Baylor University Hosts Top Researchers to Address Poverty, Obesity and Other Social Issues

June 6, 2011

2011 Transformative Consumer Research Conference to be held June 24-26


More than a hundred researchers from around the world will gather at Baylor University June 24-26 for the 2011 Transformative Consumer Research Conference to discuss ways to help alleviate the most pressing social and economic problems facing society today.
Transformative Consumer Research is an initiative by the Association for Consumer Research (ACR) that advances consumer research by helping to facilitate the exchange of scholarly information among members of academia, industry and government worldwide.
"Unlike traditional academic conferences in which research papers are presented, this conference is structured so that small groups of committed individuals can exchange ideas and seek solutions for these areas of pressing global problems and make a difference in the lives of consumers by improving their quality of life," said Brennan Davis, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business and conference co-chair with Connie Pechmann, Ph.D., of the University of California, Irvine.
Invited scholars will lead focus groups in several target areas, including poverty, obesity, sustainability, addiction, materialism and youth risk. Following the conference, findings from each of the subject areas will be published in the Journal of Business Research. Published for executives, researchers and scholars, the Journal aids the application of research to practical situations and theoretical findings to the reality of the business world.
"This conference is specifically designed to benefit consumers. The issues under discussion are important to everyone and have the potential to positively impact society," said Chris Pullig, Ph.D., chair of the department of marketing and associate professor of marketing at Baylor. "Research findings stemming from this conference are distributed to community advocacy groups, and government, community and church leaders."
The 102 participants attending the Baylor conference are from 92 universities, including Notre Dame, Cornell, Cambridge and Georgetown and from 16 countries, including Australia, Belgium, Columbia, France, India, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Netherlands. David Mick, Ph.D., former president of the ACR and professor at the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, and Brian Wansink, Ph.D., John Dyson Endowed Chair in the applied economics and management department of Cornell University and former head of the United States Department of Agriculture, will be keynote speakers. Past transformative conferences have been held at Dartmouth College and Villanova University.
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About Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, classified as such with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest, continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Texas, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions.
About the Hankamer School of Business
Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.
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