Academic fellowship opens doors for professor to study Asian consumers

Texas A&M Marketing Professor Suresh Ramanathan has been named a Fellow of the Institute of Asian Consumer Insights, giving him the opportunity to expand his research on one of the fastest-growing consumer segments in the world.

The Singapore-based institute is dedicated to helping international brands respond to the needs of Asian consumers by bridging the gap between academic theory and practice. This two-year fellowship will give Ramanathan access to research grants and open doors for industry collaborations and case studies on Asian consumers.

Ramanathan, whose research has focused on the dynamics of affective and motivational processes in judgments and choice, said the fellowship will provide him a unique opportunity to delve more deeply in studying perceptual cues and consumer decisions.

“Asian consumers respond differently to visual and numerical cues compared to their Western counterparts, which could have major implications for brand strategy,” he explained. “The ACI provides me access to resources and high-quality facilities that I could use for studying these research questions.”

He plans to bring the case studies back to the classroom at Mays, where he teaches Consumer Behavior and Marketing Management in the MBA and Professional MBA programs as well as the MS Marketing program.

“I am really looking forward to working closely with faculty associated with the ACI,” he said. “I hope to set up opportunities for doctoral students to also work on similar projects.”