Biography

Born and bred in Malaysia, shopping was a major part of my culture, childhood, and family bonding. Unsurprisingly, I have chosen shopping as my honours (research) and PhD topics. I attained both research degrees from the University of Southern Queensland (Australia). My honours topic focused on perceived service quality of regional and sub-regional shopping malls; my PhD topic looked at shopper experiences with mall entertainment events (e.g. school holiday events, fashion events, and celebrity appearances).

Besides being enthusiastic about research, I'm also very passionate about teaching and student learning experience (which shouldn't be a surprise as my research interest lies in customer experience). I frequently embed technology-enabled and real-world learning into my teaching as I firmly believe both pedagogical approaches enhance student learning experience. This is evidenced by the awards I have achieved:

• a nominee of the Academics of the Years in 2012;
• a recipient of the Teaching and Learning Award (commended) in 2010; and
• a recipient of the Curriculum Innovation Award in 2009.

Before joining Surrey, I worked as a marketing intern in the centre management of an Australian shopping centre. After that, I was employed as a part-time Associate Lecturer at the Southern Queensland University, where I attained my honours and PhD degrees. 

I'm a fitness enthusiast. I enjoy spinning, jogging, swimming, body combat and body attack. I firmly believe that a healthy body equates a healthy mind!

Research Interests

I research and publish extensively in the areas of customer experience with mall entertainment events. Jason was the recipient of the 2004 Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award, which was presented by the International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. My current research interests include:

• Customer experience
• Event marketing
• Fashion branding

Research Collaborations

Dr Dawn Birch (Bournemouth University), Conceptualising entertainment value within the context of mall entertainment events, under review. 

Dr Dawn Birch (Bournemouth University), Identifying & profiling the "gazer" and the "doer" in the context of shopping centre entertainment events, 17th EAERCD Conference 2013, under review. 

Dr Dimitris Stylidis (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) & Dr Avital Biran (Bournemouth University), Residence image: dimensionality and meanings, under review. 

Publications

Peer reviewed journal paper

Sit, Jason., Merrilees, Bill & Birch, Dawn. (2003), "Entertainment-seeking shopping centre patrons: the missing segments", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 31(2), pp. 80-94.

Peer reviewed conference papers

Sit, Jason., Morgan, Melissa Johnson. & Ekinci, Yuksel. (2010), ‘Enhancing customer loyalty to shopping centres through special event entertainment: The mediating role of hedonic value?’ Proceedings of the German-French-Austria Conference on Marketing, University of Vienna, Vienna September 16 – 18.

Sit, Jason. & Morgan, Melissa Johnson (2009), "Defining the experiential value of auxiliary special events in shopping centres: A shopper's perspective", The 15th Conference of the European Association for Education and Research in Commercial Distribution, accepted. 

Sit, Jason., Morgan, Melissa Johnson. & Summers, Jane. (2008), "How do in-mall entertainment events impact on consumers’ shopping behaviours: A model of special event entertainment", Proceedings of 2008 Global Marketing Conference, Shanghai, 20 – 23 March.

Sit, Jason., Morgan, Melissa Johnson., & Summers, Jane. (2006), "Defining consumer responses to special event entertainment (SEE): Key constructs and Propositions", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academic Conference, Brisbane, 4 – 6 December.

Sit, Jason., Morgan, Melissa Johnson., & Summers, Jane. (2006), "Understanding consumer responses to special event entertainment (SEE) in shopping centres: A conceptual model", Proceedings of International Conference on Business and Information, Singapore, 12 – 14 July.

Sit, Jason., & Merrilees, Bill. (2005), "Understanding satisfaction formation of shopping mall entertainment seekers: A conceptual model", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academic Conference, Perth, 5-7 December.

Sit, Jason., & Merrilees, Bill. (2005), "Understanding the experiential consumption of special event entertainment (SEE) in shopping centres: An exploratory study", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academic Conference, Perth, 5 – 7 December.

Sit, Jason., Merrilees, Bill., Grace, Debra. & Hill, Tracy. (2003), "A motivational segmentation of youth entertainment-seekers: implications for shopping centre marketing", Proceedings of World Marketing Congress, Perth, 11 – 14 June.

Sit, Jason., Merrilees, Bill., & Grace, Debra. (2003), "Modelling entertainment consumption at shopping centres: a conceptual framework", Proceedings of World Marketing Congress, Perth, 11 – 14 June.

Sit, Jason, Ho Ying, Wong., & Birch, Dawn. (2002), "An exploratory study on service dimensions of regional shopping centres: a segmentation approach", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference, Melbourne, 2 – 4 December.

Sit, Jason., & Merrilees, Bill. (2002), "Creating greater entertainment experiences at shopping centres: an exploratory study", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference, Melbourne, 2 – 4 December.

Birch, Dawn., & Sit, Jason. (2001), "An exploratory study on performance dimensions of sub-regional shopping centres", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 3 – 5 December.

Sit, Jason., & Birch, Dawn. (2000), "The measurement of customers' perceptions of the performance of regional and sub-regional shopping centres", Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference, Gold Coast, 4 – 6 December.

Teaching

Jason contributes to the following  modules:

• Marketing Principles (UG)
• International Fashion Marketing (UG)
• Research in Marketing (UG)
• Marketing Communications (UG & MSc)
• International Retail Marketing (MSc)
• Marketing Research (MSc)
• Consumer Behaviour (MSc)

Departmental Duties

2011 - current

Programme Leader, Business & Retail Management (UG)

2009 - 2011, September

Programme Leader, Business Management (UG)

2009

• Organising committee for the 15th Conference of the European Association for Education & Research in Commercial Distribution