Asia-Pacific Marketing Academy Annual Conference (APMA) 2025
Call for Papers
In the era of rapid digital economic development and fast-changing market demands, exploring how new technologies can empower marketing innovation and enhance enterprises' competitiveness in domestic and international markets is a significant and urgent issue for businesses in the Asia-Pacific region. The Third Asia-Pacific Marketing Academy Annual Conference (APMA 2025) will center on the theme of “Marketing Innovation Driven by New Technologies”, aiming to foster academic exchanges and thought-provoking discussions on marketing innovation and transformation enabled by new technologies within the Asia-Pacific context.
1. APMA 2025 Conference Information
lTheme: Marketing Innovation Driven by New Technologies
lDate: May 23-26, 2025 (Beijing Time)
lOrganizer: The Alliance for Marketing
lHost: College of Management, Shenzhen University
lSubmission Period: January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025 (Beijing Time)
lFeatured Sessions:
(1)Keynote speeches delivered by the editorial board of leading journals.
(2)High-Quality Paper Workshops.
(3)Marketing Academic Job Market Forum.
(4)“Meet the Editors” Session.
2. Submission Guidelines
2.1 Academic Paper Submissions
Participants are invited to submit to one of the following categories: Category A (Regular Conference Papers), Category B (Doctoral Forum Papers), or Category C (Marketing Academic Job Market Papers). Submissions may be in the form of either a full paper or an extended abstract. Only full paper submissions will be considered for Best Paper Awards, which include monetary and research resource prizes provided by Credamo. Papers must address marketing-related topics, though they are not limited to the conference theme. Authors may submit multiple manuscripts.
2.1.1 Category A: Regular Conference Papers
When submitting, select the most relevant themes and topics (at least two) for your paper:
lThemes:
A1. Consumer Behavior
A2. Marketing Strategy
A3. Marketing Models
lTopics:
a1. Advanced Research Methods
a2. Marketing Technology
a3. Consumer Well-Being and Health Behavior
a4. Marketing and ESG
a5. Customer Behavior Insights
a6. Product and New Product Management
a7. Brand Management
a8. Service Marketing
a9. Marketing Channels
a10. Marketing Communication
a11. Promotion and Sales Management
a12. Pricing Management
a13. Social Marketing
a14. International Marketing
a15. Others (please specify)
2.1.2 Category B: Doctoral Forum Papers
Submissions must select one of the following themes:
lB1. Consumer Behavior
lB2. Marketing Strategy
lB3. Marketing Models
2.1.3 Category C: Marketing Academic Job Market Papers
Submissions in this category do not require classification. Authors should include an abstract or outline of their presentation, along with English and Chinese CVs and summaries of their research outputs. The forum aims to provide a platform for doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty entering the job market in 2025 to showcase their research interests, achievements, and potential to recruiters.
2.1.4 Cluster Submissions
Scholars are encouraged to organize clustered submissions (six or more papers) for themed parallel forums. Suggested topics include but are not limited to Advanced Research Methods, Marketing Technology, Consumer Well-being and Health Behavior, Marketing and ESG, Regional and Country Marketing, and Interdisciplinary Marketing Research.
2.1.5 Language and Format
All submissions must be in English and formatted according to the guidelines of the Journal of Marketing. Accepted papers require at least one author to present at the conference. For doctoral forum submissions, the first author must be a doctoral student who has not yet defended their dissertation by the conference date. Papers from Categories A and B may qualify for participation in the High-Quality Paper Workshop upon passing anonymous peer review.
lSubmission Link: https://www.credamo.com/s/NZNZbuano
lSubmission Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Beijing Time)
2.2 Marketing Case Study Submissions
The APMA Case Forum invites submissions in various formats, including teaching cases, case study papers, and abstracts for teaching cases that have been accepted by case repositories. Submissions should focus on marketing or business administration disciplines, with no specific thematic restrictions.
2.2.1 Submission Requirements:
(1) Unpublished full-text case study papers (word limit: 20,000), and full-text teaching cases with detailed teaching notes (word limit: 20,000 for teaching cases; no limit for teaching notes): All submissions must be based on authentic, verifiable data and possess teaching and research value. A dedicated review committee will perform anonymous peer reviews and recommend outstanding submissions.
(2) Abstract submissions for case study papers and teaching cases (word limit: 500). Abstracts will undergo anonymous peer review for selection but will not be eligible for awards.
(3) Abstracts submissions for teaching cases that have been accepted by case repositories: These abstracts (word limit: 500) should include the case name, identification number, and repository information. These submissions aim to promote their use in leading business schools.
