Christian Schlereth

Professor Christian Schlereth is a Professor of Digital Marketing at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and serves on the ambassador council of Welthungerhilfe, a prominent German nonprofit organization. His academic career focuses on the practical applications of digital marketing, particularly in emerging areas that bridge technology and social impact.

Professor Schlereth's research interests center on digitization and its measurable benefits, with recent work examining social media peer-to-peer fundraising mechanisms. His studies investigate how nonprofit organizations can effectively leverage digital channels, especially during crisis periods. His work demonstrates that contrary to conventional wisdom about economic downturns reducing donations, social media peer-to-peer fundraising actually increased during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His research methodology combines large-scale data analysis with practical implications, as evidenced by his comparative study of fundraising patterns in the United States and Germany. Professor Schlereth has published in respected journals including the Journal of Interactive Marketing and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

As an academic supervisor, Professor Schlereth mentors doctoral students like Beatrice Martin, whose research explores social media p2p fundraising activities and donation behavior moderators. His supervisory approach emphasizes empirical research with real-world applications, particularly in the nonprofit sector.

• Active researcher in digital marketing applications
• Specializes in social media fundraising mechanisms
• Focuses on practical implications of digital marketing strategies
• Conducts comparative international research
• Advises doctoral students in marketing research