Overview
Background
Dr Josephine Previte’s research examines how marketing, services and technology shape people’s everyday lives, wellbeing and participation in society. Her work brings together social marketing, transformative service research and social entrepreneurship to examine how people experience complex systems, and how organisations can respond with more inclusive, ethical and effective forms of change.
Current projects extend this agenda through research on disability-inclusive services, homelessness, mission-led social entrepreneurship and changing alcohol cultures, including shifts toward low- and no-alcohol consumption. Across these projects, her research focuses on how people navigate complex systems and how organisations can design more responsive, equitable and human-centred interventions. Applied research is central to this agenda, bringing marketing insight to behaviour change and service-system challenges.
Her methodological expertise spans qualitative and mixed-method research, with a strong interest in alternative and innovative methodologies. This includes expertise in using Q methodology, videography, digital and technology-enabled research approaches, and interpretive designs that reveal the complexity of people’s lives.
Across this work, Josephine is committed to research that generates practical insight, strengthens social change efforts, and brings meaningful benefits to people, organisations and society.
Availability
- Associate Professor Josephine Previte is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology
- Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Transformative Service Research for Social Impact
Services shape people’s access to care, dignity, inclusion and wellbeing. My research examines the social impact of service systems, with a focus on how organisations, frontline actors and communities respond to vulnerability and exclusion. Current projects investigate disability-inclusive service and accessibility readiness, alongside service responses to homelessness, to understand how services can create more equitable and transformative social outcomes.
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Social Marketing for Behavioural and Social Change
Changing behaviour is rarely a matter of simply changing minds. My research examines how social marketing can address complex health and social issues by engaging with lived experience, social norms, market systems and policy contexts. It includes sustained work on alcohol-related behaviour change and low- and no-alcohol consumption, alongside research into gendered experiences, inequalities and social change.
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Qualitative Inquiry and Research Innovation
A distinctive contribution of qualitative inquiry is its capacity to reveal the complexity of people’s lives. My methodological expertise is grounded in context, empathy and meaning, using qualitative approaches to understand lived experience, social practices and how people make sense of change. It extends to methodological innovation through Q methodology, videography, visual methods and interpretive research design.
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Health Service Experience and Systems Change
Health services are experienced through complex interactions between people, providers and systems. My research integrates social marketing and service thinking to understand health service access, engagement and impact from multiple perspectives. It includes research in women’s health, alongside current work examining mental health service experiences, provider challenges and opportunities to design more responsive, person-centred systems of care.
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Technology, Markets and Everyday Life
Technology is reshaping everyday life, from how people connect and consume to how markets collect data, personalise experiences and influence choice. My research examines consumer and societal engagements with technology, including platform use, data-driven marketing, privacy, trust and consumer wellbeing. It also extends to digital and technology-enabled methodologies for understanding contemporary market and social life.
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Mission, Markets and Systems Change
Social enterprises often work where existing systems fall short. My research examines how founders and leaders balance mission and money while creating sustainable responses to complex social issues. It connects social entrepreneurship with systems social marketing to understand how market-based, community-centred and socially innovative approaches can support broader systems change.
Research impacts
Josephine’s research creates impact by helping organisations, governments and community partners turn lived-experience insights into more inclusive, responsive and effective services.
Her work translates marketing, social marketing and service research into practical evidence that supports better decision-making, stronger engagement and improved outcomes for communities. This includes evidence-based frameworks, evaluation insights, policy recommendations and organisational capability-building.
Across her research activities, Josephine is invested in working with organisations to create meaningful change. Her approach uses co-design, consultation and collaborative research to translate evidence into practical strategies that improve services, strengthen participation and deliver benefits for people, organisations and communities.
Works
Search Professor Josephine Previte’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Conference Publication
The actual and imagined customer experiences of blood donation: a customer value perspective
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Previte, Josephine, Hartel, Charmine, Smith, Geoff and Zainuddin, Nadia (2016). The actual and imagined customer experiences of blood donation: a customer value perspective. AMA Servsig, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 17-19 June 2016. Maastricht, The Netherlands: Maastricht University.
