Education: MBA (Strathclyde), PhD (Consumer Behaviour, Aston)
Catherine spent her 'first life' in print and web publishing. She has 15 years' experience in London and Dubai, where she was responsible for developing and managing a book list which grew from 50 to 140 titles in just four years. She has also worked on and developed a number of web publishing concepts. She then moved on to consultancy roles. Her engagements span the areas of strategy, marketing and communication strategy.
The topic for her doctoral research was inspired by her publishing background. Just as her focus was on how to make books reader-friendly, she wondered how online shopping environments can produce desirable consumer responses. Her thesis used a multi-disciplinary approach to develop a gestalt of consumer perceptions of online shopping environments (extending Kaplan and Kaplan's (1982) Preference Framework). The impact of these perceptions on consumer value and site commitment was conceptualised and tested using structural equation modelling. The findings highlight the central role played by exploratory attributes in driving site commitment.
Catherine moved to Dubai 17 years ago, drawn by the multi-cultural perspective the location afforded. Her work with students, colleagues and clients of many different nationalities, cultures and outlooks has only strengthened her interest in researching the main elements which make up one’s identity in consumption and work settings – values, ethnocentrism, religious values, psychographics, culture, nationality, etc.
She teaches different components of Managing, Strategy and the International Environment on the MBA programme. Having been a Local Counsellor for many years, she is now involved with creating a Local Counsellor community of practice across Strathclyde’s nine international centres. She is based in Dubai, and travels back to Glasgow regularly.
