Association for Consumer Research

Association for Consumer Research
Name	Association for Consumer Research
Formation	1969
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International
Membership	Scholars, practitioners
Leader title	President

Contents

Association for Consumer Research

The Association for Consumer Research is a scholarly society devoted to the study of consumer behavior, marketing, and consumption practices. Founded in 1969, it brings together academics, Philip Kotler, Daniel Kahneman, Herbert Simon-inspired researchers, and practitioners affiliated with institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Northwestern University. The organization interfaces with venues like the American Marketing Association, Academy of Management, and the Society for Consumer Psychology to advance research that informs stakeholders including policymakers at the Federal Trade Commission, executives at Procter & Gamble, and analysts at Nielsen Holdings.

History

The organization was established in 1969 amid growth in behavioral research influenced by figures like John B. Watson-inspired behaviorists, B. F. Skinner-adjacent psychologists, and decision theorists such as Herbert A. Simon. Early meetings featured participants from universities including Columbia University, Stanford University, and University of Chicago and drew on research traditions from journals like the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Consumer Research. Over decades the association expanded internationally to engage scholars from London School of Economics, INSEAD, University of Melbourne, and National University of Singapore, and it has intersected with policy debates involving agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission.

The association's mission centers on promoting rigorous empirical and theoretical study of consumer behavior and consumption, engaging scholars connected to Association for Psychological Science, Behavioral Science & Policy Association, and interdisciplinary centers at institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University. Activities include organizing symposia involving researchers from University of California, Berkeley, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Michigan; fostering dialogue with industry partners like Unilever and Amazon (company); and collaborating with editorial boards of periodicals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, and Marketing Science.

The association hosts annual conferences that attract presenters from Cornell University, Ohio State University, Carnegie Mellon University, and international campuses like HEC Paris and University of Toronto. These gatherings feature plenary talks, paper sessions, and panels drawing connections to seminal works such as Prospect Theory and discussions inspired by scholars like Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, and Richard Thaler. Publication outlets affiliated with the community include conference proceedings and special issues that intersect with journals like Journal of Consumer Psychology and publications from presses such as Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.

Membership comprises faculty, doctoral students, and industry researchers affiliated with organizations including Google, Facebook, Wharton School, and Kellogg School of Management. Governance is overseen by an elected board with officers drawn from universities such as University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, and London Business School; advisory committees have included representatives linked to National Science Foundation grants and collaborators from foundations like the Russell Sage Foundation. Election procedures and bylaws are modeled on practices used by societies such as the American Economic Association and the Royal Economic Society.

The association grants awards recognizing lifetime achievement, best dissertation, and outstanding article, honoring scholars in the lineage of Richard Thaler, George Katona, and Herbert Simon. Prestigious honors often parallel prizes such as the John Bates Clark Medal in scope for early-career achievement, and awardees frequently hold chairs at institutions like Stanford Graduate School of Business, Columbia Business School, and London School of Economics. Awards ceremonies have been held in conjunction with meetings in cities such as Chicago, New York City, and Toronto.

Educational initiatives include doctoral consortiums patterned on programs at the Academy of Management and workshops for practitioners collaborating with firms like Procter & Gamble and consultancies such as McKinsey & Company. Outreach efforts engage media outlets including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and policy forums at organizations like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank. The association also supports teaching materials and case studies used at business schools such as Harvard Business School and INSEAD.