معرفی
Pietro Zidda is a Professor at the University of Namur (UNamur), where he serves as Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Management, and Communication Sciences since August 2022. He is a Permanent Academic Member in the Department of Management Sciences and holds affiliations with multiple research entities including the Namur Digital Institute (NADI), the Center for Research on Consumption and Leisure (CeRCLe), and the Center on Consumers & Marketing Strategy (CCMS), a joint initiative of UCLouvain and UNamur.
Education:
- Doctorate in Economics and Management Sciences (2000), Intercollegiate Center for Management Science (ICM, Brussels) & Université Catholique de Louvain (Mons)
- Doctoral program (part, ICM-Fellow, 1997-98), JL Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, United States
- Management Engineer (1993), Catholic University of Louvain (Mons)
- Certificate of Advanced Studies in Applied Computer Science (1993), Catholic University of Louvain (Mons)
Professor Zidda's research focuses on the mathematical modeling of consumer choice behaviors, with particular emphasis on retail marketing and customer relationship management. His work explores how consumers make decisions in various contexts, from traditional store environments to digital platforms and emerging technologies. He has made significant contributions to understanding brand and store loyalty, the adoption of new technologies like mobile payment systems and interactive recommendation engines, and specialized areas such as wine marketing. His methodological expertise in sampling designs and choice modeling has been widely recognized in top marketing and operational research journals.
His research has evolved to address contemporary challenges in marketing, with recent work examining virtual agents in healthcare e-commerce, interactive recommendation systems, and the sharing economy. This trajectory demonstrates his ability to adapt traditional marketing models to new technological contexts while maintaining rigorous methodological standards.
Scientific Awards:
- Emerald outstanding paper in International Journal of Wine Business Research (2007)
- Best paper award - 3rd International Wine Business and Marketing Conference (Montpellier, 2006)
- ICM-Fellow (Intercollegiate Center for Management Science, Brussels) (1997-2000)
Professor Zidda has held significant administrative positions including twice serving as Director of the Department of Management Sciences at UNamur (2008-2010 & 2015-2018), Director of CeRCLe, Director of CCMS, and member of the Executive Committee of the Louvain School of Management. He has secured numerous research grants, including projects on bike sharing systems (SHAREABIKE), loyalty programs (I.D.7 and I.D.4), cultural sector pricing (III.A.3), and wine sector channel choice (I.C.5). His collaborative work extends across institutions, with partnerships at UCLouvain and various international business schools.
As a member of the Namur Digital Institute and the Center for Research on Consumption and Leisure, Professor Zidda contributes to interdisciplinary research teams exploring the intersection of technology, consumer behavior, and business strategy. His leadership in the SHAREABIKE project demonstrates his commitment to applying academic research to real-world community challenges through intelligent systems.
