Kaleidoscope of Disciplines – Marketing as a Transdisciplinary Field
The 31st EMOK International Conference took place between 25 and 27 August, hosted this year by the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The unique and inspiring setting of the Nádas Lake Park Hotel provided an ideal venue for three days of professional and community programs.
The "day zero" program was dedicated to the PhD Forum. Early-stage doctoral students presented their research plans in the junior section, while the senior section discussed more mature research results. The day's highlight was the "PMSZ-Factor" talent workshop, which brought together students and lecturers interested in market and marketing research in a creative format.
The first official day of the conference began with a plenary session. After the opening, András Nemeslaki, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at BME and Head of the Department of Management and Business Economics, welcomed the participants and introduced BME's innovation ecosystem. His talk offered inspiring examples of the interconnectedness of the university's research, entrepreneurship development, and industrial partnerships. Roland Molontay (BME, Human and Social Data Science Lab) delivered a keynote presentation titled "Brands, Memes, Models: What Data Science Brings to Modern Marketing," offering the audience a fresh, data-driven perspective.
In the afternoon, 12 thematic parallel sessions took place, covering topics ranging from consumer behavior and the relationship between artificial intelligence and marketing to sustainability and social media trends. More than 44 presentations addressed themes such as intergenerational transfer of digital skills, measuring sustainability maturity in SMEs, and the impacts of AI-based marketing communication. The innovative course workshop and the EDUardo simulation demonstration also attracted considerable interest, giving participants a playful opportunity to explore new ways of teaching strategic decision-making.
The second day of the conference further deepened professional discussions: in addition to the regular sessions, several workshops were held, including "Marketing Educator 3.0 – AI vs. Teaching Values," "International Dimensions in Higher Education," and "Designing for Togetherness – Family-Friendly Marketing," offering interactive experiences.
As in previous years, awards were presented for the best paper and most innovative course:
- Most Promising PhD Research Award: Áron K. Szabó, Corvinus University of Budapest
- Best Paper Award: Tünde Szász and Erika Hlédik (Eötvös Loránd University): The Role of Self-Congruity in the Visual Processing of Hedonic and Utilitarian Attributes
- Most Innovative Course Award: Zita Komár (Corvinus University of Budapest): Responsible Leadership Communication and Competence Development
The winners of the 2024 Hungarian Academy of Sciences Publication Excellence Awards were also announced, with the authors of the award-winning journal articles presenting their work in the plenary session.
The 31st EMOK Conference was a worthy continuation of the tradition: nearly 120 participants shared their research findings, discussed the current challenges of education and marketing science, and built new professional connections over three days. Next year, the organizing baton will be passed to the Institute of Marketing and Commerce at the University of Debrecen. See you next year – with fresh ideas and new research!
You can download the photos taken at the conference at this link until October 5, 2025.