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Dr. Lena Cavusoglu is an Assistant Professor of Marketing and Interim Director of the MBA Program at 51����. She teaches a wide range of graduate and undergraduate courses, including Marketing Research Design and Analysis, Marketing Management, AI, Emerging Technology and Business, Strategic Management, Social Media Marketing, and Digital Marketing. Her commitment to teaching excellence was recognized with 51����’s Outstanding Educator Award in 2025.

In addition to her role at 51����, Dr. Cavusoglu is a Research Fellow at the University of Southern California (since 2023) under the supervision of Professor Robert V. Kozinets. Dr. Cavusoglu’s research focuses on transformative consumer research and consumer culture theory. More specifically, her scholarship examines diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in marketplaces, with particular attention to creative industries such as advertising, film and entertainment, social and digital media, fashion, and beauty. Her work explores how marketplace structures, representations, and practices shape consumer experiences, identities, and inclusion.

Her research has been published in leading international peer-reviewed journals, including the European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Qualitative Market Research, Journal of Global Marketing, and Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.

Dr. Cavusoglu’s research has received several international honors, including the 2023 Best Film Award from the Association for Consumer Research (ACR), the Runner-Up Award for Best Consumer Culture Theory Competitive Paper at ACR Asia-Pacific 2024, and the Highly Commended Paper Award at the 2025 International Social Marketing Conference. These recognitions reflect the relevance and impact of her scholarship within the broader consumer research and marketing communities.

Beyond 51����, Dr. Cavusoglu has contributed to teaching and scholarship across international academic settings. She has served as a visiting professor and shared her expertise with institutions in the United States, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting her commitment to global engagement in marketing education and research.

Education

2019 — Ph.D. in Business Administration, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey
2013 — �Ѳ����ٱ��’s in International Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
2011 — �Ѳ����ٱ��’s in Strategic Design: Design of the Value Offering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
2009 — B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey

Research Interests

• Transformative Consumer Research: marketplace inclusion/exclusion, consumption experiences of disempowered consumers
• Consumer Culture Theory: experiential, sociological and cultural dimensions of consumption
• Critical Marketing: psycho-social influence of digital marketing practices such as AI and social media on consumers
• Methodological Orientation: qualitative research methods

Selected Publications

Selected peer-reviewed journal publications

1. Testa, D. and Cavusoglu, L. (2026) “”,&�Բ�����;Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Vol. 17 (2), 113-132.
2. Cavusoglu, L., and Belk, R. (2025) “”,&�Բ�����;Journal of Global Marketing, Vol. 59 (1) 1-13.
3. Cavusoglu, L. and Demirbag-Kaplan, M. (2025), “,” Journal of Consumer Affairs, Vol. 59 (1).
4. Cavusoglu, L., and Belk, R. (2024) “”, Qualitative Market Research, Vol. 27 No. 3, 413-432.
5. Cavusoglu, L. and Atik, D. (2022), “,” Journal of Consumer Affairs, 1-31.
6. Atik, D., Cavusoglu, L., Ozdamar-Ertekin, Z. and A. Firat, F. (2022) “,” Journal of Consumer Behavior, 21(5), 1135-1148.
7. Cavusoglu, L. and Atik, D. (2021), “”, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 38 (5), 514-524
8. Cavusoglu, L. and Atik, D. (2021), “e”, Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 6(4), 474-490.
9. Cavusoglu, L. and Demirbag-Kaplan, M. (2017), “,” European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 5, 11/12, pp. 2054-2079.

 Book chapters

1. Cavusoglu, L. and Demirbag-Kaplan, M. (in press), "Exoticism in Marketing: The Cultural Commodification of Otherness" in the Encylopedia of Marketing, Ed. Tareq Rasul, Elsevier Publishing. 
2. Cavusoglu, L. and Atik, D. (2025), “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): A path to Social Sustainability in the Fashion Industry” in the “,” Eds. Philip Kotler and Khalid Hasan, Sutherland House Books Publishing, Toronto, Canada.
3. Cavusoglu, L. and Atik, D. (2022), “White Gaze in Fashion Markets” in “,” eds. Rebeca Perren, Camille Schuster, Glen Brodowsky, Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 88-103, ISBN: 978 1 80088 004 

Grants and Awards 

Research Awards 

1. Story-Dondero Politics and the Economy Grant | 2026 | 51���� 
   For the project “Beyond Pretty, Pink, Plastic: Diverse Barbie Dolls and Self-Presentation” 
2. Highly Commended Paper Award | International Social Marketing Conference | 2025
   For the project ""
3. Best Consumer Culture Theory Competitive Paper Runners-Up Award | Association for Consumer Research Asia-Pacific Conference | 2024 
   For the project “Reclaiming Identity in the Face of Stigma”
4. Story-Dondero Politics and the Economy Grant | 2024 | 51���� 
   For the project “Diving into Consumer Reviews: Mobile Ethnography”
5. Kate Garrison “Overcoming the Odds” Award, 51���� | 2024    
   This research award recognizes a faculty who has shown pioneering spirit, trailblazing efforts, or innovation in advancing justice and equity, particularly for individuals from underrepresented racial and/or ethnic backgrounds.
6. Faculty Development Grant 51���� | 2024 | 51����   
   For the project “Diving into Consumer Reviews: Mobile Ethnography”
7. “Best Film” Award, Association for Consumer Research Conference | 2023   
     For the project “Face Value”  

Teaching Awards 

Outstanding Educator of the Year Award, College of Business, 51���� | 2025

Professional Memberships

Association of Consumer Research (ACR)
Consumer Culture Theory Consortium (CCTC)
American Marketing Association (AMA)
American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI)
Association for Netnographic Research

Professional Society Positions

• Organizing chair the Global Netnography Conference (Netnocon) 2026 conference, Izmir, Turkiye | 2025 - 2026
• Co-chair of the The Global Netnography Conference (Netnocon) conference program | 2024-2025

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