Research areas

My primary research interest is the study of consumer behaviour. The research angle, from which consumer behaviour is primarily studied, is the cognitive school of research into consumer behaviour, and in connection to this, quantitative methods also is an area of interest.

Consumer studies and market analysis
It is important that the competences and products of firms are continuously adjusted to changes in the market. Therefore, it is important to develop an understanding of consumer behaviour and demand as well as methods for examining these. Special focus is put on the possibilities of using new technology for collecting market data.

Consumer use of the Internet for information search and the implications for online marketing communications
A growing part of the population has access to the Internet both at home and at work. This gives consumers better possibilities for information search before a purchase decision is made. At the same time, search via the Internet is without personal, human contact contrary to search by using traditional channels. An understanding of the changes in behaviour due to Internet use during the buying decision process is important for the possibility of producers and retail trade to influence the consumer in this process.

Consumer and everyday health behaviour
Consumption and health are closely related. In postmodern society this is especially prevalent as individuals have a wide variety of offers that either influence their health or are, in effect, health products. Symbolic consumption, perceived risk and consumer socialization are key words in my study of this area.

Topics are:

Offers directly related to health are, of course, nutrition and along this line, studies of consumer behaviour related to buying and consuming nutrition is interesting. Special topics in this area are: Importance of convenience in shopping, use and understanding of nutritional information. Of interest along this line is to understand more about why consumers refrain from buying healthy products even if the information needed to make healthy choices is available to them.

Another topic is rooted in the fact that health services is also something the individual consumes. Health services can be divided into (at least) to different kinds of health services: Services that are aimed at making the person physically or mentally healthier; that is medical services but also alternative medicine. Interesting along this line is the study of to which extent individuals perceive themselves as consumers in connection to these services. The second kind of health services are design to meet a demand for self-construal and offers possibilities to (re)create oneself through purchase of plastic surgery and cosmetics. Understanding more about reasons behind and processes leading to purchasing of these services is of interest to me.

Stakeholder management in Projects
In this research project which I am conduction with Pernille Eskerod, we look into whether and in what sense current advice on how to conduct stakeholder management in projects helps project managers conducting this task.

The project consists of several longitudinal action research studies in which we instruct project managers in stakeholder management and, as a part of this, stakeholder analysis. The projects are all located at the Hospital of Southwest Jutland.

CV

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Education
Ph.D. in Marketing 2004
Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration, The Aarhus School of Business 1988

Academic Experience
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Business Economics, University of Southern Denmark 1997-
Assistant Professor, University of Southern Denmark (former Southern Denmark Business School) 1988-1997
Part time Lecturer at the University of Aalborg, Esbjerg Department 1997-2001
External Examiner in Marketing at Aarhus School of Business 1989-

Administrative Experience
Chair of the Academic Board, Business Administration, at University of Southern Denmark in Esbjerg (2006- )
Member of the Elections Committee, University of Southern Denmark (2006- )
Member of the Academic Board, Business Administration, at University of Southern Denmark (1999 )
Member of the committee for a new curriculum for the B.Sc. in Business Administration at the University of Southern Denmark (1999) Member of the Academic Board, Department of Economics and Business Administration, Esbjerg (1999)
Chair of the Study Committee for the B.Sc. in Business Economics at Southern Denmark Business School (1993-1996)
Member of the Board of B.Sc. in Business Economics in Denmark (1992-1996)
Chair of the committee for self-evaluation of the B.Sc. in Business Administration at Southern Denmark Business School (1991-1993)
Chair of the committee for a new curriculum for the B.Sc. in Business Administration at Southern Denmark Business School (1991-1993)
Member of the Faculty Board at the Faculty of Business Economics at Southern Denmark Business School (1990-1996)
Member of Academic Board for the library at Southern Denmark Business School (1989-1992)
Deputy Head of the Department for Business Economics in Esbjerg (1990-1992)

Teaching Experience
Consumer Behaviour
Health Behaviour and Consumption
Methodology in Public Health Research
Methodology in the Social Sciences
Marketing
Marketing Research

Publications

Activities