Alexandros Skandalis

My research interests revolve around consumer behaviour, consumer culture, cultural sociology, arts and experiential marketing, and digital cultures. I am particularly interested in conducting research within the cultural and creative industries.

A key aspect of my research relates to aesthetics and taste and the consumption of space and place. I have previously conducted ethnographic research within diverse musical spaces (e.g. festivals, concert halls) and fields (e.g. indie, classical music). One of my recent research projects dealt with the exploration of the variety of ways in which individuals further develop their musical tastes in the indie music field by drawing upon place-specific practices and experiences in Manchester, UK.

Another important aspect of my research focuses on the study of digital cultures and experiences within the context of online communities from a post-postmodern perspective. To these ends, I have also been working in the application of psychoanalytic theories in improving our understanding of digital cultures and I am particularly interested in the work of British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott on transitional space and phenomena.

I am also currently working in two funded research projects focusing on: a) the production and consumption of craft objects in place (i.e. the Craft & Design Centre in Manchester, UK) and b) the role of plastic packaging in consumers' lives with the aim of closing the attitude behaviour gap and promoting more sustainable forms of consumption.

My work has appeared in several international peer-reviewed journals such as Advances in Consumer Research, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Place Management and Development, Journal of Services Marketing, Marketing Theory, and Sociology.

I presented my research outputs in numerous international conferences including the Association of Consumer Research Conference (ACR), Consumer Culture Theory Conference (CCT), Academy of Marketing Conference, Interpretive Consumer Research Conference (ICR), and European Academy of Design Conference, amongst others.

I was awarded the best paper prize in the Arts & Heritage Marketing Track of the 2015 Academy of Marketing Conference in Limerick, Ireland.

My Role

I joined Lancaster University Management School in March 2017 as a Lecturer in Marketing. I was previously Assistant Professor in Marketing at Toulouse Business School, University of Toulouse in France. I completed my PhD in Marketing at Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester where I was the recipient of the competitive Manchester Business School Doctoral Scholarship funding award. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Qualifications

BEng, MEng Production & Management Engineering (Democritus University of Thrace), MSc, PhD Marketing (The University of Manchester, Manchester Business School).

Current Teaching

• MKTG403(2): Understanding Online Consumer Engagement (module leader)
• MKTG507: Brand Strategy (module leader)

Professional Role

I act as Postgraduate Programme Director (MSc Advanced Marketing Management) and Joint Undergraduate Programme Director (Marketing & Design, Marketing with Psychology) at the Department of Marketing.

Research Grants

• Plastic Packaging in Peoples' Lives (PPiPL): Bridging the consumer attitude-behaviour gap (funded by the Natural Environment Research Council - UKRI, £750,000.00)

• Producing and Consuming Craft Objects in Place: The Case of Manchester's Craft and Design Centre (funded by the British Academy, £9,604.25)

PhD Supervision Interests

I am willing to supervise PhD students in the following areas: Aesthetics and taste, consumption of space and place, arts marketing and cultural industries, music and consumer culture, digital cultures and online communities.