Category: Applied Marketing Research Group

Academic Spotlight: Professor Mario Vafeas

Author sarahcawthra | Posted on

Meet Mario Vafeas, Professor of Marketing and Leader of the Applied Marketing Research Group

With a background in consultancy and an interest in research with real-world impact, Professor Mario Vafeas brings industry insight and academic rigour together in his work. In this conversation, he reflects on how marketing relationships, collaboration and organisational engagement can drive better outcomes for both businesses and employees.

Firstly, what prompted your transition from consultancy into academia?

I think some people have a natural inclination towards academic work. Even when I worked in industry, I never really stepped away from academia. I completed an MBA part time and then a PhD. After that, it felt like a natural progression to move fully into academic life.

Before making the switch, I tried teaching as an associate lecturer while still in consultancy. I really enjoyed it, the combination of research and teaching really appealed to me. So in 2010, I made the move into academia full time and I’ve never looked back.

Do you ever miss working in industry?

Not really, because I don’t feel I’ve ever left it. I’ve always stayed engaged with external firms through my research and projects like Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

“My role brings together teaching, academic research and external engagement, that mix is what I enjoy most. It’s not a complete departure from industry, it’s more of an evolution.”

Could you share a project where your research has been translated into practice?

For many years, I focused on ‘value co-creation’ – how organisations work together to create value rather than delivering it unilaterally. My research explored how marketing agencies and their clients in the creative industries can collaborate more effectively to strengthen relationships and outcomes.

That work attracted a lot of interest from agencies and clients alike. I’ve delivered workshops, seminars and consultancy sessions to help them apply these ideas in practice. Helping them to improve collaboration and get more value from those partnerships.

More recently, I’ve been working with my colleague Dr Ed Little on something a little different, a concept called ‘workplace alienation’ (when employees feel disconnected from their work). We’ve explored how ownership models shape engagement and motivation by comparing conventional organisations with employee-owned firms. (Examples of such firms include John Lewis and Aardman Animations.)

Our findings are generating interest from both businesses and organisations like the Employee Ownership Association, who are exploring how our insights can help promote employee ownership and ultimately reduce alienation at work.

How has your industry experience influenced your research interests?

It’s been fundamental. My early career in consultancy was all about managing relationships between agencies and clients. I was fascinated by why some relationships thrived while others broke down.

That curiosity led to my PhD, which examined how creative agencies and clients could build longer-lasting, more effective partnerships. In the creative industries, around 80 per cent of client-agency relationships don’t last beyond five years – that’s incredibly inefficient. My research looked at what makes these relationships work better and last longer, which continues to inform my work today.

What advice would you give to early-career researchers hoping to make meaningful contributions in marketing?

“Find topics that sit at the intersection of academic value and practical relevance. It’s important that your research contributes to academic knowledge but also that it can be applied and have real-world impact.”

I’ve always tried to ensure my work ticks both boxes: that it’s publishable and interesting to academic audiences, but also something I can share externally with businesses or practitioners. When those two worlds overlap, that’s where the most valuable research happens.

Outside academia, what inspires your thinking?

A lot of my ideas come from everyday life. My research on workplace alienation, for example, grew out of personal experiences – wondering why service quality varies so much between firms and realising it’s often linked to how motivated employees feel.

We all have personal experiences as consumers and collaborators. Reflecting on those moments often sparks new questions and sometimes, new research ideas.

Find out more about Mario, his research and how to get in touch here.

Confronting alienation: What can we learn from employee ownership?

Author ripleywk | Posted on

Last Monday (16 June), our Applied Marketing Research Group hosted what turned out to be a truly enlightening half-day event at Bristol Business School. The topic—”Confronting alienation: What can we learn from employee ownership?”—struck a chord with delegates, and I’m excited to share some of the key insights from our latest research.

