CDBA Research Seminar: Associate Professor Simon Jang

Dear all,

Join us in welcoming Associate Professor Simon Jang from Cardiff University to Trinity Business School on Tuesday, 8th of July 2025.

The seminar will take place in room 419 and via Zoom between 10:30 – 11:30 am. Tea/coffee and sandwiches will be served during the seminar.

Please REGISTER HERE.

Seminar Title: Does diversity increase or decrease prosocial behavior? Investigating the roles of deprivation and empathy through empirical and experimental studies

Abstract: Existing research presents conflicting views on whether diversity enhances or diminishes prosocial behaviors. This study explores the intricate connections between diversity, deprivation, and prosocial behaviors conducting empirical and experimental studies. Analyzing neighborhood-level donation data and individual-level experimental data, we explore how diversity and deprivation jointly influence prosocial behavior. Study 1 analyzes a 10-year UK donation dataset, finding that residents in more diverse cities tend to donate more, particularly among those who are less deprived. Conversely, more deprived individuals donate less in deprived settings. Studies 2 and 3 replicate these results in the U.S. through randomized experiments, revealing that empathy mediates the relationship between diversity and prosocial behavior, with deprivation serving as a moderator. These findings provide valuable insights for charities and policymakers on the mechanisms behind prosocial behaviors, enabling more targeted interventions in different socioeconomic areas. Theoretically, this study examines the role of deprivation, viewed as resource scarcity, in influencing prosociality in diverse neighborhoods.

Bio: Seongsoo (Simon) Jang is a Reader in Marketing Analytics at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University. His research focuses on digital marketing, health and sustainability marketing, and tourism analytics, using real-world data and advanced quantitative methods. He has published in leading journals such as the Journal of Product Innovation Management, British Journal of Management, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management, Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research, and International Journal of Hospitality Management. Before entering academia in 2014, he spent 15 years as a marketing strategy and analytics manager at SK Telecom in South Korea.

Photographs will be taken during this seminar and may be shared on social media. If you do not wish to appear, please notify tbs.research@tcd.ie.