ARC: Connections: ELMAR: Posting

2011 ACR/Sheth Foundation Dissertation Grants for Topics in
Cross-Cultural and Public Purpose Consumer Research

1. The purpose of these grants is to support the data collection efforts of new dissertations or those in the preliminary stages of development; awards are designed for dissertation projects initiated in academic year 2010-2011 and designed for completion in 2011-2012.
2. Eligible dissertation topics can deal with any aspect of (1) cross-cultural or global consumer behavior or (2) the public purpose of consumer research, which includes studies of social marketing issues or transformative consumer research as related to individual, family, societal, or ecological well-being. Topics in the public purpose track can range from “bright-side” issues in consumer behavior (e.g., voluntary simplicity, environmentally efficacious behaviors, healthy eating, possession sharing/communal consumption, household saving and retirement, exercise) to “dark-side” issues in consumer behavior (e.g., addictions, crime, homelessness, poverty, excessive gambling, credit card debt, obesity), and also include other general subjects such as financial literacy, health care decision making, product safety, computer entertainment and virtual reality, elderly consumers, and handicapped consumers.
3. Ph.D. candidates at the post-comprehensive exam, dissertation stage should submit proposals after June 12, 2011 but no later than June 20, 2011.
4. Proposals must be submitted as Word attachments via e-mail to Professor David Mick (McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia) at dmick@virginia.edu. David currently serves as the Liaison of the Association for Consumer Research to the Sheth Foundation.
5. There is a firm limit for proposals of 12 double-spaced pages, including references and all tables/figures (12-point font and one-inch margins). The first page should include the title and abstract but no author information.
6. The proposal should describe the research objectives, overview the proposed methodology, and specify anticipated contributions.
7. Proposals are to be e-mailed with a cover letter from the applicant’s dissertation advisor. Please include e-mail and regular mail addresses for both the applicant and advisor. Also, the cover letter must specify the track in which the proposal is to be judged—either the cross-cultural/global track or the public purpose track.
8. A committee of consumer behavior scholars will evaluate the proposals and make selection decisions. Standard selection criteria will be invoked (importance, sophistication, rigor, etc.). Particular emphasis will be placed on whether the proposed research addresses important and exciting questions about either of the two general topic areas described above.
9. Awardees will be selected and notified in August 2011. Funds will be discharged shortly thereafter. Awardees will also receive a plaque at the ACR Annual North American Conference in October 2011.
10. The only stipulation in accepting this award is that the recipients acknowledge the financial contribution of the Sheth Foundation in any forthcoming publications extending from the grant.
11. Please address questions to David Mick by e-mail via dmick@virginia.edu.