The Problem We’re Tackling

Workplace alienation isn’t just an academic concept—it’s a real issue affecting countless employees across the UK. When people feel disconnected from their work, lacking control or purpose, it impacts not just their wellbeing but also organisational performance. This is what drove my colleague Ed Little (Associate Head of Department for Postgraduate Marketing and Events Programmes) and I to investigate whether employee ownership could offer a solution.

What We Discovered: The Five ‘Cs’

Our research reveals that co-ownership can indeed reduce workplace alienation, but it works through five critical mechanisms—what we call the five ‘Cs’:

  • Control: Giving employees genuine say in decision-making
  • Care: Creating an environment where people feel valued and supported
  • Congruence: Aligning individual values with organisational purpose
  • Cohesion: Building stronger team bonds and collaboration
  • Community: Fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity

These aren’t just theoretical concepts—we’ve seen them play out in real organisations, creating more engaged and satisfied workforces.

However, our research also uncovered something crucial that organisations need to understand: employee ownership isn’t a magic bullet. When implemented poorly or without careful consideration, it can actually increase alienation for some individuals. This finding challenges the assumption that employee ownership is universally beneficial and highlights the need for thoughtful, strategic implementation.

Learning from the Experts

The event brought together some remarkable speakers who brought these concepts to life. James de le Vingne, CEO of the Employee Ownership Association, shared invaluable insights from across the sector.

Panellists included Richard Gosden from the John Lewis Partnership (the UK’s largest employee-owned business) and Katie Scott, MD of Interactive Learning & Development (an employee-owned SME).

Research with Purpose in Action

This work exemplifies what we mean by “Research with purpose” here at UWE—one of our RISE pillars. We’re not just publishing papers; we’re actively helping organisations create work environments that maximise employee satisfaction, self-realisation, job meaningfulness, and performance.

The response has been incredibly encouraging. Several organisations that attended have already invited us to conduct ‘pre-post’ studies to help them reduce employee alienation in their own workplaces. This is exactly the kind of real-world impact we strive for.

What’s Next?

The feedback from delegates was overwhelmingly positive. Samuel Moles from Stephens Scown LLP captured it perfectly: “Brilliant new research from the Business School at UWE that shows employee ownership can address workplace alienation. Really valuable insight for businesses. Thanks Mario and Ed. More research please!”

And more research is exactly what we plan to deliver. The first stage of our study has been published in The International Journal of Human Resource Management, but this is just the beginning. We’re excited to work with forward-thinking organisations to explore how these insights can be applied in practice.

The Bigger Picture

As we face ongoing challenges around employee engagement and workplace satisfaction, understanding the nuanced relationship between ownership structures and alienation becomes increasingly important. Our research suggests that when done right, employee ownership can be a powerful tool for creating more fulfilling work experiences—but the emphasis must be on doing it right.

If you’re interested in learning more about our research or exploring how these findings might apply to your organisation, I’d love to hear from you. After all, the best research happens when academia and practice come together to solve real problems.

Professor Mario Vafeas is Professor of Marketing at Bristol Business School, UWE Bristol. His research focuses on value co-creation, customer experience, and workforce dynamics.

Work alienation. Is employee ownership the solution?

Author ripleywk | Posted on

Alienation: What is it?

Alienation may not be a word that’s used very often in relation to the workplace but perhaps it deserves more attention than it receives. In the context of work, it refers to employees who feel disconnected from their job, from their colleagues, and even from themselves. It will be no surprise that alienation has several negative consequences. It can lead to job dissatisfaction, a lack of commitment to the firm, a lack of ‘organizational citizenship’ behaviours, and potentially a reduction in wellbeing.

How does it come about?

There are four potential causes of alienation: feeling that you have limited control over your job and how you perform it (power); feeling that your job has limited value and/or you can’t see where it fits in the grand scheme of things (meaning); feeling emotionally or physically isolated at work (belonging); and feeling that you are not working to your full potential and/or your job does not fit with who you are (fulfilment).

What has all this got to do with employee ownership?

Given that employees in employed-owned (EO) firms have a stake in the business – both financial and decision making – we suspected they might experience less alienation.

