Biography
Research
Lei’s research mainly integrates behavioral science and data analytics to help companies create innovative online (social media and e-commerce) and in-store strategies that are significantly important for improving customer satisfaction and corporate competitiveness.
Lei's research is selected by Harvard Business School for its MBA course material and is also included in Harvard Business Review’s Leadership & Managing People section. His research also qualified him to win the 2022 “40 Under 40” award from Drexel Magazine, the Certificate of Congressional Recognition as a “2021 Top 10 Outstanding Chinese American Youth” by the United States Congress, the Highly Commended Paper Award of the 2020 Emerald Literati Awards for Excellence (established by a global publisher, Emerald Publishing in 1993), and 2015 Excellence in Research Award from Drexel University. Lei has been a founding editorial review board member of Journal of Inter-Organizational Relationships, an editorial review board member of Journal of Marketing Channels and Journal of Business Administration Research, and Track Chairs for the 2020 and 2023 Global Marketing Conference.
Lei’s work has appeared in journals such as Harvard Business Review (FT 50), European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Business Horizons, and Journal of Retailing & Consumer Services. Lei has also reviewed for Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of International Marketing, Journal of Retailing & Consumer Services, Journal of Product & Brand Management, and Journal of Marketing Channels. His articles have been selected as “Lead Articles” or featured in “Editor’s Perspectives” of prestigious journals. His research has been cited by authors in highly respected journals in interdisciplinary fields as computer science, food science, health care, environmental science, psychological science, education, and communications.
Lei’s research has been featured by 80 + media outlets with the audience of more than 1 billion people around the world, including English language media such as Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Publishing, Emerald Publishing, Business Daily, Phys.org, Los Angeles Post, StreetBuzz, Montco Today, Penn State News, Drexel Magazine, Drexel LeBow, and Stockton Times, as well as most major Chinese language media (including 3 out of top 6 most popular websites of the world), such as People’s Daily, China Daily, Toutiao.com, Tencent.com, Baidu.com, Sina.com.cn, Netease.com, Sohu.com, Chinesebiznews.com, and Huarenone.com.
Selected Awards and Honors
- 2022 “40 Under 40” honoree, Drexel Magazine
- Research is selected by Harvard Business School in 2021 for its MBA course material and is also included in Harvard Business Review’s Leadership & Managing People section
- Congressional recognition as a Top 10 Outstanding Chinese American Youth, United States Congress, summer 2021 (Featured in 50+ major global media including People’s Daily)
- Highly Commended Paper Award of 2020 Emerald Literati Awards for Excellence, Emerald Publishing Limited
- Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Business Administration Research
- Founding Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Inter-Organizational Relationships
- Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Marketing Channels
- Track Chair for Online Retailing, 2020 Global Marketing Conference
- Faculty Development Grant, The Pennsylvania State University, Abington College
- Multicultural Faculty Development Support Fund, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
- Brandeis Teaching Innovation Endowment Fund, The Pennsylvania State University, Abington College
- Hootsuite Certified Professional (for Social Media Marketing Success), Hootsuite
- Faculty Advisory Board Member, The Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University
- R&PD Research Award ($5,800), Stockton University
- Provost’s Faculty Opportunities Research Award ($1,449), Stockton University
- Excellence in Research Award, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University
- Finalist for Dr. John J. Clark Outstanding PhD Behavioral Research Paper Award, Drexel University
- Neuromarketing Research Award ($1,120), Drexel University
- Vice Chair for Membership Insights, American Marketing Association Doctoral Student Special Interest Group (DocSIG)
Selected Media Coverage
"40 under 40" by Drexel Magazine
Harvard Business School Selected a Journal Publication for its MBA Course Material
Harvard Business Review Listed a Journal Publication on its Leadership & Managing People Section
Perceptions of Counterfeits Among Luxury Goods Differ Across Cultures
Announcing the 2021 Top 10 Outstanding Chinese American Youth Award Winners (in Chinese)
Penn State Abington Professor Honored with Prestigious Award for His Social Media Research
Qualitative Market Research - Literati Award Winners 2020
Abington Professor Receives Award for Social Media Research
Five Research-Proven Steps to Increase Social Media Engagement
Why Online Retailers Should Study Philosophy
Lei Song’s Research Published in Journal of Marketing Channels
Teaching
Lei has taught Data Analytics for Entrepreneurs, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Research, Marketing for Entrepreneurs, and Marketing Principles courses in online, hybrid, or face-to-face modes. He currently teaches Marketing Strategy, Marketing Research, and Marketing Principles at Penn State Abington.
