Salma Karray, PhD, MSc
Research Excellence Chair in Marketing Analytics and Decision Models,
Professor
Marketing
Faculty of Business and Information Technology
Professor
Marketing
Faculty of Business and Information Technology
Dr. Karray uses optimization, game theory, data analytics, and AI techniques to help businesses improve their performance and strive in competitive environments. Applications of her work include digital advertising, pricing, retailing, loyalty program management, CRM, and e-commerce.
Full biography
An expert in quantitative analysis of marketing strategies, Salma Karray, Ph.D., uses advanced marketing mix modelling and data analytics techniques to help businesses improve their performance and strive in today’s fiercely competitive environment. Marketing Lead and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business and Information Technology at Ontario Tech University, Dr. Karray teaches her students to develop rigorous marketing strategies that rely on science rather than solely on intuition to improve business outcomes. She develops advanced mathematical models to determine the best strategies for pricing, promotion, distribution and advertising. In today’s reeling marketplace, she is also researching co-operation strategies such as agreements between companies who may be competing and collaborating simultaneously. In this field, she has researched the implications of joint/co-operative promotional initiatives and distribution agreements between national brands’ manufacturers and private labels offered by retailers. Dr. Karray’s latest research uses data analytics to examine the return on investment of marketing decisions for movies. In a recent publication, she illustrates how trailer advertising can signal the movie’s success for investors by quantifying the effects of trailers’ design on the stock market valuation of movies. Her research also explores how movie studios can make better promotional decisions through the use of tie-ins with other companies. Dr. Karray has received several awards from the National Sciences and Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and from Mitacs to enhance student research opportunities globally. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from IHEC in Tunisia in 1998, and earned her Master of Science in Marketing, and her Doctorate in Administrative Studies from HEC Montréal in 2001 and 2005, respectively. Dr. Karray first taught as an instructor in the Marketing department at HEC Montréal during her studies, and joined Ontario Tech University as an assistant professor in 2004. She was named associate professor in 2009, and has been serving on many academic and faculty committees. Appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of Waterloo and Ryerson University, Dr. Karray works with graduate and undergraduate students on research problems related to quantitative analysis of marketing strategies.
Areas of expertise
Courses
- BUSI 3230UMarketing ChannelsThis course presents a comprehensive overview of the theories and issues within distribution channels. Students will take a closer look at who the different institutions in a channel are (retailers, wholesalers, logistics companies, etc.), how to choose distribution partners (channel planning and design) and how to manage the interactions with these partners (channel management). The course also discusses some special topics in distribution (franchising, international perspectives, e-channels, direct selling and channels for services, etc.). Using interactive techniques and case studies, students will have opportunities to apply theories, concepts, and practices.
- BUSI 3260UMarketing ResearchThis course is concerned with research methods used in marketing. The course focuses on contemporary research techniques and analysis of market-related data. Topics include research design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
- BUSI 4220UMarketing StrategyThis course focuses on strategic planning and evaluation of marketing decisions in a competitive environment. The purpose of the course is to help students develop analytical abilities by integrating all major areas of marketing. Special emphasis is placed on problem-solving and decision-making in the formulation of marketing strategies.
Education
- 2005PhD - MarketingHEC, Montréal
- 2001MSc - MarketingHEC, Montréal
- 1998BCOM - MarketingIHEC, Tunisia
Media appearances
The Globe and Mail, Report on Business December 31, 1969Mattresses by mail? Canadian startup joins the memory-foam partyOntario Tech University Marketing researcher Dr. Salma Karray recently provided her insight on how to convince more consumers to buy a mattress online when they’re used to shopping in-store. In the article, she advises Canadian online startup Endy Sleep to put some more work into defining exactly what value it offers consumers – whether that’s price, quality or some other advantage. This will help them identify the consumer group they want to target.- The Oshawa Express December 31, 1969Target leaving CanadaAmerican big-box retailer Target, which made the move to Canada with much fanfare in 2012, will be closing all of its Canadian stores this year. In the article, Dr. Salma Karray, associate professor at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology states, Target failed to meet the high standard that Canadians had set for it. “There was much anticipation from Canadian consumers about Target, but in the end, the company ran into ferocious competition and failed to meet the demands of the Canadian market."
DurhamRegion January 12, 2014Logging on and checking out: the growth of online shopping in Canada“Online shopping has been increasing a lot over the last five years; every year there are more and more people shopping online, especially during the holiday season,” said Dr. Salma Karray, a professor of marketing at UOIT who studies distribution channels, including online shopping. She points out that the trend has had a major impact in some industries including bookstores, record stores and travel agents. “We have seen over the years the book industry, book retailers have completely changed the way they do business,” said Dr. Karray. “Amazon basically has taken business from Chapters Indigo, from a lot of big bookstores.”