Mary Ho

Mary Ho is a Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Edinburgh Business School, where she also serves as Widening Participation Officer. With over fourteen years of teaching experience, she instructs undergraduate and postgraduate courses in marketing strategy, societal marketing, and the future of marketing across both commercial and nonprofit contexts.

Dr. Ho's educational background includes:

• PhD in Management, University of Edinburgh (2011)
• MSc by Research (Management) with Distinction, University of Edinburgh (2006)
• MA (Hons) Business Studies, University of Edinburgh (2005)

Mary's research focuses on nonprofit marketing, with particular emphasis on social, societal, and charities marketing. She is especially interested in applying data and behavioral science to understand consumer and user experiences. Her work explores how individuals, particularly children and young people, engage with charities through learning, donating, and forming relationships. Dr. Ho has developed a strong research profile examining volunteer stereotypes, donor socialization processes, and financial socialization among young adults.

Her publications demonstrate a consistent focus on understanding social behaviors related to charitable giving and nonprofit engagement. Through systematic reviews and qualitative methods, her research has examined volunteer stereotypes, donor decision-making processes among youth, and the conceptual frameworks for financial socialization. Her work bridges marketing theory with practical applications for nonprofit organizations seeking to better engage with various demographic groups.

Dr. Ho has received recognition for her teaching excellence:

• EUSA Teaching Award - Outstanding Feedback (Runner Up) (2020)
• Excellence in Teaching Award - Best Feedback (2024)

As Widening Participation Officer, Dr. Ho is actively involved in outreach activities, having delivered numerous workshops for schools including 'Marketing Trends,' 'Business Studies Workshops,' and 'National 5 Business Management Workshops' scheduled through 2025. Her ESRC-funded PhD research explored how children and young people engage with charities, examining how they learn about, donate to, and relate to charitable organizations.