Quantitative Marketing
Si Zuo 左思
Biography
My research focuses on quantitative marketing and industrial organization. I study digital platforms, online retailing, recommendation systems, and rating algorithms, using empirical, computational, and theoretical methods to understand how markets and algorithms shape consumer and firm behavior.
Research Interests
Substantive areas: digital platforms, personalization, online retailing, recommendation systems, rating design.
Methods: causal inference, machine learning, reinforcement learning, structural models, and game theory.
Background
Education
PhD in Economics
SC Johnson Graduate School of Management & Economics Department, Cornell University
MSc in Economics
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
BSc in Economics
Sun Yat-sen University
Selected Research
Publications
From Rational Reliance to Impeded Learning: The Information Advantage of Personalized Algorithms
How personalized recommendations shape algorithmic dependence and consumer learning over time.
Working Papers
From Store Promotions to Mall-Wide Revenue: Spatial Spillovers and Promotion Allocation
How spatial spillovers from store promotions inform promotion allocation and mall-wide revenue.
Online Store Opening: Heterogeneous Effects and Implications for Shopping Malls
How opening online stores reshapes brand performance and the tenant mix of shopping malls.
Coarse Ratings on Online Platforms
How coarse rating scales alter strategic behavior and the information available on platforms.
How Recommendation Systems Shape Consumer Learning: Information Paths, Knowledge Gaps, and Experience Costs
Information paths, knowledge gaps, and experience costs in consumer learning under recommendation systems.
Courses
Teaching
International Marketing 跨国市场营销
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Graduate elective course · 2 credits · English instructionPDF syllabus ↗Digital Economics 数字经济
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
MIB specialized advanced course · 2 credits · English instructionPDF syllabus ↗Special Topics in Marketing Modeling
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Graduate elective courseIndustrial Organization, Consulting and Business Strategy
Cornell University
MBA elective · Course designer · Evaluations 4.5/5 and 4.4/5Marketing Management
Cornell University
Undergraduate Business Minor · Evaluation 4.7/5Updates
Recent News
From Rational Reliance to Impeded Learning: The Information Advantage of Personalized Algorithms has been accepted and is forthcoming in Marketing Science.
View paper ↗Fall 2026 course syllabi are now available for International Marketing (跨国市场营销) and Digital Economics (数字经济).
View courses and syllabi ↗From Rational Reliance to Impeded Learning: The Information Advantage of Personalized Algorithms received a Minor Revision at Marketing Science.
Received an Outstanding Paper Award with Research Grant from the Chinese Marketing Association of Universities.
Presented From Rational Reliance to Impeded Learning: The Information Advantage of Personalized Algorithms at the Chinese Marketing Association of Universities Annual Conference in Dalian.
Received the Best Outstanding Paper Award at the Asia-Pacific Marketing Academy Annual Conference.
Beyond the Paper
Media & Outreach
Single solution to rise of ‘solo economy’
Quoted on the growth of China’s solo economy, the changing needs of individual consumers, and how businesses and digital platforms can respond.
Read interview ↗
Follow Si Zuo on RedNote 小红书
Visit my RedNote 小红书 profile for research notes, short videos, and updates beyond the academic page.
View profile ↗
从奶茶定价到 AI 决策：现代市场营销专业学什么？
How should modern marketing be learned, and which consumer insight, data, and AI skills matter most in the AI era?
Watch video ↗