Our research project

We wanted to find out what aspects of employee ownership impact alienation and to compare EO firms with conventional firms. We conducted two stages of research. The first was qualitative and consisted of one-to-one interviews, lasting about 45 minutes each, with 33 employees in EO firms. The second was quantitative consisting of a questionnaire which was circulated to EO and non-EO firms.

Research findings: Qualitative

We found a variety of characteristics and practices in EO firms that reduce alienation. Examples of these factors, which we’ve categorised, include:

Power

  • Psychological empowerment (control over one’s role, how it is performed, and expectations)
  • Structural empowerment (access to information and the opportunity to influence the firm’s practices).

Meaning

  • Psychological ownership (responsibility as an owner; pride; effort-reward balance)
  • Prosocial behaviour (socially responsible work; volunteering in the community)

Belonging

  • Collective (common goal; a family; equal benefits; inclusive language)

Fulfilment

  • Organizational support (professional development/fulfilment; organizational ethic of care)
  • Person-organization fit (compatibility between personal and the firm’s values)

Tensions

However, it wasn’t a perfect scorecard. We found several tensions which, if not managed, could alienate some employees and reduce the benefits of employee ownership. These were by no means universal but were evident in several firms:

Tension 1: Decisive leadership versus collective decision making

Some employees expected to have greater influence. When this didn’t materialize, they considered employee ownership to be a pseudo democracy. In contrast, some leaders said that collective decision making was too slow and that employees had unrealistic expectations.

Tension 2: Reward equality versus reward equity

Some felt aggrieved that everyone received the same bonus regardless of their level of involvement in employee ownership activities. This led them to question whether extra effort was worth it.

Tension 3: Contractual obligations versus non-contractual expectations

Some employees felt isolated because they didn’t ‘buy into’ the employee ownership ethos. They wanted to come to work to do their job without getting involved in employee ownership activities. Some leaders said there was a place for everyone, although in a minority of cases, there was an acceptance that those who didn’t feel comfortable would/should leave.

Tension 4: Information transparency versus information control

While a key aspect of employee ownership is information sharing, some employees felt overloaded and, particularly in relation to financial information, couldn’t always work out what was good and what was bad news. Some leaders said they were still trying to decide how much information to share.

Tension 5: Organizational citizenship versus work-life balance

Many took employee ownership duties seriously and got involved in various voice groups. However, this additional commitment could impact life at home.

Research findings: Quantitative

We asked a number of different questions to arrive at an overall score for alienation. We found that the average score for alienation in EO firms is about half that of conventional firms.

We found that levels of alienation are related to seniority. Senior staff are less likely to feel alienated than middle-ranking or junior staff. When we compared EO firms with conventional firms, although the mean score for alienation among senior staff was identical across both types of business, the score for middle ranking and junior staff was very much lower in EO firms compared with conventional firms. In other words, junior and middle ranking staff are much less likely to feel alienated in EO firms compared with conventional firms.  

When we looked at what factors influence alienation, there were some significant differences. In EO firms, meaning, belonging, and fulfilment are equally important in reducing alienation. Power has much less relevance. In conventional firms, the biggest driver of alienation is a lack of fulfilment.

There were differences too depending on level of seniority. For junior employees, power is not significant. What matters most is meaning, followed in equal measure by fulfilment and belonging. For middle ranking employees, power jumps up in importance. For senior staff, fulfilment has the strongest effect on levels of alienation.

We found no differences in alienation scores related to size of firm whether in EO firms or non-EO firms.

Key takeaways

1.Employees in EO firms are much less likely to feel alienated. However, conventional firms can implement many EO-type practices without transitioning to employee ownership.

2. Job meaningfulness, social belonging, and self-fulfilment matter more than perceptions of power. However, there are variations depending on level of seniority. Leaders need to be aware of, and manage, these differences.

3. To maximise the benefits of employee ownership, leaders need to be mindful of potential tensions and manage them to reduce their negative impact.

