Susan Dobscha

Susan Dobscha

  • Professor Emeritus, Marketing
  • Ph.D. Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Teaching Interests

Consumer Behavior; Marketing Research; Gender in Organizations;

Research Interests

Consumer Culture Theory; Transformative Consumer Research; Gender Issues

Bio

Teaching interests include consumer behavior and marketing research. Research interests include gender issues in marketing, consumer resistance to marketing tactics and technology, and relationship marketing critiques. Published articles have appeared in Harvard Business Review, Marketing Education Review, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, and Journal of Retaiing. Previously taught at Virginia Tech and the College for International Studies in Madrid, Spain.

Scholarly Contributions and Creative Productions

Journal Articles

  • Spielmann, ., Dobscha, S., Shrum, . (2023). Brands and Social Justice Movements: The Effects of True vs. Performative Allyship on Brand Evaluation. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, (8) 1 13.
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). Decolonizing Marketing. Consumption, Markets, and Culture 11-Jan.
  • Gurrieri, L., Prothero, A., Bettany, S., Dobscha, S., Drenten, J., Ferguson, S., Finkelstein, S., McNay, L., Ourahmoune, N., Steinfield, L., Tuncay Zayer, L. (2022). Feminist Academic Organizations: Challenging Sexism through Collective Mobilizing across Research, Support, and Advocacy. Gender, Work & Organization 21.
  • , =., Steinfield, L., Prothero, A., Gurrieri, L., Coleman, C., Drenten, J., Ferguson, S., Finkelstein-Young, S., Harrison, R., Hein, W., Houston, H., McVey, L., Nappier Cherup, A., Ostberg, J., Ourahmoune, N., Peñaloza, L., Pounders, K., Bettany, S., Sredl, K., Tuncay Zeyer, L. (2021). Connecting DEI to explicit and implicit gendered workplace discrimination, harassment, and assault: a commentary on 2019 Marketing Climate Survey. Marketing Letters, (32) - 341–347.
  • Spielmann, N., Dobscha, S., Lowery, T. (2021). Real Men don't buy Mrs. Clean: Gender Bias in Gendered Brands. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, (6) 2 211-222.
  • Dobscha, S., Ostberg, J. (2021). Introduction to the special issue on gender impacts: consumption, markets, marketing, and marketing organizations. Journal of Marketing Management 37 181-187.
  • Eckhardt, G. M., Dobscha, S. (2018). The Consumer Experience of Responsibilization: The Case of Panera Cares. Journal of Business Ethics (Link)
  • Dobscha, S., Podoshen, J. S. (2017). Death consumes us – dispatches from the “death professors”. Consumption Markets & Culture, (20) 5 383-386. (Link)
  • Dobscha, S., Lee, N. (2014). Introduction to the special section on interpretive research. European Journal of Marketing, (48) 5:06
  • Dobscha, S., Eckhardt, G. (2014). The Effectiveness of Conscious Pricing on Promoting Social Sustainability. Recherche et Applications en Marketing, (29) 3 103-106.
  • Susan, N., Dobscha, L. (2014). Introduction to the special section on interpretive consumer research. European Journal of Marketing, (48) 6-May (Link)
  • Dobscha, S., Foxman, E. R. (2012). Mythic Agency and Retail Conquest. Elsevier, (88) 2 291-307.
  • Prothero, A., Dobscha, S., Freund, J., Kilbourne, W., Luchs, M., Ozanne, L., Thorgerson, J. (2011). Sustainable Consumption: Opportunities for Consumer Research and Public Policy. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, (30) 1 31-38.
  • Dobscha, S., Group, T. V. (2010). Motherhood, Marketization, and Consumer Vulnerability. Journal of Macromarketing, (30) 4 384-397.
  • Bettany, S., Dobscha, S., O'Malley, L., Prothero, A. (2010). Moving Beyond Binary Opposition: Exploring the Tapestry of Gender in Consumer Research and Marketing. Marketing Theory, (10) 1 28-Mar.
  • Dobscha, S., Group, T. V. (2010). Buying into Motherhood? Consumption Ambivalence and Liminality in Transitional Phases. Consumption, Markets, and Culture, (13) 4 373-397.
  • Prothero, A., McDonagh, P., Dobscha, S. (2010). Is Green the New Black? Reflections on a Green Commodity Discourse. Journal of Macromarketing, (30) 2 147-159.
  • Dobscha, S., Group, T. V. (2008). Reflections on Collaboration in Interpretive Consumer Research. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, (11) 2 147-165.
  • Dobscha, S. (2006). Does My Bump Look Big in This? -- Commentary. Advertising and Society Review, (7) 4
  • Dobscha, S. (2006). The Changing Image of Women in American Society: What Do Pregnant Women Represent in Advertising?. Advertising and Society Review, (7) 3 (Link)
  • Dobscha, S. (2006). The Road to Motherhood -- Commentary. Advertising and Society Review, (7) 3
  • Dobscha, S., Ozanne, J. (2001). An Ecofeminist Analysis of Environmentally Sensitive Women: Qualitative Findings on the Emancipatory Potential of an Ecological Life. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, (20) 2
  • Fournier, S., Dobscha, S., Mick, D. G. (1998). Preventing the Premature Death of Relationship Marketing. Harvard Business Review, (76) 1 42-51.
  • Dobscha, S., Foxman, E. R. (1998). Rethinking the Principles of Marketing Course: Focus on Exchange. Marketing Education Review, (8) 1 47-57.
  • Close Scheinbaum, A., Giebelhausen, M., Dobscha, S., Steinfield, L. Creating Transformative Marketing Leaders: A Transformative Orientation for Marketing Decision-Making Through Marketing Metacognition and Perspective Gathering. Journal of Marketing Research Forthcoming
  • Close Scheinbaum, A., Sanghvi, M., Steinfield, L., Dobscha, S., Beitelspacher, L. Teaching Marketing to Transform: A Five-Stage Model to Transform Marketing Students into Marketers for a Better World. Journal of Marketing Forthcoming

