People
John Francis Cusack
Lecturer in Marketing
Email: johnfrancis.cusack@TUDublin.ie
John Francis Cusack is a lecturer in marketing and a doctoral candidate at Dublin City University Business School, currently in the final stages of completing his PhD. His research explores the relationship between marketing and the development of markets, with a specific empirical focus on the Irish golf leisure sector. His work draws on socio-cultural and figurational theory to examine how marketing practices actively shape market formation.
Academic Qualifications
- PhD (in progress), Business and Marketing – Dublin City University
Thesis: “Marketing, and Markets: The Development of Irish Golf”
- MSc in Business and Management, Maynooth University
- Postgraduate Diploma in Business & Innovation, Dublin City University
- BA (Hons) in English and Geography, Maynooth University Minor: Sociology
Teaching & Academic Contributions
John teaches across a range of undergraduate modules in marketing, business, and market development, with a focus on integrating critical thinking, market theory, and real-world industry applications. He is known for his engaging classroom presence and was nominated for a DCU President’s Award in Teaching Excellence (2023) in the New Lecturer category.
His teaching philosophy is grounded in enabling students to see marketing not only as a business function but as a societal process that shapes behaviour, consumption, and identity.
Research Interests
- Market Formation & Development
- Socio-cultural Approaches to Marketing
- Marketing Theory and Practice
- Leisure and Sport Markets
- Figurational Sociology
John is a member of the Figurational Research Network a global academic network committed to applying the theories of Norbert Elias in contemporary research.
Selected Conference Presentations
- Cusack, J., & Connolly, J. (2019). Marketing, Social Processes, and Marketization. 22nd Annual Irish Academy of Management Conference.
- Cusack, J., & Connolly, J. (2018). Figurational Dynamics, Marketing, and Markets: The Development of the Golf Market in Ireland. Norbert Elias Conference, Brussels.
International Engagement
John recently contributed to the development of an international teaching exchange with Dr. Wojciech Czart, a member of Google’s Global Academic Panel and a lecturer at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland. This collaboration strengthens cross-institutional learning and reflects John’s commitment to global academic dialogue.