MizzouForward Keynote

From Past Insights to Emerging Opportunities: My Research Trajectory and Future Vision at Mizzou

November 13th | 10:00 am – 11:00 am

205 Cornell Hall

Join us for “From Past Insights to Emerging Opportunities: My Research Trajectory and Future Vision at Mizzou” a keynote presentation by Dr. Ben Lee, Trulaske College of Business - Marketing, MizzouForward faculty candidate.  Dr. Lee will present on his research for approximately 40-minutes with a 20-minute question and answer session to follow.

Dr. Ben Lee is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend. He earned his PhD in marketing from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. His research investigates how firm-level strategic marketing decisions impact firm outcomes and performance, specifically within two streams: (1) upper echelon marketing strategy and (2) product-market competition.
His research has appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, European Journal of Marketing, Harvard Business Review, and the Academy of Marketing Science Review.

Dr. Lee’s research investigates how firms’ marketing decisions influence performance, centering on two main areas: (1) upper echelons marketing strategy and (2) product–market competition. Within these domains, he has published four academic and one managerial article, including two in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science and one in the European Journal of Marketing. He is currently revising six papers at various R&R stages: two at JM (3rd round), one at JAMS (3rd round), and three at JM/JMR (2nd round). His work in upper echelons marketing strategy examines (1) how marketing leaders shape firm outcomes (e.g., CMOs’ impact on data-breach likelihood) and (2) how strategic leaders affect marketing issues (e.g., board interlocks and product differentiation). In product–market competition, he explores how firms’ marketing strategies mitigate or respond to competitive pressures. His research takes a multidisciplinary approach, integrating marketing, organizational, and economic theories. For instance, his 2021 JAMS article bridges marketing strategy and upper echelons theory. Methodologically, while he primarily employs panel-data econometrics using large-scale secondary data (e.g., text analysis), he often adopts multi-method designs—combining quasi-experiments, lab experiments, and interviews—to build robust evidence. His work has been recognized by both scholars and practitioners. His 2021 JAMS paper was a finalist for the 2022 JAMS Best Paper Award, and my 2024 JAMS publication garnered practitioner interest following coverage in Harvard Business Review and Forbes.

You can access Dr. Lee’s CV via OneDrive here:  Ben Lee_CV.pdf (University log in required to access)

After the keynote, please provide candidate feedback with our brief survey.