Arnold Clark 2030: Understanding Customer Data with Artificial Intelligence
This research proposes the exploration of artificial intelligence to better understand customers and the provision of services by machines.
PhD, MPhil Marketing
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Research opportunities
A PhD and a DBA each take three years full-time or you can study an MPhil over one year.
You can study for your choice of degrees within any of our research areas:
- Consumption, markets & society
- Business innovation & networks
- Services marketing
- Strategic marketing & analytics
These research areas cover all fields of marketing including consumer behaviour, strategic marketing, international marketing, services marketing, sales marketing, e-marketing.
Recent doctoral awards
Take a look at the recent PhD theses that have been supervised in the Department of Marketing.
Arnold Clark 2030: Examining the Customer Experience in the digital era
This project aims to assess the impact of technology on the customer experience across the varied customer journeys.
Deadline:
31 December 2019Funding:
fundedArnold Clark 2030: Future Customer Purchasing Behaviour and Reflective Business Services
This research aims to understand the future consumer and the aligned future business models and services in the automotive industry.
Deadline:
31 December 2019Funding:
fundedStrathclyde Business School
We offer an excellent academic environment where you can pursue your research degree. As a postgraduate research student, you're required to:
- attend the Strathclyde Business School Faculty Research Methodology Programme, achieving a minimum of Certificate level; it comprises four modules over two to three days each; if you're part-time, you'll spread these over two years
- attend our Annual Away Day for PhD students.; this is combined with the Annual Review, held usually in October/November
- ensure regular meetings and contact with your supervisors
Full-time students
You'll have access to computing, printing, email and office facilities. You're expected to be in the Department of Accounting & Finance on a regular basis. You'll also attend the Department's research seminar series as well as other occasional workshops.
Part-time students
You'll have hot-desking facilities giving you regular access to the Department and helping you integrate with other students and staff. You're required to attend the Department for at least 10 days per year. This is in addition to the Research Methodology Programme.
Potential applicants should note that there is no dedicated distance-learning programme.
We're a 5-star
QS-rated University
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Fees & funding
2020/21
All fees quoted are per academic year unless otherwise stated.
Entrants may be subject to a small fee during the writing up period.
| Scotland/EU | TBC* |
|---|---|
| Rest of UK | TBC* |
| International | £15,300 |
| Funding | Have a look at our scholarship search for any funding opportunities available. |
| Postgraduate research opportunities | Search for all funded and non-funded postgraduate research opportunities. |
Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year.
*Fees have not yet been set by research councils.
Triple-accredited business school
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Supervisors
| Name | Areas of Expertise |
|---|---|
| Dr Matthew Alexander |
Research methodologies & approaches used – case study; experimental research; various qualitative approaches; mixed methods design Current PhD student topics – Ancestral Tourism; Customer Engagement Marketing; Customer Engagement and Authenticity; Transformative Service Research in Mundane Service Settings; Marketing Automation in Complex Business Settings; Time of Day Marketing; and Customer Journeys |
| Dr Derek Bryce |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative methods in general; historical approaches; discourse analysis; semiotics; textual analysis (including written, visual, online or video texts) Current PhD student topics – Ancestral Tourism; Fakes in Luxury Consumption; Brand Archetypes; Theorising Risk in Tour Guiding |
| Professor Anne Marie Doherty |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative methods: case study; interview; historical method; archival research Current PhD student topics – B2B Exporting & Branding, Market Entry Methods |
| Professor Spiros Gounaris |
Research methodologies & approaches used – quantitative data approaches including modelling, SEM, as well as fsCQA Current PhD student topics – B2B Exporting & Branding, B2B Customer Experience; B2B Pricing; Customer Contact Point Optimisation; Internal Marketing and Family Work Balance; Innovation in Service Dyads |
| Dr Kathy Hamilton |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative research including both traditional and innovative methods e.g. ethnography; netnography; interviews; arts-based research Current PhD student topics – consumer vulnerability; marketplace stigma; consumer coping; counterfeit consumption and taste; transgender consumption; consumer identity narratives; food insecurity; poverty in consumer culture |
| Dr Michael Harker |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative and quantitative research methodologies Current PhD student topics – marketing and HR – services management |
| Dr Paul Hewer |
Research methodologies & approaches used – ethnographic approaches; virtual ethnographies; critical visual analysis; semiotics & visual consumption; interpretive consumer research Current PhD student topics – consumer research; gender and LGBT experiences; the sharing economy; literary festivals and DIY culture |
| Dr Aliakbar Jafari |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative research methods including ethnography; netnography; grounded theory; phenomenology; visual ethnography; and historical research Current PhD student topics – nterpretive consumer research; emerging markets; marketing strategy in multicultural marketplaces; theories of globalisation; politics and policies of consumption; political consumerism; intersections of markets and religions |
| Dr Maria Karampela |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative methodologies; quantitative methodologies; mixed-method research design; experimental research Current PhD student topics – ustomer-brand relationships and engagement (online and offline) in B2B/B2C/B2B2C settings; social media; Human-IoT technologies (Internet of Things) interactions: antecedents, processes, consequences; value-creation processes and outcomes from Intelligence of Things (across a range of applications); virtual & augmented reality; SMEs’ network relationships; SMEs’ internationalisation; cooperative relationships and collective actions in ‘grass-root movements’; craft and artisanal food and drink from business or consumer perspectives; influence of touchscreens’ size and layout on consumer behaviour |
| Dr Graeme McLean |