Research authors:

Professor Mario Vafeas and Dr Ed Little

Bristol Business School, University of the West of England.

The full article for the qualitative stage of this project is available in The International Journal of Human Resource Management: https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2024.2439258

Event: Building Brands marketing conference

Author ripleywk | Posted on

Building Brands Live is a major marketing conference coming to Bristol UWE on September 3, 2024. The event will be held at the Bristol Business School, UWE Bristol, Hosted by the Building Brands network in partnership with AMRG. It promises a full day of marketing insights, networking, and learning opportunities.

The conference includes 12 workshops led by South West-based subject matter experts and 3 keynote speeches from marketing industry leaders. Topics covered range from AI in marketing to sustainability, SEO, and brand building. Speakers include experts from Google, Inclued.AI, Roar!, and various marketing agencies.

Click here for more information, schedule & tickets

I caught up with the super-bubbly Jon Payne – He’s a Sales, Marketing and CRM consultant, who also heads up Marketing at Building Brands. We caught up to talk about why this event is such a big deal for both industry folks and researchers alike.

Building Brands Live sounds like it’s going to be a jam-packed day! What inspired you to bring this event to Bristol, and what can attendees expect that’s unique to the South West marketing scene?

Jon Payne – It really is going to be a big day, with so many useful sessions from inspiring speakers.

Dave Briggs, the wonderful man who founded Building Brands, was actually inspired to do so when he attended a similar event I used to run in Bristol. After running successful events in Plymouth and Exeter together, it made sense to come back here.

Attendees can expect a day filled with smiles, and while there’s no pressure to “network” most people find that they meet nice people in the queue for lunch or afternoon cakes. We get loads of feedback that people return to their jobs with a notebook full of practical ideas too, which is really why we do it.

You’ve got an impressive line up of speakers and workshops. How did you go about selecting such a diverse range of marketing experts?

Jon Payne – We find speakers who can give practical advice on their topic within a cohort who can cover a breadth of topics relevant to marketing in 2024. Thankfully, we’re lucky to know some very impressive people, so we create a long list we want to invite and then figure out who’s got space in their diary.

You mentioned the wide range of marketing topics covered in this conference, from AI to sustainability. How do you think these diverse subjects reflect the current state of marketing, especially for businesses in the South West?

Jon Payne – With all the new technology available to businesses (and their potential customers) it’s essential that we help marketers understand what bandwagons are ripe for jumping on and which are just a waste of time and resource.

Building Brands give delegates a tool kit which enables them to push back against some of the more impractical ideas their boss ‘heard down at the golf club’ while allowing them to sell initiatives internally that are more likely to show a return on investment. Remote working means if we’re not leading the conversation on this stuff, our work may shift to major hubs outside of the South West – I’d prefer that the area stays as creative and vibrant as it was when I moved here (and fell in love with it) 20 years ago. Building Brands Live gives people the opportunity to develop the unique cultural voice of the region so that the South West remains a place where creativity in marketing thrives.

”…I’d prefer that the area stays as creative and vibrant as it was when I moved here (and fell in love with it) 20 years ago…”

It’s great that Building Brands Live is collaborating with the Applied Marketing Research Group (AMRG) here at UWE Bristol. Can you tell us more about this partnership and why incorporating academic research is important for marketers?

Jon Payne – For Building Brands, the partnership with the AMRG was all about us being able to bring people to the amazing venue that is the Bristol Business School. We met with Mario, Tom, and the team, their enthusiasm for engaging with marketers working in the South West, and improving the way they do their jobs and it really sealed the deal.

Incorporating academic research is useful for marketers as it provides data-driven insights, fosters innovative strategies, and enhances credibility. By partnering with AMRG we hope our members might bridge theory and practice, driving more effective, informed marketing decisions.

Although it’s your first time in Bristol it’s not your first rodeo, Building Brands events happen across the South West and beyond – tickets for these events usually sell out, which is fantastic! What do you think it is about Building Brands that resonates so much with the marketing community, and what’s your vision for the future of Building Brands?

