Winners of the tenth edition (2024)

The results of the tenth edition of the competition in the name of Professor Roman Głowacki

for the best master's and bachelor's thesis

in the field of marketing, commerce and consumption

organized by the Polish Scientific Society of Marketing

 

The Polish Scientific Marketing Society has announced the results of the tenth edition of the national competition in the name of prof. Roman Głowacki for the best master's and bachelor's theses in the field of marketing, trade and consumption.

 

51 works were submitted to this year's edition of the competition, including 26 bachelor's theses and 25 master's theses.

 

In the category of master's theses, the competition was won by:

Anna Kolbusz, MA for thesis entitled Empathy towards the recipient during the design of user experience on the example of a mobile application, Cracow University of Economics; supervisor:  Paweł Chlipała, PhD

Second place:

Natalia Dziewięcka, MA for thesis entitled Purchasing behavior of older people in Poland, Kielce University of Technology; supervisor: Agnieszka Piotrowska-Piątek, PhD

Third place:

Mateusz Kiljańczyk, MA for thesis entitled Perception and effectiveness of using internet memes in marketing communication, University of Warsaw; supervisor: Agnieszka Kacprzak, PhD

It is worth mentioning that Master of Arts Kilańczyk was the winner of the competition in 2022, in the category of bachelor's theses.

 

In the category of bachelor's theses, the competition was won by:

Paweł Mielnik, BA for thesis entitled Opportunities and threats of using artificial intelligence in marketing - the perspective of creators and recipients of marketing content, Wrocław University of Economics; supervisor: Izabela Michalska-Dudek, PhD

Second place:

Kinga Zacna, BA for thesis entitled The use of chatbots in the complaint handling process. Customer's perspective, Jagiellonian University in Kraków; supervisor: Małgorzata Budzanowska-Drzewiecka, PhD

Third place:

 

Anna Kolbusz, MA is this year's graduate of the master’s studies in Marketing and Market Communication at the Cracow University of Economics. In February 2024, she also completed postgraduate studies in User Experience and Product Design at AGH University of Science and Technology. In 2021, she earned a bachelor's degree in Economics from the Cracow University of Economics as well as a bachelor's degree in Classical Guitar from the Academy of Music in Krakow. She currently works at Qualtrics as a UX Designer I, where she contributes to developing a product that enhances customer experience management.

Summary

Empathy plays a key role in the process of product creation. By thoroughly understanding the audience, products can be developed to be not only functional but also intuitive to use. This combination of product features often translates into market success. The aim of the thesis entitled Empathy towards the recipient during the design of user experience on the example of a mobile application was to deepen knowledge about the process of empathizing with users and to verify this process by designing and testing a mobile application prototype with potential users. 

The study presents theoretical foundations related to user experience design, including the essence of user-centered design, various process approaches, the purpose and significance of specific tools, and the role of user perception. In the empirical part, a design problem was addressed: how to improve the process of finding sports games and individuals interested in participating. Thanks to conducted research, a mobile application "Match na mecz" ("Match for a Game") was created. It was designed using the double diamond method. 

The study describes the subsequent stages of the design process: discovery, definition, development, and delivery. The application was developed based on insights gained from individual in-depth interviews and tested with representatives of the target group. During usability tests, the product was rated 4.75/5.

 

Paweł Mielnik, BA is a student of Management in the Modern Economy at the Wroclaw University of Economics, Jelenia Góra Branch. As the leader of the marketing department in the Virtual Student Consulting Company – a student organization operating at the university – he applies the theory learned during lectures to practical purposes. His academic interests are focused on the use of modern technologies in marketing activities, particularly artificial intelligence. He also explores topics related to content marketing, brand building, and computer graphics. 

Summary

The thesis titled Opportunities and threats of using artificial intelligence in marketing - the perspective of creators and recipients of marketing content addresses the issue of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) tools in designing marketing activities from both the consumer and creator perspectives.

The study presents theoretical aspects of marketing, its evolution, and the role of AI within it. It also analyzes the potential of AI in marketing, focusing on two groups: 161 marketing content consumers and six content creators.

The objective of this study is to assess the awareness and perceived possibilities of using AI in marketing activities from the perspectives of content consumers and creators, as well as to understand their opinions on the analyzed technology.

The main research hypothesis proposed in the study is as follows: The use of artificial intelligence in marketing creates both opportunities and threats, which are perceived differently by content creators and consumers.

Additionally, eight specific research hypotheses were formulated:

Hypothesis 1: Marketing content consumers have experience interacting with AI-generated marketing messages.

Hypothesis 2: Marketing content consumers are aware of the use of AI in designing marketing activities targeted at them.

Hypothesis 3: Marketing content consumers can recognize messages created using AI.

Hypothesis 4: In the opinion of marketing content consumers, the use of AI in marketing brings more benefits than risks.

Hypothesis 5: Marketing content creators have experience in creating marketing activities based on AI.

Hypothesis 6: The use of AI in designing marketing content raises significant concerns among creators.

Hypothesis 7: Marketing content creators have high expectations regarding AI in marketing activities.

Hypothesis 8: In the opinion of content creators, the use of AI in marketing activities poses more risks than benefits.

To achieve the stated objective and verify these hypotheses, the following research methods were employed:

- results of original research conducted using a survey questionnaire directed at content consumers (N=161).

- results of original research conducted through standardized in-depth interviews with content creators.

The analysis of survey results and respondents' statements during standardized in-depth interviews allowed for determining the potential of AI in marketing. The main research hypothesis was confirmed, showing that AI in marketing creates both opportunities and threats, which are perceived differently by content creators and consumers.

The research conducted among marketing content consumers enabled the verification of specific hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 was confirmed, indicating that consumers have experience interacting with AI-generated content. However, Hypotheses 2, 3, and 4 were rejected, as not all consumers are aware of AI use in marketing, can recognize AI-generated content, or believe AI offers more benefits than risks—they perceive both in similar proportions.

Interviews with representatives from the creative industry positively verified Hypotheses 5 and 8. It was confirmed that creators have experience using AI in marketing, yet they perceive AI as presenting more risks than benefits, depending on the area of application. Hypothesis 6 was rejected, disproving the idea that creators experience significant concerns regarding AI—they highlight the potential for mitigating negative impacts and recognize numerous benefits. Hypothesis 7 was also rejected, as most creators do not have high expectations of AI, focusing mainly on the development of computer graphics, particularly in video content generation.