Appointment: Johanna Gollnhofer

1 February 2019. Dr. Johanna Gollnhofer, born on June 7, 1987, is a German citizen.

She graduated from the University of Passau in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in cultural economics and in 2012 with a master's degree in business administration. She then completed her doctorate in business administration at the University of St.Gallen (HSG) in 2015. The title of her doctoral thesis is "Diving into Consumerism - Exploring Tensions in Alternative Markets". Her doctoral thesis was supervised by Prof. Dr. John Schouten. From 2013 to 2015 she worked as a research assistant at the Institute for Customer Insight at the University of St.Gallen. Afterwards, she spent a year as a visiting researcher at the Aalto University School of Business in Helsinki, Finland. In 2016, she returned to the University of St.Gallen as a post-doctoral fellow. Since July 2016, she has been an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.

Analysis of consumer behaviour using qualitative methods

The focus of her sociologically motivated research is on consumer behaviour, which she investigates using qualitative methods. This approach complements the primarily quantitative approaches of other consumer researchers at the HSG. In this respect, she is an enrichment for the HSG not only in terms of content but also methodologically. Prof. Dr. Johanna Gollnhofer’s research papers are internationally recognised. Her research has been reviewed and published in high-profile journals.

Digital marketing

The focus of Johanna Gollnhofer’s research is currently on digital marketing, which she explores using ethnographic methods. Together with company partners, she addresses questions about how consumers interact with voice interfaces, automate consumer decisions, and use algorithms to optimise their consumption. Thanks to her approach, Ms. Gollnhofer has gained insights into the actual user behaviour of consumers.

Food and nutrition

Johanna Gollnhofer has acquired an excellent reputation on the subject of food and nutrition. She meanwhile advises the British Parliament on food legislation. In addition, she has published in public policy journals. This shows that she is also concerned with consumer protection at a macro level. She is a sought-after expert in both scientific and general media.

 
Teaching experience at all university levels

Prof. Dr. Johanna Gollnhofer has extensive teaching experience at all university levels, including executive education. The feedback on her classes is outstanding and reflects her commitment to teaching. The variety of topics and approaches that she applies in teaching is also impressive. She is fully qualified and well placed to make an important contribution to teaching at the HSG.