Would you like to develop socially relevant research with an impact on diversity and inclusion in society? Are you interested in digging deeper into social media and the virtual world from an inclusive marketing perspective? Do you want to investigate the effect of virtual characters on inclusion considering minority as well as majority consumers? Do you enjoy working independently with large degrees of freedom, but still be part of a supportive and knowledgeable research team?
Then join our team on an exciting research project funded by AUFF Nova.
Aarhus BSS Graduate School, Aarhus University invites applicants for a Ph D Scholarship in connection with the research project ‘The Effect of Virtual Characters on Inclusion in the Market’ in the Ph D Programme Management.
The research project
Virtual (i.e., digital) characters are increasingly used as marketing mediums on social media platforms – a trend providing disruptive possibilities as well as ethical concerns. The flexibility in character creation gives companies the chance to step into the diversity scene and embrace inclusion, by representing traditionally undervalued consumer segments. The VICIM project aims to understand the effect of virtual characters on consumers’ feeling of inclusion in the market.

The project is funded by AUFF Nova. The research team consists of associate professor Lina F. Jacobsen (project holder) (AU), associate professor Anne O. Peschel (AU), associate professor Susanne Pedersen (AU), and professor Eva Kipnis (University of Bradford). The project is anchored in the Branding and Retail unit at Department of Management, AU.
Job description
In the project, we will be focusing on some overall areas:

• The influence of virtual character representation in marketing communication on inclusion in the market.
• The mechanisms explaining these effects.
• The application of the findings in the meta-verse.

The Ph D project is to be carried out as part of the research project. The Ph D student´s role in the overall research areas listed above will depend on the chosen candidate and the candidates Ph D project related to the topic of the overall project.
During the project you will complete a Ph D education as described in the rules and regulations for the Ph D programme
Your qualifications
We are looking for a candidate who:

• Has a relevant master’s degree with knowledge of theories and methods in areas such as consumer behavior, marketing management strategy, marketing communication, retailing, cognitive science, sociology, and/or psychology.

• Has experience with quantitative consumer research and is passionate about conducting innovative, high-quality research with societal impact.
• Is fluent in English. Danish language is a plus but not a requirement.
• Experience with virtual reality is a plus.
  

Further information
For further information about the position, please contact Professor Lina Fogt Jacobsen Tel.: +45 2514 6589, Email: linaj@mgmt.au.dk

If you need help uploading your application or have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR supporter Maria Grauert Bodin Tel.: +45 8715 3445, Email: mgb@au.dk.
Who we are
The Department of Management is one of the six departments at Aarhus BSS, one of the five faculties at Aarhus University. Aarhus BSS unites the business and social science-related research fields and brings them closer together to reflect the close relationship between society and the business community. As part of a Top 100 university, Aarhus BSS, and specifically the Department of Management, has achieved the distinguished AASCB, AMBA and Equis accreditations - the latter specifically applying to the school’s core business activities.

The department’s research and teaching environment is highly international and culturally diverse with a mix of Danish and international academic staff members and Ph D students. We employ more than 160 academic staff including researchers, Ph D students, and research associates and cover a broad range of disciplines within management. We aim to conduct high-quality research, and we give high priority to publishing our research in leading academic journals and presenting it at recognised conferences. In addition, we have a dynamic exchange of international researchers, who stay at the department for a shorter or longer period.

For more information about the Department of Management, please visit: http://mgmt.au.dk/.
Place of work
Department of Management
Fuglsangs Allé 4
8210 Aarhus V
Denmark

Krav og vilkår
Du kan læse mere om krav til ansøgningen i vores ansøgningsvejledning samt finde regler og retningslinjer for ph.d.-uddannelsen her.
Når vi bedømmer ansøgerne, lægger vi særlig vægt på følgende kriterier:

• ansøgerens akademiske kvalifikationer (bedømmes ud fra den adgangsgivende eksamen)
• kvaliteten og relevansen af projektbeskrivelsen
• ansøgers akademiske studieegnethed og evne til at gennemføre projektet inden for rammerne af ph.d.-forløbet.

Du kan læse mere om bedømmelsesprocedure og -udvalg udpeget af dekanen her.

Vi opfordrer ansøgere til at vedlægge dokumentation for, hvor de karaktermæssigt ligger placeret på deres årgang (både på bachelor- og kandidatniveau). Du kan for eksempel vedlægge et brev fra dit universitet, som angiver, hvor du ligger placeret i forhold til andre studerende ("ligger nummer 6 ud af 111" eller "ligger blandt de 8 % bedste"). Hvis dette ikke er muligt, kan du vedlægge en oversigt over, hvilke karakterer der blev givet på dit universitet det år, hvor du afsluttede din uddannelse.

Bemærk, at Aarhus BSS Graduate School forbeholder sig retten til at bedømme ansøgningerne ud fra den dokumentation, du har indsendt inden ansøgningsfristens udløb. Du vil altså ikke nødvendigvis skulle vise yderligere dokumentation. Derudover forbeholder Aarhus BSS Graduate School sig ret til, at afvise ansøgninger der ikke opfylder kravene i ansøgningsvejledningen (se link ovenfor). Indskrivningsvilkår
Ph.d.-studerende ved Aarhus BSS Graduate School er altid indskrevet. Indskrivning sker i henhold til bekendtgørelsen om ph.d.-uddannelse ved universiteterne og visse kunstneriske uddannelsesinstitutioner (ph.d.-bekendtgørelsen) nr. 1039 af 27. august 2013 og vilkår beskrevet i ”regler og retningslinjer for ph.d.-uddannelsen ved Aarhus BSS Graduate School. Begge kan findes her.
Hvis relevant: Hvis du indskrives på del A af det 4- eller 5-årige forløb, vil du modtage et SU ph.d.-stipendie i henhold til reglerne beskrevet i bekendtgørelse af lov om statens uddannelsesstøtte (SU-loven). Derudover vil du blive tilbudt lønnet arbejde i op til 280 timer under din del A indskrivning. Ansættelsesvilkår
Hvis du tilbydes ansættelse på Aarhus Universitet i forbindelse med indskrivning på det 3-årige forløb, sker ansættelsen i henhold til bekendtgørelse om stillingsstruktur for videnskabeligt personale ved universiteter og cirkulæret om overenskomst for akademikere i staten. Jobbeskrivelsen og krav til kvalifikationer er beskrevet nærmere i bekendtgørelse om stillingsstruktur for videnskabeligt personale ved universiteter

Du kan læse mere om de 3-, 4- og 5-årige forløb her.

Aarhus Universitet vil være en attraktiv og inspirerende arbejdsplads for alle og ønsker en kultur, hvor hver enkelt kan udfolde og udvikle sig. Vi ser ligestilling og diversitet som en styrke og opfordrer derfor alle interesserede til at ansøge.