    • Books

  • Dobscha, S. (2019). The Handbook of Research in Gender and Marketing Elgar Publishing
  • Dobscha, S. (2015). Death in a Consumer Culture , 1st 497. London: Routledge (Link)

    • Book Chapters

  • Dobscha, S. (2023). "I am NOT a Consumer" or "I Don't WANT to be a Consumer" or "I CAN'T be a Consumer": A Fresh Look at the New Strategies Consumers Use to Avoid the Marketplace Anti-Consumption: Exploring the Opposition to Consumer Culture. Routledge Press
  • Dobscha, S., Prothero, A. (2021). ‚ÄúOne, Two, Three, Four, What Are We Fighting For?‚Äù: Deconstructing Climate-Crisis War Messaging Metaphors using Ecofeminism The Routledge Companion to Feminism and Marketing. London: Routledge
  • Dobscha, S., Hondsmark, G. (2020). Gender as a critical perspective in consumption studies The Oxford Handbook on Consumption. London: Oxford Press
  • Dobscha, S. (2015). Introduction Death in a Consumer Culture. London: Routledge (Link)
  • Dobscha, S., , T. (2014). Pregnancy, privacy, and personhood in the consumer socialization of expectant mothers Motherhood, Markets and Consumption. London: Routledge
  • McDonagh, P., Dobscha, S., Prothero, A. (2012). Sustainable Consumption and Production: Challenges for Transformational Consumer Research Transformative Consumer Research for Personal and Collective Well-Being. New York, NY: Routledge
  • Dobscha, S., Prothero, A. (2012). (Re)Igniting Sustainable Consumption and Production Research Through Feminist Connections Gender, Culture, and Consumer Behavior. New York: Routledge
  • Dobscha, S., Prothero, A., McDonagh, P. (2011). (Re)Thinking Distribution Strategy: Principles from Sustainability Marketing Management: A Cultural Perspective. Routledge
  • Dobscha, S., Ozanne, J. (2000). Marketing Divided Selves: Healing the Women/Nature Separation . London: Routledge Press

    • Conference Proceedings

  • Dobscha, S., Elkanova, E. (2023). “1.4 Expanding Our Understanding of Inclusion and (its pesky shadow) Exclusion: How Inclusion and Exclusion Impact and are Impacted By Consumers, Marketplaces, and Markets”
  • Dobscha, S. (2012). “Death and All His Friends: Death and Consumption” Association for Consumer Research Vancouver, CA
  • Group, T. V. (2008). “Mothers' Perceptions of Fathers' Involvement in Baby Preparedness”
  • Group, T. V. (2007). “Challenges of Multiplicty in Interpretive Consumer Research: Multiple Members, Multiple Worldviews, Multiple Locations -- One Research Project?”
  • Group, T. V. (2007). “Guiding, Chiding, Providing: Consumption and the Social Networks of Expectant Mothers”
  • Davies, A., Dobscha, S., Geiger, S., O'Donohoe, S., O'Malley, L., Prothero, A. (2006). “The Making of a Mother: What Role Does Consumption Play in Mothering Experiences and Identities?”
  • Davies, A., Dobscha, S., Geiger, S., O'Donohoe, S., O'Malley, L., Prothero, A. (2006). “What Role Does Consumption Play in the Motherhood Identity? Exploring the Motherhood Institution, Motherhood Ideals, and Mothering Experience”

    • Exhibitions

  • Dobscha, S. (2015). “Voices from the Basement”

    • Other Scholarly Work

  • Dobscha, S.Intersections of Meaning Making: Boundary Objects at the Box. Academy of Marketing Science .