Research methodologies & approaches used – quantitative; qualitative; experimental; and mixed methods research methodologies Current PhD student topics – the role of Chatbots in service provision; augmented reality in marketing; marketing automation; real-time marketing; online/offline customer experience; customer journey; consumer confusion |
| Dr Samantha Murdy |
Research methodologies & approaches used – quantitative methodologies (including structural equation modelling), repertory test interviews Current PhD student topics – authenticity, dark service experiences, customer engagement |
| Dr Andrea Tonner |
Research methodologies & approaches used – interpretive consumer research, narrative inquiry, phenomenology, arts-based qualitative methods, ethnography, netnography Current PhD student topics – urban exploration, experiences of food poverty, social enterprise approaches to health inequalities, strategic resources in farm diversification, expertise in hedonic consumption, beach body image |
| Dr Eleni Tsougkou |
Research methodologies & approaches used – quantitative and mixed methods Current PhD student topics – tourism branding |
| Dr Beverly Wagner |
Research methodologies & approaches used – case study, qualitative approaches, action research Current PhD student topics – open innovation and servitization, open innovation, sustainability capabilities in closed-loop supply chains, open innovation and knowledge exchange networks, organisational leadership, internal innovation processes and management, buyer/supplier co-creation and logistics service providers |
| Professor Alan Wilson |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative and quantitative research methodologies Current PhD student topics – living the brand; customer feedback; employee service orientation; corporate brand reputation management; role of service employees and on-brand corporate culture; the grey market and the service encounter; online customer experience; customer perceived value creation; privacy literacy and trust influences on online social media; credibility of online customer reviews; value co-creation in a healthcare setting; brand promise delivery; retention of retail mobile apps; buying behaviour in online art; impact of social media on corporate reputation; online brand engagement |
| Dr Juliette Wilson |
Research methodologies & approaches used – qualitative and quantitative methods; mixed methods research; case study methods; experimental research; participatory research methods Current PhD student topics – small business marketing strategy; social enterprise and hybrid business models; sustainable and green marketing; transformative service research; research in the food and drink sector |
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Support & development
Postgraduate Certificate in Researcher Professional Development (PgCert RPD)
As part of your PhD degree, you'll be enrolled on the Postgraduate Certificate in Researcher Professional Development (PgCert RPD).
This certificate is designed to support you with your research and rewards you for things you'll do as a research student here.
It'll help you improve skills which are important to professional development and employability:
- knowledge and intellectual abilities to conduct your research
- personal qualities to succeed in your research and chosen career
- standards, requirements and conduct of a professional researcher in your discipline
- working with others and communicating the impact of your research to a wide range of audiences
All you have to do is plan these activities alongside your doctorate, documenting and reflecting your journey to success along the way.
Careers
The University Careers Service can help you with everything from writing your CV to interview preparation.
Student support
From financial advice to our IT facilities, we have a wide range of support for all students here at Strathclyde. Get all the information you need at Strathlife.
Being a PhD supervisor is probably the most rewarding part of my role. It’s a unique relationship in the academic world as you are simultaneously teacher, mentor and colleague to a student.
Dr Matthew Alexander
Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research
Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research
Our research
We take part in research that improves our understanding of organisations, consumers, business relationships and networks within dynamic, international settings.
Find out more about our research
Interested in undertaking a postgraduate research degree at Strathclyde?
Read our step-by-step guide on how to submit your application.
How to apply
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Entry requirements
You'll need a first-class or upper second-class UK Honours degree, or overseas equivalent, in a relevant marketing-based discipline from a recognised academic institution.
If English isn't your first language, you'll also need to have a recent UKVI recognised Secure English Language Test (or a SELT) qualification.
Before you apply
Before finalising your formal application, we're here to give you some help and guidance on refining your proposal. Get in touch with a potential supervisor early in the process, preferably as soon as you've put together a draft proposal. Take a look at some information about our supervisors and their research interests.
Writing your research proposal
Read our guidance on how to write your research proposal.
Getting a reference
Read our help on how to choose references and what the referees need to supply.
The application
During the application you'll be asked for the following:
- your full contact details
- transcripts and certificates of all degrees
- proof of English language proficiency if English isn't your first language
- two references, one of which must be academic
- funding or scholarship information
- research proposal of up to 1,500 words in length, clearly demonstrating the potential contribution both in theory and practice; please use our Postgraduate Research Proposal Outline and attache this with your application
By filling these details out as fully as possible, you'll avoid any delay to your application being processed by the University.
Accepting an offer
If your chosen supervisor is available to work with you, they'll confirm this and nominate a potential second supervisor. As soon as a second supervisor is confirmed, an offer of study will be sent to you through Pegasus, our online application system.
When you accept our offer, you'll receive a full offer in writing via the email address you provide.
UK or EU students
If you're applying as a UK or EU student, you'll then be issued with your registration documentation.
Apply now
You can apply for a postgraduate research degree at any point in the year.
All you have to do is complete an online application.
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Contact us
Christina MacLean
Telephone: +44 (0)141 548 4919
Email: christina.maclean@strath.ac.uk
Department of Marketing, Strathclyde Business School, 199 Cathedral Street