”…Building Brands Live gives us a place to get together, have a laugh and learn things – quite a change from our day to day!”

Jon Payne – Napoleon once described England as “a nation of shopkeepers” and while in modern Britain that’s not the case, what powers the economy is small to medium sized businesses. In the SME environment, the marketing dept (sometimes just one person) can be an isolating place to be. Building Brands Live gives us a place to get together, have a laugh and learn things – quite a change from our day to day!

And finally, (I promise) give me your elevator pitch;  If you had to sum up the main reason to attend Building Brands Live in just one sentence, what would it be?

Jon Payne – Building Brands Live provides some inspirational time away from your desk, the amazing speakers will give you heaps of ideas AND we’ll feed you, all for less than the price of a return ticket to London.

Building Brands is coming to UWE Bristol on the 3rd of September.

You can find out more and register to attend here

Encouraging people to drive less

Author ripleywk | Posted on

Author: Tom Bowden-Green

Cars undoubtedly offer many benefits, but they also contribute to pollution and congestion within our cities.  Many national and local governments around the world are therefore trying to reduce car use where alternatives are available.  The long-term aim is the improvement of public health, through both increased exercise and better air quality.

This type of marketing; for broader public benefits, is often referred to as social marketing.  Previous collaboration between practitioners and academics here in Bristol has, for example, included work to increase exercise and reduce alcohol consumption.  Social marketing also offers many opportunities to investigate and apply a range of psychological theories outside of a typical academic environment.

From an academic perspective, there are many theories that explain our motivation to drive a car, and likewise our potential motivation to stop.  We recently worked with a local authority to understand motivation to drive less according to Self Determination Theory (SDT).  SDT is a theory developed many years ago, which differentiates broadly between behaviour that is internally-driven (intrinsic) and that which is guided by external reward or punishment (extrinsic).

Generally-speaking, the theory suggests that intrinsic behaviour is more likely to lead to longer-term commitment.  Social marketers seeking changes to behaviour are therefore keen to develop techniques that encourage intrinsic behaviour.  In relation to driving, this might mean less reliance on fines and penalties for example.

Overall, our research found that the strongest motive for driving less is ‘identified’ motivation: a blend of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation where a person ‘identifies’ the personal benefit of adopting a new behaviour to meet their own own goals. 

We then also sought to understand what communicators can do to encourage such behaviour.  For example, the ‘social proof’ principle suggests that behaviour is often adopted when we see others who we perceive as similar to us.  Using this principle, communicators often present case studies to encourage others.  However, our findings on this project suggest that whilst people are able to recognise the motivation shown by others within case studies, they don’t seem to use motivation as a dimension for judging similarity.  This means that whereas people perhaps judge similarity according to gender, they don’t seem to recognise similarity to others according to motivation.

This is an interesting finding which is likely to prompt more research questions and perhaps further studies.  In practical terms, it suggests that social marketers ought to focus on presenting case studies that are similar in more obvious ways to the intended audience (e.g. demographically similar).  This is a small part of a longer-term challenge though, as researchers continue to search for techniques that encourage internally-driven behaviour to benefit wider society through social marketing.

Dr. Tom Bowden-Green is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and behavioural science researcher at Bristol Business School, UWE Bristol. With over a decade of experience in higher education he is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Prior to academia, he spent 11 years in consultancy, ultimately as an Associate Director at Grayling in Bristol. Tom teaches digital marketing at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and previously launched and led the MSc Digital Marketing program for five years until 2023. His research focuses on consumer behaviour in online environments, with a particular interest in the influence of personality on social media behaviour. His expertise lies in digital marketing, social media, psychology, and behavioural science.

Visitor Experience and Perceptions of Hyperreality at Cultural Attractions

Author jyotishaw | Posted on

Dr Chen Chen’s recently completed PhD studies hyperreality at cultural attractions. While there has been a focus on the impact of digital productions and their benefits to the tourism industry, there has been very little research into what types of technologies can provide visitors with the most immersive experience. Dr Chen’s study addresses this issue from the perspective of visitors themselves.

