Bio
Professor Vana’s research focuses broadly on online marketing utilizing traditional statistical and econometric modeling methodology as well as the more recently developed machine learning tools. He empirically investigates questions related to online promotions and advertising, online platforms, and online reviews. His research includes work on how individual online reviews affect consumer purchase decisions, consumer response to online cashback promotions, consumer decision making in crowdfunding, and the effect of law enforcement busts on Darknet markets. Professor Vana teaches the core Analytics course and the Quantitative Digital Marketing elective in the MBA Program.
Current Research Topics
- Digital marketing
- Quantitative marketing
- Machine learning
- Online promotions
- Online platforms
- Online reviews
- Structural models
- Bayesian methods
- Big data methods
Professional Activities
Academic positions
- Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Tuck School of Business, 2017–present
- Instructor, Marketing Core Course, London Business School, 2016, 2017
Nonacademic positions
- Analyst/Consultant, AECOM Consult, Columbus, Ohio, 2008–11
Editorial positions
- Ad hoc Reviewer: Management Science, Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Production and Operations Management, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Quantitative Economics and Marketing
Works in Progress
- With S. Hong and D. Hovy, “Quality Competition in the Fast Food Chain Industry: Evidence from Online Reviews”
- With S. Neslin and P. Pachigolla, “Designing Email Content to Increase Customer Engagement”
- With S. Neslin and D. Poluru, “Creating Creative Content Using Video Analytics”
Awards
- Fellow, AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium, 2016
- Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship PhD Awards, 2015
- Fellow, EMAC Doctoral Colloquium, 2014
- Fellow, Workshop on Quantitative Marketing and Structural Economics, 2013
- Fellow, ISMS Marketing Science Doctoral Consortium, 2013
- PhD Fellowship, London Business School, 2011–16
- Recipient, Mary Kate Collins Memorial Endowed Presidential Scholarship, 2007
Working Papers
- With Carlson, K., Kopalle, P., Riddell, A., and Rockmore, D., “Complementing Human Effort in Online Reviews: A Deep Learning Approach to Automatic Content Generation”, under review at the International Journal of Research in Marketing
- With P. Pachigolla, “Do Law Enforcement Busts of Darknet Markets Deter Criminal Activity in Other Darknet Markets?”, submitted to Management Science.
- With A. Lambrecht, “Modeling the Role of Uncertainty in Crowdfunding Charities: A Multiple Discrete Continuous Choice Approach", preparing for submission to Marketing Science.
Selected Publications
- With A. Lambrecht, “The Effect of Individual Online Reviews on Purchase Likelihood”, forthcoming at Marketing Science
- With A. Lambrecht and M. Bertini (2018), “Cashback is Cash Forward: Delaying a Discount to Increase Future Spending,” Journal of Marketing Research, 55(6), 852-868.