    • Presentations

  • Dobscha, S., Elkanova, E. (2023). “Track 1.4: Expanding Our Understanding of Inclusion and (its pesky shadow) Exclusion: How Inclusion and Exclusion Impact and are Impacted By Consumers, Marketplaces, and Markets” Presented at the Transformative Consumer Research Dialogical Conference London
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). “Perspectives on Morality and Consumer Responsibilization” Presented at the ACR ACR Denver, CO
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). “Navigating the Consumer Responsibilization/Abdication Dichotomy” Presented at the Consumer Culture Theory Corvallis, OR
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). “Presidential Address” Presented at the GENMAC GENMAC Stockholm, Sweden
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). “Women on the Margins (Again): The Perplexing but all too Familiar Gender Dynamics in the Emerging Cannabis Market in the USA” Presented at the AMA Public Policy and Marketing Austin, TX
  • Close Scheinbaum, A., Giebelhausen, M., Steinfield, L., Dobscha, S. (2022). “A Model to Encourage a Transformative Orientation in Marketing” Presented at the Academy of Marketing Science Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference Monterey, CA, USA
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). “Ecofeminism and Marketing” Presented at the UTRGV SPEAKERS SERIES via zoom
  • Dobscha, S. (2022). “The Role of Gender in Consumer Psychology” Presented at the Society for Consumer Psychology
  • Bottini, B., Giebelhausen, M., Dobscha, S., Steinfield, L., Close Scheinbaum, A. (2021). “Seeking a Balanced Perspective of Marketing” Presented at the Society for Marketing Advances SMA Conference Orlando Florida
  • Dobscha, S., Rose, A., Cherup, A. N. (2019). “Decentering Human Experiences: the Case of CrossFit” Presented at the AMA Winter AMA Austin TX
  • Dobscha, S. (2018). “Shaping the Self as Object: Object-Oriented Ontology and Feminism in the Gym” Presented at the Gender, Marketing, and Consumer Behavior Conference Dallas
  • Dobscha, S. (2018). “BOUNDARY OBJECTS AT THE CROSSFIT BOX” Presented at the Academy of Marketing Science Conference New Orleans, LA
  • Dobscha, S. (2016). “"The Future of the Gender Community in Marketing"” Presented at the Conference on Gender, Marketing, and Consumer Behavior Paris France
  • Steinfield, L., Weijo, H. A., Dobscha, S. (2015). “Well-Rounded Oddball for Hire? CCT and the Job Market” Presented at the University of Arkansas Consumer Culture Theory 2015 Fayetteville, AR
  • Dobscha, S. (2015). “Oddball for Hire: CCT Students on the Job Market” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Consumer Culture Theory Conference Fayetteville Arkansas
  • Dobscha, S. (2015). “A Model of Transformative Learning in Marketing Education: Goals, Learning Processes, and Transformation Outcome Factors” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Transformative Consumer Resarch Villanova, PA
  • Dobscha, S., Eckhardt, G. (2014). “Pay What You Care? An Exploration of Conscious Pricing” Presented at the ACR ACR Latin America Guadalajara, Mexico
  • Dobscha, S. (2014). “Pay What You Care? An Exploration of Conscious Pricing” Presented at the University of Bath University of Bath Speaker Series Bath, England
  • Dobscha, S. (2014). “How to Deliver "Leadership Transformationnel" - A TCR Approach” Presented at the NEOMA NEOMA Visiting Scholar Speaker Series Paris, France
  • Dobscha, S. (2014). “Pay What You Care? An Exploration of Conscious Pricing” Presented at the SKEMA SKEMA Speaker Series Lille, France
  • Dobscha, S. (2013). “Publishing Interpretive Work in International Journals” Presented at the NEOMA NEOMA Visiting Scholar Speaker Series Paris, France
  • Dobscha, S. (2013). “The Future of Sustainability Research” Presented at the American Marketing Association American Marketing Association Summer Educaators Conference Boston, MA
  • Dobscha, S. (2013). “Gender and Globalization” Presented at the Consumer Culture Theory Consumer Culture Theory Tucson AZ
  • Dobscha, S. (2013). “Families, Risk, and Identity” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Transformative Consumer Research Lille, France
  • Dobscha, S. (2012). “Death and All His Friends: Death and Consumption” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Advances in Consumer Research Vancouver, CA
  • Dobscha, S. (2012). “The Future of Sustainability Research” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Advances in Consumer Research, Asia-Pacific Queenstown, New Zealand
  • Dobscha, S. (2012). “The Future of Gender Research in Marketing” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research 10th Conference on Gender, Marketing, and Consumer Behavior Queenstown, New Zealand
  • Dobscha, S. (2012). “How to Kill a Brand in Three Easy Steps!” Presented at the Consumer-Brand Relationships Boston, MA
  • Dobscha, S., Arsel, Z. (2011). “Hybrid Prosocial Exchange Systems: The Case of Freecycle” Presented at the ACR Association of Consumer Research St. Louis, MO