Professional Certifications
- Integrated Digital Marketing Certificate, The Pennsylvania State University, Great Valley
- Google Analytics Individual Qualification Certification, Google
- Google Ads Search Certification, Google
- Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certification, Hubspot
- Hubspot Content Marketing Certification, Hubspot
- Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification, Hootsuite
- Hootsuite Platform Certification, Hootsuite
Employment
Associate Professor of Marketing, The Pennsylvania State University, Abington College, PA, fall 2023-Present
Assistant Professor of Marketing, The Pennsylvania State University, Abington College, PA, fall 2019–spring 2023
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Stockton University, NJ, fall 2015–spring 2019
Publications
- Song, Lei, Rajneesh Suri, and Yanliu Huang (2023), “Inferring Quality from Price: The Effect of Stereotype Threat on Price-Quality Judgments,” European Journal of Marketing, 57(5), 1442-1466.
- Qin, Yao, Lei Song, Linda H. Shi, and Kang Tan (2023), “A global perspective on combating Shanzhai products: Cross-cultural solutions,” Thunderbird International Business Review, https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.22343.
- Meng, Yan, Stephen Gould, Lei Song, Hua Chang and Shiva Vaziri (2023), “Mental Conversion: A Customer Service Strategy Impacting Shopping Experiences,” Journal of Services Marketing, 37(4), 464-477.
- Li, Wenjing, David Hardesty, Adam Craig, and Lei Song (2022), “Hidden Price Promotions: Could Retailer Price Promotions Backfire?” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 64, 102797.
- Song, Lei (2021), “How Regulatory Focus Affects Perceptions of Online Limited-Time Promotions,” International Journal of Market Research, 64(4), https://doi.org/10.1177/14707853211031503.
- Song, Lei, Yan Meng, Hua Chang, Wenjing Li, and Kang Tan (2021), “How Counterfeit Dominance Affects Luxury Fashion Brand Owners’ Perceptions: A Cross-Cultural Examination,” Journal of Business Research, 130, 1-13. *Lead Article.
- Anderson, Peter, Fei L. Weisstein, and Lei Song (2020), “Consumer Responses to Marketing Channel Strategies: A Demand-Based Approach,” Journal of Marketing Channels, 26(1), 43-59.
- Swaminathan, Srinivasan, Rolph E. Anderson, and Lei Song (2019), “Building Loyalty in E-Commerce: Impact of Business and Customer Characteristics,” Journal of Marketing Channels, 25(1-2), 22-35.
- Wu, Gavin J., Zhenning “Jimmy” Xu, Saeed Tajdini, Jie Zhang, and Lei Song (2019), “Unlocking Value Through an Extended Social Media Analytics Framework: Insights for New Product Adoption,” Qualitative Market Research, 22(2), 161-179.
*Highly Commended Paper Award, 2020 Emerald Literati Awards for Excellence.
- Qin, Yao, Linda H. Shi, Lei Song, Barbara Stöttinger, and Kang Tan (2018), “Integrating Consumers’ Motives with Suppliers’ Solutions to Combat Shanzhai: A Phenomenon beyond Counterfeit,” Business Horizons, 61(2), 229-237.
*Selected by Harvard Business School for its MBA course material, and is included in Harvard Business Review’s Leadership & Managing People section; One of Top 3 (out of 16) Papers addressed in Editor’s Perspective.
- Weisstein, Fei L., Lei Song, Peter Anderson, and Ying Zhu (2017), “Examining Impacts of Negative Reviews and Purchase Goals on Consumer Purchase Decision,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 39(Nov), 201-207.
- Song, Lei, Fei L. Weisstein, Rolph E. Anderson, Srinivasan Swaminathan, Gavin J. Wu, Shan Feng, and Kang Tan (2016), “The Effects of Expectation Disconfirmations on Customer Outcomes in E-Markets: Impact of National Culture,” Journal of Marketing Channels, 23(4), 217-229.
*Featured in Stockton Times newspaper, Drexel LeBow, and StreetBuzz Magazines.
- Song, Lei, Gavin J. Wu, Shan Feng, and Alan J. Dubinsky (2016), “Impact of Cultural and Individual Factors on Customer Choice Strategies in China and South Korea: A Study in the Mobile Phone Market,” International Journal of Sales, Retailing and Marketing, 5(2), 3-16.
*Lead Article.
- Song, Lei, Srinivasan Swaminathan, and Rolph E. Anderson (20 15), “Differences in Customers' Online Service Satisfaction across Cultures: The Role of Thinking Style,” Journal of Marketing Channels, 22(1), 52-61.
Education
Ph.D., Marketing, Drexel University, USA, 2015
M.B.A., General Management, Sogang University, South Korea, 2010
B.A., English for International Finance, Tianjin Foreign Studies University, P.R. China, 2007