PhD - Consumer Behaviour

BA (Hons) Social Science (Psychology and Sociology)

2015 – Present: Professor of Marketing Birmingham University

2012 – 2014: Professor of Marketing, Keele University

2010 – 2011: Professor of Marketing: Coventry University

2002 – 2010: Professor of Consumer Research, Wolverhampton University

2000 - 2002: Reader in Marketing, Wolverhampton University (WBS)

1998 - 2000: Principal lecturer  &  Divisional Research Leader, Wolverhampton Business School (WBS)

1992 - 1998: Senior lecturer, Wolverhampton Business School (WBS)

1991 - 1992: Lecturer, Wolverhampton Business School (WBS)

• Contemporary Issues in Marketing (UG and PG)
• Branding
• Consumer Behaviour

• Six successful PhD supervisions
• Numerous Masters dissertation supervision

Christina's research is largely in two distinct areas. The first comes under the umbrella of what Russell Belk terms the ‘new’ consumer behaviour. It is part of an emerging critical stream of consumer behaviour within marketing which focuses on the nature of consumer society and the meanings that consumers draw from their various experiences.

Much of her research has been concerned with developing an understanding of the consumption/identity link. Earlier work focused on history, nostalgia and contemporary representations of the past and how this influences consumer perceptions of self, time and space. This also raised questions about authenticity, the commodification process and the service encounter in museums. A more recent development has been to expand the notion of cultural consumption, by examining contemporary sub-cultural phenomenon such as dance culture and collective identity construction as linked to neo-tribalism and symbolic consumption. This has involved an eclectic interdisciplinary approach to theory building which is in line with current interpretivist perspectives within marketing and consumer behavior. Current research is focused on parasocial communities, identity and consumption with an emphasis on body image, strategies for resisting the market place and non-conformist consumption. She is also one of the six founding members of the 'Critical Marketing Group' and co-editor of 'Critical Marketing: Defining the Field' which was the result of an ESRC funded seminar series.

Her second area of interest is that of the application and development of qualitative research methodologies and in particular grounded theory. She has been an invited speaker on the subject at several universities as well as The British Academy of Management. She has published a book on the subject in addition to numerous academic papers.

Research Grants

• ESRC seminar series 'Resistance and the Market' - Awarded August 2013 (£27,000) with Prof Parsons (Liverpool University PI), Prof Kelemen (Keele University), Prof Saren (Leicester University), Prof Fitchett (Leicester University) and Prof Harris (Coventry University).

ESRC – Seminars series

• 'Critical Marketing': From 2005-2006 (£14,500) with Professor P. MacLaren (PI), De Montfort University, Professor C. Goulding, Wolverhampton Business School, Professor M. Saren, Leicester University, Professor R. Elliott, Warwick University, Dr. A. Shankar, Exeter University and Dr. M. Catterall,   Queens University Belfast.

Academic Review Experience

• Member of editorial review board - European Journal of Marketing
• Member of editorial review board – Journal of Consumer Behaviour: An International Research Review
• Member of editorial review board – Marketing Theory
• Member of editorial review board – Journal of Place Management
• Member of editorial review board - Consumption, Markets and Culture
• Ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Marketing (grounded theory)
• Ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Consumer Research
• Ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Marketing Management
• Reviewer for Association for Consumer Research Conference
• Reviewer for Academy of Marketing Conference
• Reviewer for European Association for Consumer Research Conference
• Reviewer for Association for Consumer Research: Gender and Consumption Conference
• Reviewer for Consumer Culture Theory Conference
• Reviewer for EMAC

Other esteem indicators

• Member of Doctoral Colloquium Committee and session Chair - Academy of Marketing, Limerick, 2015
• Member of Organising Committee, NARTI Conference, Keele, June 2014
• Invited to talk at the ESRC seminar Arts Marketing, Durham September 2013
• Chair of Doctoral Sessions – Academy of Marketing Conference, 2012, Southampton
• Keynote Speaker at Doctoral Colloquium and Chair of three sessions, Academy of Marketing Conference, 2011, Liverpool
• Member of Programme Committee for Association of Consumer Research Conference, 2010, USA
• Member of Programme Committee for European Association of Consumer Research Conference, 2010, Royal Holloway
• Member of Organising Committee, Academy of Marketing, Coventry University, July 2010
• Internal Chair, Research Methodology Track, Academy of Marketing, 2010, Coventry University, July 2010
• Invited to talk on ‘The Anti-hero in Contemporary Consumption: Myths Metaphors and Discourses of Identity, Lancaster University, March 2011
• Invited speaker at 5^th Annual Conference on Sociology and Consumption, ‘ Contemporary Gothics: A Dark Subculture or a Culture of Consumption’ Chester University, March 2010
• Invited to hold a workshop on Grounded Theory for the British Academy of Management – held March 2009, London
• Invited to present on Grounded Theory to British Academy of Management Special interest Group on Qualitative Research in Management – held March 2009, University of Central Lancashire
• Creative Methodologies in Heritage and Arts Marketing: The Case of Grounded Theory, Invited Speaker at ESRC Arts and Heritage Seminar, December 2006,  Bradford University
• ‘Grounded Theory in Practice’ Presented at Manchester Metropolitan University  14/05/003
• ‘Grounded Theory – Glaser or Strauss?’ Presented at Queens University Belfast, 10/12/2002
• ‘Grounded Theory: Love Hate Relationship!’ Presented at Cardiff University, 21/11/2001
• ‘The Process of Grounded Theory; Problems and Pitfalls.’ Presented at, Nottingham Trent University, 04/10/00
• ‘Grounded Theory: Reflections on the Process of Application, Analysis and Interpretation.’ Presented at the SAID Management Centre, Oxford University, 23/02/1998