Saravana JaikumarAssociate Professor, Marketing · IIM CalcuttaAI & AnalyticsGet in touch

Research

Twenty-seven published papers, and nine more in the pipeline.

Work on AI and digital platforms, marketing analytics, regulation, and consumer welfare in emerging markets. Every paper has its own page with the abstract, a plain-language summary and a link to the published version.

  • 27published
  • 567citations (OpenAlex)
  • 9under review or in progress
Wiley certificate: top viewed article 2025 in the Journal of Consumer Affairs
Top viewed article, 2025.Wiley recognised Addressing difficulties with abstract thinking for low-literate, low-income consumers through marketplace literacy as a top viewed article in theJournal of Consumer Affairs, counted over the twelve months after publication.
  1. 20261 citations

    Unconventionalized intermediation and the paradoxes of NFT markets for cultural goods

    Guha Sarkar, B., & Jaikumar, S.

    Journal of Strategic Marketing. Advance online publication.

    Platforms and E-commerceAI and DigitalConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  2. 20261 citations

    Bridging academia and practice with digital boundary objects

    Gurugubelli, P. K., Jaikumar, S., & Parthiban, R.

    Journal of Computer Information Systems, 66(4), 509–523.

    AI and DigitalABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  3. 2026

    From access to agency: ICT usage, psychological empowerment, and health outcomes among rural women in emerging economies

    Guha Sarkar, B., Jaikumar, S., Gurugubelli, P. K., & Goyal, T.

    Health Marketing Quarterly. Advance online publication.

    Health and WellbeingSubsistence Marketplaces and BoPAI and DigitalABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  4. 20255 citations

    A field experiment on marketplace literacy and self-help group membership in subsistence marketplaces

    Viswanathan, M., Sreekumar, A., Jaikumar, S., & Dutta, S.

    Journal of Macromarketing, 45(1), 6–21.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  5. 20253 citations

    Effects of household characteristics on low-income family businesses: Evidence from India

    Jaikumar, S., Viswanathan, M., Dutta, S., & Sreekumar, A.

    Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, 27(3), 383–408.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPPublic Policy and RegulationABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  6. 20251 citations

    Effects of income inequality in an emerging economy on subjective economic well-being: Suppressing effect of conspicuous consumption

    Jaikumar, S., Sarin, A., Narayanan, P., & Kumari, R.

    Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 34(4), 842–860.

    Consumer BehaviourPublic Policy and RegulationABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  7. 202411 citations

    Do no harm? Unintended consequences of pharmaceutical price regulation in India

    Jaikumar, S., Chintagunta, P. K., & Sahay, A.

    Journal of Marketing, 88(6), 1–23.

    Public Policy and RegulationHealth and WellbeingMarketing AnalyticsFT50UTD24ABDC A*
    Read the full paper ↗
  8. 20246 citations

    Addressing difficulties with abstract thinking for low-literate, low-income consumers through marketplace literacy: A bottom-up approach to consumer and marketing education

    Viswanathan, M., Jaikumar, S., Sreekumar, A., Dutta, S., & Duhachek, A.

    Journal of Consumer Affairs, 58(3), 794–813.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  9. 20234 citations

    Educational approaches to enable marketplace metacognition and social intelligence in subsistence consumers

    Sharma, Y., & Jaikumar, S.

    Journal of Consumer Marketing, 40(1), 44–55.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  10. 202233 citations

    Digital access through smartphones and well-being of BoP women: Insights from a field study in India

    Parthiban, R., Jaikumar, S., Basak, J., & Bandyopadhyay, S.

    Information Technology & People, 35(1), 1–26.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPAI and DigitalHealth and WellbeingABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  11. 202180 citations

    Digitally mediated value creation for non-commodity base of the pyramid producers

    Parthiban, R., Qureshi, I., Bandyopadhyay, S., & Jaikumar, S.

    International Journal of Information Management, 56, Article 102256.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPAI and DigitalABDC A*
    Read the full paper ↗
  12. 202130 citations

    Consuming beyond means: Debt trap of conspicuous consumption in an emerging economy

    Jaikumar, S., & Sharma, Y.

    Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 29(2), 233–249.

    Consumer BehaviourPublic Policy and RegulationABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  13. 202124 citations

    Marketplace literacy education and coping behaviors among consumer-entrepreneurs in subsistence marketplaces during demonetization in India

    Viswanathan, M., Jaikumar, S., Sreekumar, A., & Dutta, S.

    Journal of Consumer Affairs, 55(1), 179–202.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPPublic Policy and RegulationConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  14. 202112 citations

    Executive functions of BoP consumers: Research propositions, conceptual framework and implications for marketing strategies for BoP markets

    Mishra, R., Singh, R., & Jaikumar, S.

    Journal of Global Marketing, 34(4), 249–269.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPConsumer BehaviourABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  15. 20219 citations

    Impact of lifestyle diseases on income and household consumption: Evidence from an emerging economy

    Jaikumar, S., Dutta, S., & Sood, N.

    Health Marketing Quarterly, 38(1), 35–49.