  • Dobscha, S. (2011). “Green Marketing in Careers, Careers in Green Marketing” Presented at the Green Workforce Training Massachusetts Green Careers Conference Marlborough MA
  • Dobscha, S., Arsel, Z. (2010). “Local Acts, Global Impacts? Examining the Pro-Social, Non-Reciprocal Nature of Freecyclers” Presented at the ACR Association of Consumer Research London, England
  • Group, T. V. (2008). “Mothers' Perceptions of Fathers' Involvement in Baby Preparedness” Presented at the Association of Consumer Research San Francisco, CA
  • Group, T. V. (2008). “Buying Into Motherhood? Consumption Ambivalence and Liminality in Transitional Phases” Presented at the ACR Consumer Culture Theory Conference Boston, MA
  • Group, T. V. (2007). “Guiding, Chiding, Providing: Consumption and the Social Networks of Expectant Mothers” Presented at the Association of Consumer Research Milan, IT
  • Group, T. V. (2007). “Challenges of Multiplicty in Interpretive Consumer Research: Multiple Members, Multiple Worldviews, Multiple Locations -- One Research Project?” Presented at the Interpretive Consumer Research Workshpe Marseille, France
  • Davies, A., Dobscha, S., Geiger, S., O'Donohoe, S., O'Malley, L., Prothero, A. (2006). “The Making of a Mother: What Role Does Consumption Play in Mothering Experiences and Identities?” Presented at the European Marketing Academy Conference Athens, Greece
  • Dobscha, S., Sorenson, E. (2006). “Hall of Mirrors: Methodological Choices for Mothers Researching Mothers”
  • Davies, A., Dobscha, S., Geiger, S., O'Donohoe, S., O'Malley, L., Prothero, A. (2006). “What Role Does Consumption Play in the Motherhood Identity? Exploring the Motherhood Institution, Motherhood Ideals, and Mothering Experience” Presented at the Macromarketing Conference Queenstown, New Zealand
  • Dobscha, S. (2003). “The Gendering of Public Technology Spaces: A Feminist Analysis of a Public Internet Center” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Toronto, ON
  • Dobscha, S. (2003). “The Feminist's Wedding: Oxymoronic or Just Moronic”
  • Dobscha, S. (2003). “The Gendering of Public Technology Spaces: A Feminist Analysis of a Public Internet Center”
  • Dobscha, S. (2002). “The Analysis of Gender in Techno-Consumption”
  • Foxman, E. R., Dobscha, S. (2000). “Gendered Communication: Textual Analysis of Letters Written to Filene's Basement” Presented at the ACR 5th Gender, Marketing, and Consumer Behavior Conference Chicago, IL
  • Dobscha, S. (2000). “The Three Faces of E-Commerce: Analyzing an Online Shopper's Diary”
  • Aylesworth, A. B., Chapman, K., Dobscha, S. (1999). “Animal Companions and Marketing: Dogs are More than Just a Cell in the BCG Matrix!” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Montreal, Canada
  • Aylesworth, A. B., Chapman, K., Dobscha, S. (1999). “Animal Companions and Marketing: Dogs are More than Just a Cell in the BCG Matrix!” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research San Antonio, TX
  • Ritson, M., Dobscha, S. (1999). “Marketing Heretics: Resistance Is/Is Not Futile” Presented at the Association For Consumer Research Montreal, Canada
  • Dobscha, S. (1998). “The Lived Experience of Consumer Rebellion Against Marketing” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Denver, CO
  • Dobscha, S., Foxman, E. R. (1998). “Women and Wedding Gowns: Exploring a Discount Shopping Experience” Presented at the Gender, Marketing, and Consumer Behavior San Francisco, CA
  • Dobscha, S. (1998). “Marketing Heretics: Resistance is/is not Futile”
  • Dobscha, S. (1998). “Women and Wedding Gowns: Exploring A Discount Shopping Experience”
  • Foxman, E. R., Dobscha, S. (1997). “The Filene's Basement Bridal Sale: A Content Analysis of Store-Authored and Media-Authored Communications about a Retail Event” Presented at the Conference of the Academy of Marketing Science Coral Gables, FL
  • Dobscha, S. (1997). “Elucidating the Women-Nature Link”
  • Dobscha, S. (1997). “The Lived Experience of Consumer Rebellion Against Marketing”
  • Foxman, E. R., Dobscha, S. (1996). “Teaching Principles of Marketing from a Multicultural Perspective: A Proposed Exchange Framework” Presented at the Multicultural Marketing Conference Virginia Beach, VA
  • Dobscha, S. (1996). “Teaching Principles of Marketing from a Multicultural Perspective: A Proposed Exchange Framework”
  • Dobscha, S., Petkus, E. (1995). “Deep, Dark Green: An In-Depth Look at Environmentally-Sensitive Consumers' Participation in Environmental Organizations”
  • Dobscha, S., Mentzer, J. T., Littlefield, J. E. (1994). “Do External Factors Play an Antecedent Role to Market Orientation?” Presented at the Conference of the Academy of Marketing Science Nashville, TN
  • Dobscha, S. (1994). “Do External Factors Play an Antecedent Role to Market Orientation?”
  • Dobscha, S. (1993). “Women and the Environment: Applying Ecofeminism to Environmentally-Related Consumption” Presented at the Association for Consumer Research Vancouver, Canada
  • Dobscha, S. (1993). “Paid vs. Unpaid Labor: A Feminist Analysis of Women's Participation in Environmentally-Related Consumption”
  • Dobscha, S. (1992). “Ecofeminism: Principles and Practices for Researchers”