2016
Journal Article
Social capital stories behind young women's drinking practices
Godwin, Megan, Drennan, Judy and Previte, Josephine (2016). Social capital stories behind young women's drinking practices. Journal of Social Marketing, 6 (3), 294-314. doi: 10.1108/JSOCM-06-2015-0035
2016
Conference Publication
Understanding What Responsible Alcohol Management Means to Community Sport Club Management Committees
Thompson, H., Kelly, S., Previte, J. and Kelly, A. B. (2016). Understanding What Responsible Alcohol Management Means to Community Sport Club Management Committees. 7th International Conference on Sport in Society, Honolulu, HI, United States, 2-3 June 2016.
2016
Book Chapter
A Services Approach to Social Marketing
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Wood, Matthew and Previte, Josephine (2016). A Services Approach to Social Marketing. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science. Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-24184-5_85
2015
Journal Article
Who Is the Biggest Loser? Fat News Coverage Is a Barrier to Healthy Lifestyle Promotion
Previte, Josephine and Gurrieri, Lauren (2015). Who Is the Biggest Loser? Fat News Coverage Is a Barrier to Healthy Lifestyle Promotion. Health Marketing Quarterly, 32 (4), 330-349. doi: 10.1080/07359683.2015.1093881
2015
Journal Article
Strengthening social marketing research: Harnessing "insight" through ethnography
Brennan, Linda, Fry, Marie-Louise and Previte, Josephine (2015). Strengthening social marketing research: Harnessing "insight" through ethnography. Australasian Marketing Journal, 23 (4), 286-293. doi: 10.1016/j.ausmj.2015.10.003
2015
Journal Article
Designing a Mobile Social Tool that Moderates Drinking
Tjondronegoro, Dian, Drennan, Judy, Kavanagh, David J., Zhao, Elaine Jing, White, Angela M., Previte, Josephine, Connor, Jason P. and Fry, Marie-Louise (2015). Designing a Mobile Social Tool that Moderates Drinking. Ieee Pervasive Computing, 14 (3) 7140685, 62-69. doi: 10.1109/MPRV.2015.62
2014
Journal Article
Can a text message a week improve breastfeeding?
Gallegos, Danielle, Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Previte, Josephine and Parkinson, Joy (2014). Can a text message a week improve breastfeeding?. Bmc Pregnancy and Childbirth, 14 (1) 374, 374.1-374.11. doi: 10.1186/s12884-014-0374-2
2014
Journal Article
Neoliberalism and managed health: fallacies, facades and inadvertent effects
Gurrieri, Lauren, Brace-Goan, Jan and Previte, Josephine (2014). Neoliberalism and managed health: fallacies, facades and inadvertent effects. Journal of Macromarketing, 34 (4), 532-538. doi: 10.1177/0276146714542953
2014
Book Chapter
Case study: using social cognitive theory and social support coping theory to improve breastfeeding duration rates: MumBubConnect
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Gallegos, Danielle, Previte, Josephine and Hamilton, Robyn (2014). Case study: using social cognitive theory and social support coping theory to improve breastfeeding duration rates: MumBubConnect. Social marketing and behaviour change: models, theory and applications. (pp. 66-74) edited by Linda Brennan, Wayne Binney, Lukas Parker, Torgeir Aleti and Dang Nguyen. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781782548157.00017
2014
Journal Article
Alcohol consumption in young adults: the role of multisensory imagery
Connor, Jason P., Kavanagh, David J., Andrade, Jackie, May, Jon, Feeney, Gerald F. X., Gullo, Matthew J., White, Angela M., Fry, Marie-Louise, Drennan, Judy, Previte, Josephine and Tjondronegoro, Dian (2014). Alcohol consumption in young adults: the role of multisensory imagery. Addictive Behaviors, 39 (3), 721-724. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.11.023
2014
Book Chapter
The need for Internal Social Marketing (ISM): Extending the people focus to service employees
Previte, Josephine and Russell-Bennett, Rebekah (2014). The need for Internal Social Marketing (ISM): Extending the people focus to service employees. Social marketing: From tunes to symphonies. (pp. 326-333) Abingdon, Oxon United Kingdom: Routledge.