2.2.2 Language and Format
Submissions may be in English or Chinese. Presentations will be conducted in Chinese. All manuscript files must anonymize author information, which should be provided in a separate document.
lCase Forum Submission Email: casecenter_sysbs@163.com
lSubmission Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Beijing Time)
3. APMA Featured Sessions
3.1 Keynote Speeches
Keynote speeches by leading journal editors explore cutting-edge marketing research trends, analyze pressing issues in marketing practice, and broaden attendees’ academic perspectives through direct engagement with international academic insights.
3.2 High-Quality Paper Workshops
These workshops aim to connect authors of outstanding papers with global marketing scholars for in-depth exchanges, facilitating the international impact of Asia-Pacific marketing research. Authors will present their work and receive expert feedback.
3.3 Marketing Academic Job Market Forum
This forum provides a platform for doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty to present their research and engage directly with recruiters, fostering further collaboration opportunities.
3.4 “Meet the Editors” Session
This session offers scholars a unique opportunity to engage in-depth with leading journal editors, enhancing research quality and boosting the international impact of Asia-Pacific marketing studies.
4. Highlights from Previous APMA Conferences
4.1 APMA 2023
The first Asia-Pacific Marketing Academy Conference (APMA 2023), co-organized by the School of Management at Sun Yat-sen University and the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Macau, was held in Guangzhou, China, in September 2023. The conference brought together more than 30 academic and 20 industry speakers, attracting over 500 representatives from more than 100 institutions across 15 countries and regions to share and exchange ideas on-site.
APMA 2023 Opening Ceremony (Guangzhou, China)
4.2 APMA 2024
The second APMA Conference (APMA 2024) took place at the City University of Hong Kong from May 10-12, 2024. It gathered over 300 participants from across the globe in the vibrant city of Hong Kong. Through keynote speeches, parallel sessions, and featured forums, participants engaged in lively discussions on academic trends, explored collaborative opportunities, and demonstrated the collective potential of the Asia-Pacific marketing academic community.
APMA 2024 The Business School Deans Forum (Hong Kong, China)
5. About the Host of APMA 2025
5.1 Shenzhen University
Established in 1983, Shenzhen University is a comprehensive institution dedicated to fostering talent and driving educational reform. Over the past four decades, it has developed a distinctive identity as a Special Economic Zone University, Window University, and Experimental University, producing nearly 300,000 graduates, with over 95% contributing to the Greater Bay Area. Shenzhen University consistently ranks among the top 30 universities in China on major international university rankings.
5.2 College of Management, Shenzhen University
Founded in 1997, the College of Management encompasses five departments: Business Administration, Management Science, E-Commerce, Human Resource Management, and Marketing. It offers comprehensive academic programs at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, including an AACSB- and BGA-accredited MBA program. The College is committed to becoming the most innovative and influential management school and a cradle for entrepreneurs in the Greater Bay Area.
5.3 About the Chairman of APMA 2025
Professor Zhimin Zhou, a doctoral supervisor at the College of Management, Shenzhen University, serves as the chair of APMA 2025, vice chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance for Marketing, director of the Brand Management Committee of the Marketing Studies Association of Chinese Higher Education Institutions and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Marketing Science. He served as the Vice Dean of the School of Management and the Vice Dean of the Cultural Industry Research Institute at Shenzhen University. His research focuses on brand management, with numerous publications in international journals such as the Journal of Business Research and Journal of Brand Management. Professor Zhou has held leadership roles in several academic organizations and is recognized as a New Century Excellent Talent by China’s Ministry of Education.
6. About the Organizer of APMA 2025
6.1 About the Alliance for Marketing
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance for Marketing (referred to as “the Alliance for Marketing”) was established by collaborative peer institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region, in alignment with the principles of the Greater Bay Area Development Plan. It was approved by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance and registered with the education administration authorities in 2023. Current member institutions include (in alphabetical order): the Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Jinan University, Lingnan University, Macau University of Science and Technology, Peking University HSBC Business School, Shenzhen Institute of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen University, South China University of Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Macau. The Alliance for Marketing aims to promote the marketing discipline through innovative academic contributions and to enhance the quality of marketing education and talent development. The Marketing Alliance secretariat is located in the School of Management, Sun Yat-sen University.
6.2 About APMA
The Asia-Pacific Marketing Academy Annual Conference (APMA) was proposed and established by the Alliance for Marketing. Its core values are integrity, progressiveness, innovation, and openness. The conference will adhere to these values, respond to the call of high-quality growth of the Asia-Pacific market, and promote diverse forms of exchange and collaboration among scholars in the Asia-Pacific region. It aims to explore the marketing patterns in the local market, contribute to the prosperity of the local market, and enhance the contribution of the Asia-Pacific marketing academic community to the international knowledge base.
