Publications & Research
Articles in ranked journals, papers at international scientific conferences, PhD dissertation and Habilitation (HDR).
Alain Goudey is a French management science researcher specializing in sensory marketing, brand sound design, disruptive technology acceptance, and artificial intelligence. Holding a PhD (2007) and a Habilitation to Supervise Research (HDR) (2019) from Paris-Dauphine University, he has published over 20 articles in international academic journals, including the International Journal of Research in Marketing (CNRS 1*), the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, the International Journal of Hospitality Management, Communications of the Association for Information Systems, Recherche et Applications en Marketing, and Decisions Marketing. His foundational PhD dissertation (highest honors) examined the influence of timbre and tempo on evoked brand image. His most cited works address the effect of ambient sounds on perceived safety, the anthropomorphism of companion robots, and the legitimacy of generative AI in higher education.
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This mixed-methods study examines divergent perceptions of the legitimacy of generative AI in French management higher education, through the pragmatic, moral, and cognitive dimensions of Suchman's triadic model. Results reveal that perceived legitimacy coexists with forms of illegitimacy, reflecting persistent tensions between short-term utility and long-term ethical concerns. Sustainable integration of generative AI requires institutional strategies focused on reducing perceived illegitimacy.
This study examines how sensory stimuli (colors, music, scent) in the hospital environment can reduce patients' repetitive negative thoughts (rumination) in waiting rooms. Results show that a carefully designed sensory environment significantly improves the waiting experience and perceived well-being, opening perspectives for healthcare space design.
This research analyzes how browsing a retailer's website modifies consumers' expectations of the physical store. Exposure to a sophisticated website raises expectations regarding technological innovation and design at the point of sale, creating a transfer effect between digital and physical channels.
When faced with connected objects, consumers experience a marked ambivalence between technological fascination and privacy concerns. This article identifies the factors fueling this tension and proposes a framework for understanding how the desire for innovation coexists with fears of surveillance and loss of control.
This pioneering French study examines whether giving a domestic robot a human-like appearance fosters its acceptance by consumers. Results nuance the dominant hypothesis: beyond a certain threshold, anthropomorphism can trigger rejection, confirming the existence of an "uncanny valley" in the companion robot context.
English version of the study on companion robot anthropomorphism, published in the international edition of RAM. It extends the reach of the findings to the international scientific community and confirms that domestic robot design must strike a balance between human familiarity and robotic identity.
Published in the most prestigious marketing journal (CNRS 1*), this research demonstrates that ambient sounds influence perceived safety in public spaces. Music and natural sounds reduce anxiety and increase the sense of security, with major implications for urban planning and commercial spaces.
This study explores the key role of sales staff in building in-store trust. By analyzing the case of well-being stores in France, it shows how salespeople's behaviors, expertise, and perceived authenticity create a bond of trust that benefits the retailer as a whole.
This exploratory research examines how food packaging color creates taste expectations in consumers. Red, for example, is associated with different flavors depending on the cultural and product context. The study contributes to the understanding of cross-modal correspondences between color and taste.
When a store is perceived as technologically advanced, does it change shopping behavior? This study shows that perceived technological modernity positively influences time spent in the store, impulse purchases, and overall experience evaluation, but with significant threshold effects.
This research introduces the concept of "kinetic quality" of store design - the sensation of movement and dynamism created by spatial layout. Results show that this overlooked dimension of retail design influences the shopping experience and consumer emotions.
While commercial design focuses on aesthetics and experience, ergonomics is often neglected. This article argues for a systematic integration of ergonomics into retail space design, showing its impact on comfort, customer flow, and commercial performance.
This study analyzes the perception of multichannel banking by mass-market customers. It reveals that perceived multichannel value relies less on the functional performance of each channel than on the fluidity of the overall experience and the coherence between physical and digital touchpoints.
This article analyzes the evolution of promotional practices between manufacturers and retailers at a pivotal moment in the French market. It highlights structural tensions between retailer pricing strategies and manufacturer brand policies, against a backdrop of economic crisis.
A foundational article on sonic marketing in France. This article reviews brand sound communication practices and proposes a strategic framework for using musical brand identity. It identifies the levers of sonic branding and the conditions for its effectiveness in communication.
This working paper proposes an analytical framework for online audience measurement, combining traditional media advertising and direct marketing methodologies. It anticipates the measurement challenges that would become central with the growth of digital marketing.
This paper explores brand strategies in metaverse environments. It analyzes how brands invest in persistent virtual worlds and what conditions are needed for a brand presence that is effective and perceived as legitimate by platform users.
This dual presentation examines how the prior trust a consumer has in a brand influences their intention to adopt that brand's AI-based virtual assistant. Results show a significant trust transfer effect, modulated by the perceived technological competence of the brand.
This paper presents the initial results of research on the transfer of expectations between digital channels and physical stores, later published in the International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management (2020).
Paper presented at the ACR special session on sonic elements in consumer psychology. This work subsequently led to the publication in the International Journal of Research in Marketing (CNRS 1*).
A research film documenting interactions between humans and the Nao robot in a domestic context. This visual ethnographic work explores spontaneous reactions of individuals to a companion robot, revealing mechanisms of acceptance and rejection.
Exploratory paper on the influence of anatomical appearance and expressivity of domestic robots on their perceived intelligence by consumers. These pioneering findings contributed to the publication in Recherche et Applications en Marketing (2016).
This paper explores whether sensory stimulation can reduce mental rumination. Preliminary results show that certain sensory stimuli interrupt negative thought loops, paving the way for the work later published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management (2025).
Paper advocating for the integration of ergonomics into retail space design. Presented at the leading distribution conference, this research was subsequently published in Decisions Marketing (2012).
Paper analyzing promotional practices in French mass retail and their impact on retailer price image. This work was subsequently published in Gestion 2000 (2010).
This paper examines the phenomenon of brand music rejection by consumers. Contrary to communication agency practices, results show that certain sonic strategies can provoke negative reactions, questioning the relevance of standardized approaches.
First presentation of the doctoral research, introducing the innovative methodology of non-verbal projective tests to measure the influence of music on brand image. This methodological approach would become central to the PhD dissertation defended in 2007.
This HDR dissertation bridges sensory marketing and technology acceptance. It explores how the sound design of connected objects influences their adoption by consumers, drawing on 15 years of research on musical brand identity and the impact of sensory stimuli on behavior.
This foundational dissertation examines how musical characteristics - particularly timbre and tempo - influence the brand image perceived by consumers. Using innovative non-verbal methods (projective tests), it demonstrates that musical identity is a strategic branding lever as powerful as visual identity.
Publications
From sensory marketing to digital parenting.
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