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School of Business

PhD student profile

Qualifications: BA/B.Bus Ballarat (2002), B.Bus (Hons) Swinburne (2004), Cert. 2 Telecommunications (2003), Cert. 3 Telecommunications (2006), PhD Candidature La Trobe (Current/Part-time) (2005 - Present).

Research Topic: The Need for Imagination and the purchase of leisure software products: a cross-national comparison.

Details: Imagination in consumer behaviour is an under utilized however important topic. This research project adopting Kosslyn's (1994) model of image information processing and seeks to apply it to industry and synthesize intra-individual differences in image processing abilities with Gountas' (2003) personality orientation theory. Similar to Cacioppo and Petty's (1982) need for cognition theory, the need for Imagination seeks to model an individual’s intrinsic propensity to engage in imaginative thinking in the consumer decision making process. This construct is being tested against the leisure software industry and seeks to compare consumers from both Western and Asian cultures.

Research Interests

• Imagination, fantasy and consumer behaviour
• Cross cultural and international marketing in transitional economies, cross cultural cognition and Asian consumer behavior
• Theory in Marketing
• Neuromarketing Modelling
• Epistemology and the Philosophy of Mind

Publications/ Conferences/ Seminars:

2007

• Working Paper: Neurological considerations for image information processing of post modern adverts
• Working Paper: Personality Orientation and Entertainment Appeal
• PhD. Confirmation Presentation: The Need for Imagination and the purchase of leisure software: a cross-national comparison, February 20th 2007
• Mason, S.E. (2007) BRAIN: Image information processing, personality and consumer decision making: a neurologically based perspective, poster, 1st Annual Symposium on Neuromarketing, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia February 16th
• Attended 1st Annual Symposium on Neuromarketing: The neuroscience of consumer choice
• Completing PhD literature review and designing research methodology

2006

• Mason, S.E. (2006) Consumer Behaviour and Imagination: a theoretical approach towards a typology, ANZMAC Conference, Brisbane, Australia
• Attended and presented at ANZMAC Conference in Brisbane at QUT, Dec. 4th - 6th
• Staff Seminar: September 7th 2006, The need for imagination and consumer decision making

2005

• Commenced PhD in Second Semester Part Time
• Developed PhD topic

Industry Experience

• 3 years in insurance in a sales and customer service capacity
• 5 years combined experience in sales in insurance and utilities industries

Awards Prizes

• Represented Ballarat University in development of student exchange and employment programs (1999-2001)
• Runner up in Ballarat Entrepreneur Group and Innovation Network Business Planning Competition; Competing on Behalf of Life Flight (http://www.lifeflight.org.au)
• Participated in nanochemical musical recomposition projects at Swinburne (2003-2004)
• Achieved 73% overall for Honours Program