I am a Senior Lecturer of Marketing at the Department of Economics and Marketing, JCU. My research interests lie in the intersection of consumer behaviour, sustainability and marketing practice. In this context, the focus is on exploring why consumers engage in sustainable and pro-environmental behaviours.  Previous research has focused on food waste; 'green-washing' concerns and consumers' level of trust in corporate sustainability claims; the factors driving the adoption of electric vehicles and rooftop solar, and consumer acceptance of sustainable packaging. This research is focused on critical issues that are aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  I have published conference papers, journal articles and book chapters over a long career spanning approximately 25 years, in both Ireland and Australia. A period of sabbatical leave brought me to the tropics in 2006 and I started working at JCU in 2008 and am now a Senior Lecturer in Marketing.

My research is conducted in collaboration with colleagues in the Department of Economics and Marketing, along with colleagues in JCU Singapore and China, which adds a cross-cultural dimension to the research. I am a member of the leadership team at the Centre for International Trade and Business (CITBA). My work has been published in journals of international impact, such as Global Environmental Change (A*, ABDC), Journal of Cleaner Production (Q1, Scimago) and the Australasian Journal of Marketing (A, ABDC) and the Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics (A, ABDC).

Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia (CITBA)

Teaching

• BX2081: Consumer Behaviour (Level 2; TSV)
• BX2184: Marketing, Consumerism and Sustainability (Level 2; TSV)
• BX3081: Social Media Marketing (Level 3; TSV)
• BX3082: International Marketing in the Global Village (Level 3; TSV)
• LB5232: Digital Marketing (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Professional

• Affiliate Member (2022) of Australian Marketing Institute (AMI). Member of the Australia New Zealand Marketing Academy.

Research

• Sustainable consumption and the consumer decision making process. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM)

Teaching

• The student experience and digital marketing (various courses undertaken).

Research Disciplines

• Marketing (3506)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding knowledge (2801)

Awards

• 2022 - CEO Grant, Energy Consumers Australia ($15,000).
• 2022 - College of Business, Law and Governance (2022). Research Project Funding Scheme. Internal funds of AU$5,543 for study, 'From petrol to electric: emotions, motives and the customer's experience with electric vehicles'.
• 2022 - College of Business, Law & Governance (CBLG) Award for Best Uptake of Research in the Popular Press.
• 2021 - Best Paper Award by ANZMAC (2021). Australasian Jo. of Marketing.
• 2021 - Acknowledgement Award for Best Uptake of CBLG Research in Popular Press.
• 2021 - College Award for research collaboration effort: JCUA/JCUS Cross-Campus Collaborative Research Award.
• 2020 - JCUS/JCUA Cross Collaboration Grant ($5,000) with Assoc. Professor Pengji Wang, Singapore. Research project on Reef-Friendly Ethical Labels.
• 2019 - JCUS/JCUA Cross Collaboration Grant ($15,000) with Dr Shailey Chawla (PI) and Dr Jagdeep Kaur. Project title: cognitive barriers to the usage of health apps in geriatric populations.
• 2018 - Emerald Publishing awarded Dr. Breda McCarthy and Dr. Hong-Bo Liu the 2018 Outstanding Paper Award for 'Waste not, Want not', published by the British Food Journal.
• 2018 - Best Paper in Track (Sustainability) Award for 'Food Waste within eco-friendly households: modelling the factors that have an impact on food waste levels.' Academy of Marketing Conference, University of Stirling, 2018.
• 2018 - JCUS/JCUA Cross Collaboration Grant ($6,000) with Assoc. Professor Pengji Wang, Singapore. Research project on food waste.
• 2015 - Teaching and Learning Award, JCU ($2,000). Encouraging a move to more dynamic forms of content presentation through the use of eBooks and videos.
• 2013 to 2014 - JCU Mid-Career Researcher Re-Engagement Grant 2014 ($15,000).
• 2006 to 2007 - Fáilte Ireland Fellow (funding for sabbatical leave over 1 year)
• 2003 to 2005 - Research grant (€6,000) from the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS).
• 1994 to 1997 - PhD Studentship, Dublin City University.