    Health and WellbeingConsumer BehaviourABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  16. 2021

    How household income and consumption are affected by lifestyle diseases in an emerging economy?

    Jaikumar, S.

    Health System and Policy Research.

    Health and WellbeingConsumer Behaviour
  17. 2020104 citations

    Leveraging ICT to overcome complementary institutional voids: Insights from institutional work by a social enterprise to help marginalized

    Parthiban, R., Qureshi, I., Bandyopadhyay, S., Bhatt, B., & Jaikumar, S.

    Information Systems Frontiers, 22(3), 633–653.

    Subsistence Marketplaces and BoPAI and DigitalABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  18. 20204 citations

    Impact of education on health-beliefs in an emerging economy: Understanding urban vs. rural differences and the moderating effect of social capital

    Jaikumar, S., Sharma, Y., & Silal, P.

    Health Marketing Quarterly, 37(4), 316–332.

    Health and WellbeingPublic Policy and RegulationABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  19. 201916 citations

    How do consumers choose sellers in e-marketplaces? Role of display price and seller review volume

    Jaikumar, S.

    Journal of Advertising Research, 59(2), 232–241.

    Platforms and E-commerceConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  20. 20193 citations

    Shareholders’ reaction to ethical image of sports teams: An event study in the Indian Premier League

    Jaikumar, S., Pingali, V., & Virmani, V.

    Decision, 46(4), 283–300.

    Marketing Analytics
    Read the full paper ↗
  21. 2018102 citations

    ‘I show off, so I am well off’: Subjective economic well-being and conspicuous consumption in an emerging economy

    Jaikumar, S., Singh, R., & Sarin, A.

    Journal of Business Research, 86, 386–393.

    Consumer BehaviourSubsistence Marketplaces and BoPABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  22. 201715 citations

    Groups and teams: A review of bad apple behavior

    Jaikumar, S., & Mendonca, A.

    Team Performance Management, 23(5/6), 243–259.

    Consumer BehaviourABDC B
    Read the full paper ↗
  23. 2017

    Alphanumeric brand names for global branding: Does the alpha matter?

    Tripathi, S., Jaikumar, S., & Guha, A.

    Journal of International Business Education, 12(1).

    Consumer BehaviourABDC B
  24. 201589 citations

    Conspicuous consumption and income inequality in an emerging economy: Evidence from India

    Jaikumar, S., & Sarin, A.

    Marketing Letters, 26(3), 279–292.

    Consumer BehaviourPublic Policy and RegulationABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  25. 201511 citations

    Celebrity endorsements and branding strategies: Event study from India

    Jaikumar, S., & Sahay, A.

    Journal of Product & Brand Management, 24(6), 633–645.

    Marketing AnalyticsConsumer BehaviourABDC A
    Read the full paper ↗
  26. 2014

    Book review: The little book of big customer satisfaction measurement

    Jaikumar, S.

    South Asian Journal of Management, 21(4), 202–204.

    Marketing AnalyticsConsumer Behaviour
    Read the full paper ↗
  27. 20133 citations

    Relationship between the dimensions of satisfaction and loyalty: An empirical study

    Jaikumar, S.

    International Journal of Innovations in Business, 2(4).

    Consumer BehaviourMarketing Analytics

Under review and in progress

  1. Not all superheroes wear capes: How consumers understand and apply the superhero concept

    Guha Sarkar, B., & Jaikumar, S.

    Journal of Consumer PsychologyUNDER REVIEW

  2. AI speaks for you: Moral ventriloquism and the displacement of authentic voice

    Jaikumar, S., & Guha Sarkar, B.

    MIS QuarterlyUNDER REVIEW

  3. Empathic scaffolding: Recognition and market legibility for grassroots innovators in subsistence marketplaces

    Jaikumar, S., Parthiban, R., & Gurugubelli, P. K.

    Journal of the Academy of Marketing ScienceUNDER REVIEW

  4. Perceived smartness and tourist satisfaction in heritage destinations: Multi-method evidence from India’s Smart Cities Mission

    Jaikumar, S., & Guha Sarkar, B.

    Journal of Travel ResearchUNDER REVIEW

  5. The smart heritage paradox: Preservation, erosion, and who defines authenticity in India’s heritage cities

    Jaikumar, S., & Guha Sarkar, B.

    Annals of Tourism ResearchUNDER REVIEW

  6. Economies of orchestration: How an asset-less hub governs independent foundries through minority equity, shared services and AI-enabled coordination

    Jaikumar, S.

    Industrial Marketing ManagementUNDER REVIEW

  7. Do they really drink that much? Cultural values and distortion in self-reported consumption of iconic brands

    Jaikumar, S., Sahay, A., & Guha Sarkar, B.

    International Journal of Market ResearchUNDER REVIEW

  8. Oops, Mercury did it again! Examining consumer behaviour during Mercury retrograde phases

    Jaikumar, S., & Guha Sarkar, B.

    Journal of Consumer ResearchWORKING PAPER

  9. Effect of overlapping price ranges on price evaluations

    Jaikumar, S.

    Journal of Consumer PsychologyWORKING PAPER