Joan P. Ball, PhD

Joan P. Ball, PhD, FRSA is a Professor of Marketing at St. John's University's Peter J. Tobin College of Business.1 She has been with the university since July 2007, initially as an Associate Professor before being promoted to Professor in May 2024.1

Professional Background

Dr. Ball's expertise lies in helping emerging and established leaders build resilience, embrace hope, explore new possibilities, and develop an experimental mindset, particularly in times of change and uncertainty.1 Her academic focus includes:

• Creativity and Innovation for Business and Society
• Strategic Service Design
• Service Marketing
• Consumer Behavior

Entrepreneurial Ventures

In addition to her academic role, Dr. Ball is the founder of WOMB Service Design Lab, established in December 2015.1 This lab creates spaces for entrepreneurs, individuals, and organizations to make sense of their aspirations and improve their service strategies, especially during periods of flux.1

Education and Certifications

Dr. Ball holds:

• A PhD in International Business Management from the International School of Management (2010-2012)
• An MS in Organizational Leadership from Alliance University (2006-2007)
• A BA in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany (1985-1987)

She is also an SDN Accredited Service Design Master Trainer and a Certified LEGO® Serious Play® Method Designer and Facilitator.1

Research and Publications

Dr. Ball has contributed to various academic publications, focusing on topics such as:

• Customer delight theory
• Service design metaphors
• The interplay of customer experience and commitment
• Consumer resilience

Her work has appeared in journals like the Journal of Service Management, Touchpoint, and the Journal of Service Marketing.2

Professional Philosophy

Dr. Ball is particularly interested in designing sustainable services and experiences that benefit both users and society at large. She emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in solving complex problems.1 Her approach often involves questioning assumptions, as evidenced by her LinkedIn post emphasizing the importance of asking "What if I am wrong?"3