Centre for Research in Social Simulation, University of Surrey, UK
Research Fellow: Modelling markets and consumer behaviour
Salary: up to GBP 23,643 per annum
Applications are invited for a post-doctoral researcher to work with
Professor Nigel Gilbert on a project developing agent-based simulations of
consumer market dynamics. The project is sponsored by Unilever Corporate
Research and will be conducted in close co-operation with them.
The projectąs aim is to investigate the usefulness of agent based
simulations for modelling consumer behaviour in order to show the potential
value and insights it can add to traditional methods. The project will last
for three years and focus on two areas:
€ Exploration of the relative value of different consumer behaviour
assumptions currently used in the literature.
€ Investigation of the role of social networks in information propagation
and its relevance to key marketing issues including the impact on sales and
product launches of advertising.
To help validate the agent based models, Unilever will provide a range of
aggregate market data and a few detailed, individual-based data sets.
The position requires experience of the development of agent-based social
simulations and knowledge of computational methods. A background in the
social sciences, such as in the sociology of consumption, the psychology of
consumer preferences and/or the economics of consumer markets, is essential.
For informal discussions about the post, contact Professor Nigel Gilbert at
[log in to unmask] For an application pack, or to apply, please
download application documents from http://www.surrey.ac.uk under ŚWorking
at UniSą. Alternatively, please contact Stephanie Lesanne, by email at
[log in to unmask] or by telephone on +44 (0)1483 682605 quoting
reference 5106. To send an application, please post to Stephanie Lesanne,
HR Assistant, School of Human Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford,
Surrey GU2 7XH, UK.
The closing date for applications is 16th October 2005
The University is committed to an Equal Opportunities Policy
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Professor Nigel Gilbert, ScD, FREng, AcSS, Professor of Sociology,
University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK. +44 (0)1483 689173
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