Several researchers have suggested that tourism works as fantasies and dreams, Thus, the concept of hyperreality is tailor-made for tourism destination developments. The essence of hyperreality is the state of ‘more real than real’. In the context of tourism, the representation of the spectacle in question has blurred the line between reality and illusion, convincing the audience to believe ‘it is real’ even though they know their surrounding environments are simulated.

Conceptual Framework of the Research

Dr Chen’s research examined three phases of the visitor experience: before, during, and after. Objectives included the identification of the role of hyperreal representation and of emerging technologies, and the investigation of visitor perceptions and immersive experience at hyperreal attractions.

Four attractions in three different countries were selected for the research with Dr Cen spending up to two weeks at each case study site. The observation stage of the research included two phases: observing as a visitor (an insider) and observing as a researcher (an outsider). The first stage allowed Dr Chen to get a sense of the atmosphere and surrounding environment at the attraction. This was achieved by creating onsite paintings and quick sketches to capture first impressions and emotions that words could not express.

Visual methods: ‘being there’ as an insider

The second stage involved producing observation checklists including the representation, themes, and visitor behaviours at each attraction. The observation stage was followed by semi-structured interviews with managers/producers and visitors.

Regarding the Dreams of Dali VR and Brunel’s SS Great Britain, two themes – technology and sensations – emerged. Both organizations develop hyperreal productions to attract visitors, raise brand awareness, and provide visitors with an immersive experience. The Dreams of Dali applies VR with headsets to allow its audience to fully immerse themselves in a 3D world, such as flying to the top of the tower, meeting Alice Cooper, or interacting with the ringing lobster telephone. The SS Great Britain uses the form of living museum to bring history alive by combining AR, reconstructed Victorian style furniture, and manikins in physical environments. Unlike other attractions, the organization has produced simulated olfactory to enhance the visitors’ authentic feelings. One unexpected result emerged from the visitor’s aspect: similar to previous studies, the Dali museum considers digital productions as the core driving force to motivate their audience to visit the attraction. However, the findings from the visitor perspective are the reverse.

Findings from the visitor aspect

Most of the visitors had bee exposed to similar digital experiences before and were familiar with such digital applications. However, most of them were not aware of the existence of hyperreal productions before their visit to the attraction. The experience exceeded their expectations.

The research revealed that the relationship between the visitors’ immersive experience and multiple sensations is a process. Visual effects play a crucial role in the early stage of the level of immersion. The well-produced representation sets up the atmosphere and themes, allowing visitors to get familiar with their surrounding environments. Simultaneously, the simulated sound effects enhance the interpretation that leads visitors to step into the hyperreal world. Olfactory enhances visitors’ authentic feelings of the moment, convincing them to believe they are inside an illusion, which allows them to better understand the interpretation of the attraction. It further triggers their intentions to interact with the surrounding environments and people on-site as part of the scene. In addition, the tactile refers to visitors’ interactions with their surrounding environments and others that make them ‘be there’. The research confirmed that visitors complete the last step of a fully immersive experience through their creativity and subjectivity. In the last step, they have become the co-creators of ‘travels in hyperreality’.

However, the findings from the Dreams of Dali in VR revealed that emerging technologies could not provide visitors with a fully immersive experience. Technical issues and time restrictions have cut off feelings of immersion in the interaction stage, failing to let them become co-creators in the last step by using their subjectivity.

Findings of co-creation experience

In summary, hyperreality in tourism is constructed by both organizations and visitors. Visitors are the sole creators of the hyperreal experience, and their understanding of the narratives add the final link to the last step of a fully immersive experience. In the figure, the external factor refers to the organizations’ contributions to the hyperreal productions. The interactions work as a bridge to link visitors with digital productions. They become the co-creators of ‘travels in hyperreality’ through interactions with their surrounding environments and others on-site, and by combining their subjectivity and imagination.

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