Dr Katie Dunn PhD, FHEA, MSc, BA (Hons)
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Summary
I am a Senior Lecturer in the Marketing subject group at Sheffield Business School. I earned my PhD in Marketing from Hull University Business School and have previously held roles as a Visiting Lecturer at York St John University.
My PhD explored how user-generated content on social media influences consumer perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR), with particular focus on the food retail industry. I have since published in this field in journals such as Journal of Marketing Management. I have been awarded grants from Academy of Marketing and BA/Leverhulme for projects in the fields of CSR and sustainable consumption. I was also awarded a SHU Early Career Research and Innovation Fellowship in 2021.
Prior to joining academia, I worked in marketing in industry at organisations including Deloitte LLP. I am a mixed methods researcher, with experience of running experiments, structural equation modelling and qualitative studies. My research interests include corporate social responsibility, sustainability, social media, unethical corporate behaviour, and ethical/sustainable consumption.
About
Qualifications
- 2018: Post Graduate Certificate - Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom
- 2018: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- 2016: PhD in Marketing, University of Hull, United Kingdom
- 2009: MSc Business Management (Distinction), University of Hull, United Kingdom
- 2008: BA (Hons) in English Literature, University of Hull, United Kingdom
Member of professional body:
Membership: 2018 - present - Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Teaching expertise
- Marketing and Business Ethics
Research
- Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, social media, unethical corporate behaviour / crises, ethical consumption.
Lecturer in Marketing
Teaching expertise
- Marketing and Business Ethics
Research
- Corporate social responsibility, social media, unethical corporate behaviour / crises, ethical consumption
Teaching
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
Subject Area
Marketing
Research
Social media interventions: A tool for reducing young adults' plastic consumption?
Widespread consumer (mis)use of plastics has significant negative environmental impacts, including increased litter, waste and pollution. Young adults feel particular pressure to solve environmental issues such as plastic waste, but are ill-equipped to make a difference. This study explores and tests tools that can effectively engage and educate young adults to reduce plastic consumption. Prior research identifies that social media interventions can change young peoples' behaviour towards healthy eating, reducing obesity, increasing fitness and reducing food waste. Thus far, the application of social media interventions in reducing plastic consumption has not been investigated. This project, funded by BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants, uses experimentation and qualitative inquiry to identify the most effective social media interventions in educating young people about reducing plastic consumption. The study identifies how organisations can develop 'best practice' to positively affect plastic use reduction in young people and engagement in environmentally sustainable behaviour.
Publications
Key Publications
Dunn, K., & Harness, D. (2019). Whose voice is heard? The influence of user-generated versus company-generated content on consumer scepticism towards CSR. Journal of Marketing Management. http://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2019.1605401
Dunn, K., & Harness, D. (2018). Communicating corporate social responsibility in a social world: The effects of company-generated and user-generated social media content on CSR attributions and scepticism. Journal of Marketing Management, 34 (17-18), 1503-1529. http://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2018.1536675
Journal articles
Dunn, K., & Grimes, A. (2022). Speed and symmetry: Developing effective organisational responses to social media criticism of CSR. Computers in Human Behavior, 134. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107336
Book chapters
Dunn, K. (2024). CSR scepticism. In Podnar, K. (Ed.) Elgar Encyclopedia of Corporate Communication. (pp. 514-518). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing: http://doi.org/10.4337/9781802200874.ch84
Dunn, K. (2024). Consumer scepticism. In Podnar, K. (Ed.) Elgar Encyclopedia of Corporate Communication. (pp. 507-513). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing: http://doi.org/10.4337/9781802200874.ch83
Presentations
Dunn, K. (2019). Does online chatter matter? – The effect of user-generated content and company response on consumers’ perceptions of CSR communication. Presented at: 52nd Academy of Marketing Conference, Regent’s University London, UK
Dunn, K. (2018). Social Media - whose voice matters? : Challenges for CSR communication in the UK food retail sector. Presented at: 25th Annual International Vincentian Business Ethics Conference, New York, USA, 2018
Dunn, K. (2017). Communicating corporate social responsibility in a social world: The effect of consumer-generated content on consumer scepticism. Presented at: 50th Academy of Marketing Conference, University of Hull, UK
Dunn, K. (2015). The impact of consumer-generated social media on consumer attributions and behaviour towards UK supermarkets CSR.
Dunn, K. (2014). An exploration of the effects of uncontrolled social media on consumer perceptions and responses to supermarkets’ corporate social responsibility.
Dunn, K. (2011). UK supermarkets' corporate social responsibility activities - real or marketing rhetoric: A consumer perspective.
Other activities
Research Grant awards: Academy of Marketing grant (2018). 'Does online chatter matter? The moderating role of user-generated content on consumer trust and scepticism toward corporate social responsibility communication'.
Postgraduate supervision
2 x PhD supervisions: 2 students in the fields of strategy and vegan consumption.
2 x DBA supervisions: 2 students in the fields of digital servitization and innovation.
I am interested in supervising PhD students with an interest in the fields of corporate social responsibility, sustainability and social media and welcome enquiries from prospective students.