Professor Kerstin Pezoldt

International marketing in transformation markets

Transition countries are in a transition from one economic system to another. This can be either the transformation from a planned to a market economy and vice versa. Transition countries exist in Eastern Europe, East Asia, South America, Africa and the Arab region. They are characterized by an abnormally high variability associated with turbulence. In order to do marketing under these turbulent conditions, special knowledge of the transformation levels and the country culture is necessary. Therefore, we address the following topics:

  • What models exist to explain system transformation in different research communities?
  • How does system transformation proceed in individual geographical areas and countries?
  • How do firms operate under transformational conditions?
  • What concepts are there for developing transformation markets?

Media Marketing

Media companies create, bundle and distribute media products. The specificity of media products, their sales in two markets, and their social importance place special demands on the marketing of companies in the media industry. The following research questions are of interest:

  • How do publishers position themselves in the process of digitalization?
  • Who reads daily newspapers and how? Are there cultural differences in the reception of daily newspapers? What factors influence reader behaviour?
  • What explanations exist for the creation of customer loyalty in the press publishing industry?
  • How does the internationalization process of media companies take shape?

Technology Acceptance

Technological developments have changed our lives as consumers in recent years. For example, we buy our tickets over the Internet, calculate the loan instalments for a new car with the help of an online calculator or check in not at the airport but the night before by mobile phone. The advantages of such self-service technologies (SSTn) for companies are obvious: they save costs. Companies promise their customers speed, convenience and quality of experience. But how do users actually experience new technologies? The field addresses the following research questions:

  • Are there gender differences in the acceptance of self-service technologies?
  • What cultural differences exist with regard to the willingness to accept self-service technologies?
  • Which criteria of the innovation as well as of the user significantly influence the acceptance process of self-service technologies?
  • What influence do user characteristics have on the willingness to use innovative technologies?
  • Is the acceptance of technologies influenced by the environment of use?
  • Do the specific characteristics of an innovation have to be taken into account when explaining technology acceptance?

Teaching and research reputation of professors

The importance of reputation as an intangible asset has increased not only in companies but also at universities. In the course of international competition for students, scientists and financial resources, a positive reputation, as the perception of the stakeholders of teaching and research services, represents a competitive advantage over other universities that cannot be imitated. The reputation of professors, which is the sum of teaching, research and service results, plays a crucial role. Therefore, the department explores the following questions:

  • What factors determine the reputation of professors?
  • What is the significance and impact of the reputation of professors in the national and international university system and the science community?
  • Are there cross-cultural differences in the definition, meaning and impact of professorial reputation?
  • Do the requirements for professors differ with regard to teaching and research performance?