Dr. Vasileios (Bill) Davvetas, Leeds University Business School, UK
The palpable shifts in the global socioeconomic order have led to the emergence of new marketplace phenomena, which offer unique research opportunities for marketing researchers. Bill will touch upon three of the most important modern marketing challenges in the consumer domain, namely, the increase in global immigration, the rise in citizens’ antiglobal attitudes, and the development of consumer movements battling the exercise of unfair marketplace power. Drawing on his current research in progress, he will discuss recent findings around (1) how immigrants’ acculturation affects their behavior as host country customers and their participation in host country services, (2) how local brands have turned the tables to their favour by successfully confronting established global players as exponents of consumers’ antiglobal sentiment and (3) how the rise in preference for products and services marketed by independent firms can be explained and strategically leveraged by small market players. He will conclude with the theoretical, managerial and social implications of these findings as well as by providing ideas how marketing research can contribute to the challenges of a constantly reshaping marketplace.

Dr. Karolos – Konstantinos Papadas, The York Management School, UK
There’s no alternative to sustainable development. This fact raises the question of whether Generation Y can leave the future generations with the same or a larger amount of resources than we have now. Still, many companies believe that the more environmentally-friendly they become, the less competitive will end up due to the added costs and the lack of immediate financial benefits. Karolos will try to challenge this view based on the findings of his recent research on green marketing strategy and firm competitiveness. In addition to this discussion, Karolos will also talk about the importance of bringing academia closer to the industry in today’s complex world that needs cross-sectoral synergies more than ever to address current social and environmental needs.

Dr. Lamprini (Abby) Piha, Department of Economics, University of Athens, Greece.
Abby will focus her discussion on two emerging marketing topics. First, along with recent theoretical assertions, she will challenge the long-held view that a market orientation is the only legitimate guiding model for business success. Given that during the past years organizations have embraced a market orientation concept and its purported benefits, an intensely competitive landscape has been created and market orientation has changed from being a success provider to being a failure preventer and a cost of competing. Abby will discuss her research findings that reinforce this view and provide new directions for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Second, she will touch upon the current need for marketing to help individuals, and especially millennials, to find their unique characteristics in the job market and stand out. In a changing world of high unemployment rates and increased competition in the labor marketplace, she will elaborate on a relatively new branding field, namely personal branding and its importance for individuals’ career success.

Mrs Katerina Polyzoi, Senior Manager, Advisory Family Business, KPMG, Greece.
KPMG European Barometer: Trends and Insights
Family Businesses play an essential role in the European economy. Throughout Europe, 14 million family businesses provide over 60 million private sector jobs and family businesses represent anywhere from 55% to 90% of businesses depending on the country. KPMG and EFB (European Family Businesses) for the last 7 years, have been annually surveying family businesses in over 20 countries in Europe. They explore key issues facing family businesses and seek out their perspectives on a range of critical topics including market confidence, growth and operational challenges. Katerina will present the main findings of 2018 European Family Business Barometer and explore similarities and differences with the Greek family business environment, enlightened by experience from liaising with prominent local family businesses.

Dr Markos Tsogas, Assistant Professor of International Marketing, University of Piraeus, Greece.
Rethinking Emotional Distance & Socio-Emotional Wealth in Family Business Research
The concept of Distance in International Business and Marketing has received broad acceptance as the most significant determinant factor in internationalization decisions. It has been considered as one of the concepts that contribute to the identification of international marketing as a distinct scientific domain. In the same vein, the concept of “socio-emotional wealth” constitutes the main distinctiveness characteristic of family businesses in literature and in practice. Markos will re-visit the two concepts, attempting a theoretical amalgamation in an effort to offer a novice explanation of family businesses internationalization, that of “emotional distance”.

Mrs Katerina Kampouri, Doctoral Researcher, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
“It Takes two to Tango”: International Partnerships in Family Business Internationalisation
The presence of family owned firms in the international arena plus their different international behaviour compared to other types of firms and ownership structures, have led to the emergence of unique research opportunities within the internationalisation field. Katerina will focus her discussion on the international partnerships of family owned firms. In particular based on the findings of her recent research Katerina will discuss on (1) the types of international partnerships of family owned firms in entering foreign markets and (2) the role of socio-emotional wealth preservation tendencies in international partner selection.