    • Reviews

  • Dobscha, S. (2014). Romancing the Wild: Cultural Dimensions of Ecotourism.
  • Dobscha, S. (1997). Book Review. , (34) May 303-305.
  • Dobscha, S. (1995). Book Review. , (32) August 379-380.

    • Service

    Service: Department

  • Committee Member for Research Statement Committee 9/1/22 - 12/31/22
  • Committee Chair for PhD Coordinator, Marketing Department 1/1/22 - 12/31/22
  • Committee Chair for PhD Coordinator, Marketing Department 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
  • Committee Chair for PhD Coordinator, Marketing Department 1/1/20 - 12/31/20
  • Committee Chair for Marketing Department PhD Launch committee 1/1/19 - 12/31/19
  • Committee Chair for Faculty Hiring Committee 4/1/19 - 10/30/19
  • Committee Chair for Faculty Hiring Committee 4/1/18 - 10/30/18
  • Committee Chair for MK 300 Feasibility Committee 9/1/16 - 12/31/16
  • Committee Chair for Research Committee 9/1/15 - 9/30/16
  • Committee Chair for Marketing Department Faculty Hiring Committee 4/1/14 - 9/1/14
  • Committee Chair for Marketing Department Faculty Hiring Committee 4/1/13 - 9/1/13
  • Committee Chair for Marketing Department Chair Search Committee 12/1/10 - 11/30/11

    • Service: Professional

  • Invited Lecture/Presentation for Marketing Science 10/1/21 - Present
  • Conference/Workshop Track Chair for Transformative Consumer Research Conference 2023 7/1/22 - 12/31/22
  • Invited Lecture/Presentation for Marketing Science 8/1/21 - 8/31/21
  • Chairperson for GENMAC 1/1/20 - 12/31/20
  • Officer, President/Elect/Past for GENMAC 1/1/19 - Present
  • Officer, President/Elect/Past for GENMAC 1/1/19 - Present
  • Editor, Journal for Journal of Marketing Management 8/1/17 - Present
  • Conference/Workshop Organizer for GENMAC 8/1/17 - 10/31/18
  • Officer, Other Officer for GENMAC 6/1/16 - Present
  • Editor (Associate), Journal for European Journal of Marketing 1/1/07 - 12/31/15

    • Service: Ph.D. Advising

  • Independent Study Advisor 2021/04 - 2022/01
  • Independent Study Advisor 2020/03 - Present
  • Independent Study Advisor 2020/03 - 2022/01

    • Service: University

  • Committee Member for PhD Council 6/1/20 - Present
  • Committee Member for PhD Council 6/1/20 - 12/31/22
  • Committee Member for Promotion and Tenure 8/1/10 - 5/31/13
  • Committee Chair for Salary and Benefits 8/1/02 - 5/31/12