This track focuses on the rise of the machines and the 4th Industrial Revolution (IR4.0 Technologies) with a focus on the transformational aspects it may have on consumer and societal well-being. With the advent of the IR4.0, we see the rise of several phenomena such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Intelligent Agents, Internet of things (IoT), Blockchain, 3D printing, and Robotics, amongst others. According to experts, innovations and technologies continue to change our world. Cyber-physical systems, autonomous vehicles, genetic engineering are just a few examples. We propose to discuss at least the following IR4.0 Technologies - Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Robotics - if not more. The overarching goal of the track could be to address how the IR4.0 Technologies influence macroconsumer behavior, specifically identifying relevant public policy considerations, and ethics to ensure consumer well-being.

Track Leaders

Abhijit Roy (roya2@scranton.edu) is Professor of Marketing at the Kania School of Management, University of Scranton. He is the co-author of Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Marketing,(2001, McGraw-Hill) and has  published  over thirty articles in peer reviewed journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of International Marketing, Journal of Business Research, International Business Review, International Business Review, Industrial Marketing Management, Business Horizons, amongst others. His main research interests are in the areas of marketing and society, global and social marketing and the impact of new innovations on consumer behavior.

Marat Bakpayev (mbakpaye@umn.edu) is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Broadly, his research interests are in marketing and consumer behavior. Specifically, his primary interests are in person-object relationship (focusing on robots and Artificial Intelligence); secondary in well-being and sense of control. His publications include articles appearing in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, International Journal of Drug Policy and the Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community.

Jean-Paul de Cros Peronard is an associate professor at Aarhus University, BTECH and has over 20 years of experience in research and teaching in technology and business development. Peronard’s research and teaching interests include marketing, technology and innovation, often in a cross cultural or service context. As an interdisciplinary explorer, Peronard bridge different research traditions such as empiricism and interpretive research in the effort to push scientific boundaries and to allow for more comprehensive understanding of social reality.

Helen L. Bruce (h.bruce@lancaster.ac.uk) is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Lancaster University Management School in the UK. Her research is primarily consumer-focused, with particular interests in consumer groups such as families or communities, and their shared perceptions of value, motivations and identities. Recent projects have an additional focus on the creation of societal impact through the mitigation of systemic challenges. Helen has previously published in the Journal of Services Marketing and the International Journal of New Product Development and Innovation Management. Prior to her academic career, Helen previously worked for almost 10 years within the UK financial services industry, holding a variety of marketing and key account management roles.