2014
Book Chapter
MumBubConnect: Using SMS to engage new mothers
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Gallegos, Danielle, Previte, Josephine and Hamilton, Robyn (2014). MumBubConnect: Using SMS to engage new mothers. Social marketing: from tunes to symphonies. (pp. 334-343) edited by Gerard Hastings and Christine Domegan. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
2014
Conference Publication
Privacy behaviours: protecting consumers from their friends and themselves
Pomfret, Liam and Previte, Josephine (2014). Privacy behaviours: protecting consumers from their friends and themselves. Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference (ANZMAC 2014), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 1-3 December 2014. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: ANZMAC.
2014
Book Chapter
Case study: meso-macro-level theory - Drink Wise: investing in generational social change
Previte, Josephine, Brennan, Linda and Scott, John (2014). Case study: meso-macro-level theory - Drink Wise: investing in generational social change. Social marketing and behaviour change: models, theory and applications. (pp. 156-175) edited by Linda Brennan, Wayne Binney, Lukas Parker, Torgeir Aleti and Dang Nguyen. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781782548157.00026
2013
Journal Article
Bourdieu, the boom and cashed-up bogans
Pini, Barbara and Previte, Josephine (2013). Bourdieu, the boom and cashed-up bogans. Journal of Sociology, 49 (2-3), 256-271. doi: 10.1177/1440783313481742
2013
Book Chapter
A services approach to social marketing programs
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Previte, Josephine, Gallegos, Danielle, Hartel, Charmine E. J., Smith, Geoff and Hamilton, Robyn (2013). A services approach to social marketing programs. Contemporary issues in social marketing. (pp. 111-140) edited by Krzysztof Kubacki and Sharyn Rundle-Thiele. Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
2013
Journal Article
Fresh ideas: services thinking for social marketing
Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, Woods, Matthew and Previte, Jo (2013). Fresh ideas: services thinking for social marketing. Journal of Social Marketing, 3 (3), 223-238. doi: 10.1108/JSOCM-02-2013-0017
2013
Journal Article
Gender, Class and Sexuality in Contemporary Australia: Representations of the Boganette
Pini, Barbara and Previte, Josephine (2013). Gender, Class and Sexuality in Contemporary Australia: Representations of the Boganette. Australian Feminist Studies, 28 (78), 348-363. doi: 10.1080/08164649.2013.857385
2013
Conference Publication
A services approach to social marketing
Russell-Bennet, Rebekah, Wood, Matthew and Previte, Josephine (2013). A services approach to social marketing. 16th Biennial World Marketing Congress, Melbourne, Australia, 17-19 July 2013. Ruston, LA, United States: Academy of Marketing Science.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Josephine Previte is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the impact of Halal labels on perceived product quality between Muslim consumers in non-Muslim countries
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Muhammad Rashid Saeed
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Doctor Philosophy
Innovation Ecosystems and Generative AI: Collaborations, Standards, and Value Capture
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ashish Sinha, Associate Professor Jay Weerawardena
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Doctor Philosophy
Disability-led Innovation and Assistive Technology: Redefining Accessibility in the Global Hospitality Industry
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jie Wang
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
An Investigation of the Social Affect of Consumer Sentiment: Implications for Nonprofit Marketing and Prosocial Behaviour Change
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra France
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
How brand purpose is reshaping market-brand relationships: The case of Fast Moving Consumer Goods
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alexandra Kriz
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Battles in contested markets: The processes of legitimation in the 'legal high' market
Principal Advisor
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Influences on consumer information sharing and privacy choices in online social networking
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Len Coote
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
The application of social marketing to issues in animal welfare
Principal Advisor
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Exoskeletons at your Service: Exploration of Service Actor Perspectives Toward Frontline Exoskeleton Usage
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nicole Hartley
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Un-packaging fresh food packaging: A social semiotic perspective
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ken Tann
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Embracing Brand Complexity: Conceptualising and Understanding the Broad Brand Concept
Associate Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
The role of market learning in social innovation and value creation in Australian social purpose organisations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jay Weerawardena
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
A consumer value theory of innovation in 3G mobile phones: a grounded theory approach
Associate Advisor
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Consumer Preference for Sustainability
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Len Coote
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Josephine Previte directly for media enquiries about:
- Behaviour change campaigns
- Consumer behaviour
- Gendered consumption
- Social marketing
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