Isenberg Marketing Faculty and Alumni Research Recognized

In May, George Milne, associate dean of research and Edward D. Shirley ’78 endowed professor of marketing, and three Isenberg marketing PhD alumni received the William R. Darden Best Research Paper Methodology Award at the Academy of Marketing Science Conference. Their paper, titled “Brand Privacy Reputation (BPR): Conceptualization, Definition, and Measurement,” was honored as “an outstanding paper that includes rigorous application or advancement of methods or tools related to marketing research.”

The paper, which Milne coauthored with Lauren Labrecque ’10 PhD, Ereni Markos ’10 PhD, and Kunal Swani ’14 PhD, investigated the significant role that technology plays in consumer data privacy and the increasing importance of businesses protecting this data, not only for consumer safety but also to preserve brand reputation. To measure this, the research team introduced the concept of brand privacy reputation and developed a measurement scale for this new construct. They also proposed that businesses that have a reputation for being more proactive in protecting consumer data will have a competitive advantage over those that are perceived by the public as being more passive.

Isenberg Advantage

Faculty, doctoral students, and doctoral alumni at Isenberg often work together when their research interests align, allowing them to share ideas, hands-on work, and credit when their research is published.  Labrecque shared her appreciation for the opportunity to reconnect with the Isenberg community and for the mentorship Milne has provided her and other students over the years. “George was, and still is, an amazing mentor,” she said. “He’s a pioneer in the field of consumer privacy and he’s inspired several of his PhD students to also do research in this important area. I think he’s truly like a father figure to some of his PhD students and encourages us, his former students, to connect and work with one another, like a big happy family.”

Likewise, Milne shared his appreciation for working with Isenberg doctoral students both past and present. “I enjoy watching doctoral students become independent and successful in their careers after Isenberg,” he shared. “Isenberg has produced many fine scholars and their success reflects positively on the Isenberg brand.”