, and especially Costas Katsikeas, V. Kumar, and Rob Palmatier for serving as co-chairs for the 2018 Doctoral Consortium.

On behalf of everyone here at the Business School, I would like to welcome you to Leeds and to the 53rd AMA–Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium.

Peter Moizer
Executive Dean