Dr Carmen Mal

Professional biography

Carmen joined the Open University Business School in November 2017 as a Lecturer in Marketing. She received a Bachelor degree in Business Management from University of Oradea, Romania (2002), a MSc in Global Business Analysis (2013) and a PhD in Business Management (2018) from Alliance Manchester Business School, the University of Manchester, UK. Carmen was awarded a Merit Scholarship during her undergraduate degree (by University of Oradea, Romania), a  Specialist Masters Scholarship and the competitive Manchester Business School Doctoral Studenship for pursuing her masters and doctoral studies (both awarded by Alliance Manchester Business School, UK). Before pursuing her PhD she  worked for 11 years in the private sector, mainly in the retail sector. 

Research interests

Carmen's research interests are broadly in the areas of individual consumer and societal wellbeing, currently with a specific focus on stigma related issues and inclusion. Carmen is an ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Psychology&Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management and Journal of Product&Brand Management; additionally, she has previously reviewed for the Association of Consumer Research Conference and Academy of Marketing - Global Brand Conference. 

Teaching interests

At the Open University Business School, she contributed to the production of B206 ‘Understanding customers’ and B126 'Business data analytics and decision making'. She is currently chairing  the presentation of  B206 ‘Understanding customers’  and has previously chaired the presentation of  BXM191 'Business and finance fundamentals in practice'. She was the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion champion for  B206 ‘Understanding customers’.  Carmen has tutored at residential schools for MBA students (B870 'Managing in a changing world' and B716 'Management: perspectives and practice'). Carmen is Associate Fellow HEA.

Carmen currently supervises PhD students in the areas of green demarketing and brand activism. 

External collaborations

Carmen is currently collaborating with researchers from UK, Canada and France on research projects related to consumer identity  and brand activism.