Memberships

• 2018 - Editorial Board Member, Social Business, Westburn Publishers. Website: https://www.westburn-publishers.com

Other

• 2023 - Doing credible qualitative research, masterclass by Professor David Silverman
• 2022 - Speaker on the sustainability movement, at a regional webinar, facilitated by the ACCC, ASEAN and ANZFTA, with the goal of building capacity among the ten ASEAN member states.
• 2022 - Keynote, panel member: the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) & the National Consumer Congress, 16 June 2022 (Sustainability, greenwashing and consumer welfare).
• 2021 - Research: Foundations of Partial Least Squares (PLS)-SEM Using Smart PLS, Course completion, Nov 5th, 2021.
• 2019 - Speaker at online event titled 'What a waste: the challenge of food loss and waste', Global Town Hall Meeting, University of New England(UNE), Armidale, NSW, Australia. February 6th, 2018. Topic: Changing attitudes towards Food Waste.
• 2018 - Panel member, Science Under the Stars, Food Security Panel Discussion, JCU, 29th October, 2018.
• 2018 - Speaker at the Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) Conference, Mackay, October 24, 2018.
• 2018 - Special Studies Program, JCU (January to July 2018).
• 2009 - Winner (1st place) of the 2009 European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ECSB) Case Study Competition.
• 2007 - Editor of the Irish Journal of Management - Special Conference Edition, 2007, Vol. 28, Issue 1, 2007.
• 2006 to 2007 - Visiting Scholar, School of Business, JCU, Townsville, October 2006 to February 2007.
• 2006 - Chair of Irish Academy of Management (IAM) 2006 Conference.
• 1990 to 1992 - Master's degree stipend, University of Limerick.

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Liu H and McCarthy B (2023) Sustainable lifestyles, eating out habits and the green gap: a study of food waste segments. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 35 (4). pp. 920-943
• Wang P and McCarthy B (2023) Beyond positive and negative eWOM: the role of trust propensity and individuation in shaping consumers’ perception of brand image. International Journal of Hospitality & Administration, 24 (3). pp. 387-414
• McCarthy B and Liu H (2022) Power to regional households: consumer attitudes towards electricity-saving, the solar rebound and the determinants of rooftop solar adoption. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 29 (4). pp. 405-424
• McCarthy B (2022) Renewable energy householders in the Sunshine State: do they perceive a rebound effect? Journal of Resilient Economies, 2 (1). pp. 123-130
• McCarthy B and Wang P (2022) Shades of Sustainability: Who are the Buyers and Non-buyers of Sustainable Packaging? Journal of Food Products Marketing, 28 (4). pp. 153-178
• Qian L, Rao Q, Liu H, McCarthy B, Liu L and Wang L (2022) Food waste and associated carbon footprint:Evidence from Chinese universities. Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 8 (1).
• Qian L, Li F, Liu H, Wang L, McCarthy B and Shaosheng J (2022) Rice vs. wheat: does staple food consumption pattern affect food waste in Chinese university canteens? Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 176.
• Zahra S, McCarthy B and Chaiechi T (2022) Sustainable meat consumption intentions: conceptualisation, scale development and validation. British Food Journal, 124 (5). pp. 1659-1679
• McCarthy B and Eagle L (2021) Are the sustainability-oriented skills and competencies of business graduates meeting or missing employers needs? Perspectives of regional employers. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 37 (3). pp. 326-343

Book Chapters

• Chawla S, Sabharwal J, McCarthy B and Erhardt R (2021) Technology acceptance, social marketing and the design of a mobile health app to support active aging amongst senior citizens in the Asia Pacific region. In: Broadening Cultural Horizons in Social Marketing. Springer Nature Singapore, Singapore, pp. 239-261
• McCarthy B and Eagle L (2021) Winds of change: engaging with conflicting perspectives in renewable energy. In: Broadening Cultural Horizons in Social Marketing. Springer, Singapore, Singapore, pp. 3-28

Conference Papers

• McCarthy B and Wang P (2022) Exploring the role of reef-friendly, edible packaging in reducing plastic pollution: proposition of a conceptual model explaining purchase intentions. Community Empowerment, Sustainable Cities, and Transformative Economies. In: BEMAS: 1st International Conference in Business, Economics, Management, and Sustainability, 2-3 July 2021, Cairns, QLD, Australia

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 101+ research outputs authored by Dr Breda McCarthy from 1997 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Sustainability Approaches and Sustainable Adaptations of Agricultural cooperative Societies in Nigeria (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• Sustainable meat consumption and consumer intentions: evidence from Pakistan - an emerging country (2021, PhD , Primary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.