Explore our knowledge

Selma Saracevic

Postdoc

Subjects
B2C Consumer behaviour Customer Market Marketing

Primary research areas

Con­sumer be­ha­vi­or in the shar­ing eco­nomy
I study how di­git­al plat­forms shape con­sumer be­ha­vi­or in the shar­ing eco­nomy, in­clud­ing how fea­tures like pay-per-use change what people value, own, and ex­pect. I am par­tic­u­larly in­ter­ested in psy­cho­lo­gic­al own­er­ship, user ex­pect­a­tions, and why people some­times mis­use shared ser­vices.
Brand act­iv­ism and con­sumer respons­ibility
I study what hap­pens when brands take a stand on so­cial or polit­ic­al is­sues. I am par­tic­u­larly in­ter­ested in how con­sumers re­act to act­iv­ist mes­saging and how this may in­flu­ence their views on respons­ibility and iden­tity.
Sustain­ability and so­cial norms
My re­search ex­plores how so­cial and cul­tur­al norms in­flu­ence sus­tain­able con­sump­tion. I have ex­amined how both in­di­vidu­al and na­tion­al val­ues shape en­vir­on­ment­ally re­spons­ible be­ha­vi­or, and how brands can ac­tiv­ate these norms in mean­ing­ful ways.

I ex­plore how con­sump­tion con­nects to respons­ibility

I study how platforms, brands, and social norms shape responsible consumption. 

My research helps: 

- understand consumer behavior in the sharing economy 

- explore how brand activism shapes individual’s choices 

- uncover how social norms affect sustainable consumption 

- address challenges like overuse, misuse, and blurred ownership. 

I currently work on a Carlsberg Foundation-funded project, “The Dark Side of the Sharing Economy”, led by Tobias Schäfers, where I study the challenges of access-based consumption. I also teach and supervise students, and enjoy bridging marketing, ethics, and everyday life. 

Outside activities

External Lecturer at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, 2024–current

Ex­tern­al Lec­turer for the course Found­a­tions in In­ter­na­tion­al Mar­ket­ing Man­age­ment at WU Vi­enna.
Course Description