Deborah Y. Cohn

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Dr. Deborah Y. Cohn is a Professor of Marketing at New York Institute of Technology, where she previously served as Interim Dean of the School of Management (2021–2024). Her research focuses on gift giving, consumer behavior, and digital social media in workplace settings, with her work featured in The Wall Street Journal and cited by major media outlets including ABC, CNN, and The New York Times.

As a scholar, Dr. Cohn has secured significant research funding, including a $10,006 NYIT Teaching and Learning with Technology grant and a $25,000 Mallah Family Foundation grant for international workplace studies. She serves as Executive Producer for In Reality: Lessons from Leaders and Entrepreneurs, a podcast now in its 11th season with a current focus on AI tools.

Her research has been presented at numerous conferences, including the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS). Dr. Cohn's commitment to experiential learning is evident through her leadership of Academic Service Learning projects with organizations like Casa de Spin Paint Parlor and Kids Cooking for Life.

Her dedication earned her the NYIT Presidential Award for Student Engagement (2018) and recognition among Long Island Business News’ Top 50 Women in Business (2021). Her institutional service includes chairing the School Personnel Committee, serving on NY Tech's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee, and advising Jewish student organizations.

She holds a Ph.D. from CUNY Baruch College, an MBA from NYIT, and a BA from SUNY Albany, with study abroad experience at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Recent Project Grants

• Fulbright-Hays Program Grant (2020), "Academia and Society – Collaboration Across Borders: A Virtual Exchange Program." Funded by The U.S. Department of State, U.S. Consulate of São Paulo, Brazil. In conjunction with Associação Cultural De Renovação Tecnológica Sorocabana – Acrts, Facens – Faculty of Engineering of Sorocaba. $13,966 divided between Facens ($5,475) and NYIT ($8,521). Co-Principal Investigator – in conjuction with Rosi Vieira, Noemi Fontao, Birasnav Muthuraj, and Joshua E. Bienstock
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Birasnav Muthuraj (2018), “Professional enrichment program of NYIT School of Management: Mobile app technology integration to enhance teaching and learning.” Internal New York Tech Teaching and Learning with Technology Grant: $10,006
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Joshua Bienstock (2019), “An International Study of Israel and the US of Digital Social Media in The Workplace.” Mallah Family Foundation: $25,000
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Joshua Bienstock (2016–2019), “A Four Country Comparison of Digital Social Media in The Workplace (UAE, Canada, USA and China).” Albert and Pearl Ginsberg Foundation: $75,000
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Joshua Bienstock (2015), “The Influence of Digital Social Media Networking Services on Workplace Harmony and Conflict.” Albert and Pearl Ginsberg Foundation: $24,804

Recent Project Research

• Vaccaro, Valerie, Fagerlandand, Benja Stig, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2019), “A Sheconomy Management 3.0 Benefit Model & Framework of Gender Diversity Leadership for Greater Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Firm Financial Performance,” European Journal of Management. 19 (1), 39–62. HQWR-Double Blind Peer Review, 20% acceptance rate.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. and Valerie L. Vaccaro (2018), “Reducing the Green Gap: The Impact of Cultural & Personal Values on Adoption of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles in The US, UK, Australia & South Africa,” Journal of International Management Studies, 18 (3), 29–44. HQWR-Double Blind Peer Review, 21% acceptance rate.
• Vaccaro, Valerie L., Veysel Yucetepe, Deborah Y. Cohn, and James Henry Dunne (2017), “Pleasant Music’s Relationship to Congruence, Consumer Behavioral Intentions, Unplanned Purchase, and Time Spent in Retail and Service Environments,” Journal of International Management Studies. 17(2), 35–48. HQWR-Double Blind Peer Review, 21% acceptance rate.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2016), “Thanks, I Guess: What Consumers Complain About When They Complain About Gifts,” Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior. 29, 77–89. HQWR-Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC). Rating: B; Impact: Summarized and Cited in Lane, Shelley D. (2017), Understanding Everyday Incivility: Why Are They So Rude? Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie Vaccaro (2015), “The Influence of Global Consumer Values and Perceived Risk Factors on Green Vehicle Adoption,” Journal of International Business and Economics. 15 (3), 35–52. HQWR-Blind Peer Review, 18% acceptance rate.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2013), “The Bright Side: An Examination of Green Marketing Product Strategies for Sustainability with Diffusion of Innovation Characteristics,” European Journal of Business Research. 13 (3), 135–142. HQWR-Blind Peer Review, 23% acceptance rate.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie Vaccaro, (2013), “A Consumer Values Analysis of Attitudes Towards Green & Non-Green Vehicle Purchase,” Northeast Business & Economics Association Proceedings. January, 40–43. Blind Peer Review.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2010), “Commentary Essay on ‘Exploring Origins of Ethical Company/Brand Perceptions – A Consumer Perspective of Corporate Ethics’,” Journal of Business Research. (Invited by Tony Ellson, Associate Editor Buyer Behavior), 63 (12), December, 1267–1268. HQWR-Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC). Rating: A.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, Sucheta Ahlawat, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2010), “Diffusion of Innovation, Marketing Strategies, and Global Consumer Values for a High Technology Product,” International Journal of Business Strategy. 10 (3), 113–128. HQWR-Double Blind Review, 25% acceptance rate.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2010), “Green Marketing, Diffusion of Innovation, and Global Consumer Values for Sustainability,” Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association. January, 596–598. Blind Peer Review.
• Schiffman, Leon G., and Deborah Y. Cohn (2009), “Are They Playing by The Same Rules? A Consumer Gifting Classification of Marital Dyads,” Journal of Business Research. 62 (11), 1054–1062. HQWR-Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC). Rating: A.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2007), “Global Consumer Values on The Internet & The Relationship of Diffusion Characteristics, Lifestyle & Trustworthiness to P2P File-Sharing Behavior,” International Journal of Business Research. VII (2), 176–186. HQWR-Double Blind Peer Review, 20% acceptance rate.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. and Valerie Vaccaro (2006), “A Study of Neutralisation Theory’s Application to Global Consumer Ethics: P2P File-trading of Musical Intellectual Property on the Internet,” International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising. (Special Issue on Ethical Issues in Electronic Marketing and Advertising: Challenges and Pitfalls), 3 (1), Winter, 68–88. HQWR-Double Blind Peer Review, 11–20% acceptance rate.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2005), Current Ethical Dilemmas of Advertising Professionals,” in Crisis and Opportunity in the Professions: Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations, Volume 6, ed. Moses Pava and Patrick Primeaux (Amsterdam: JAI: An Imprint of Elsevier Science). 149–168. HQWR-Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC). Rating: B.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2004), “The Evolution of Business Models and Marketing Strategies in the Music Industry,” International Journal on Media Management. (Special Issue on Traditional Media and the Internet: The Search for Viable Business Models), 6 (1 & 2), 46–58. HQWR-Blind Peer Review, 15–20% acceptance rate.

Conference Presentations

• Bienstock, Joshua E. and Deborah Y Cohn (2021), “To Covid 19 Vaccinate U.S. Campus Students, Faculty and Staff or Not? That Is the Question,” IABE-2021 Nuremberg – Online Conference, June 10–12, 2021.
• Muthuraj, Birasnav, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2021), “Career Management Implemented Experiential Teaching Strategy During COVID-19,” POMS 31st Annual Conference, Production and Operations Management Society, April 30–May 5, 2021.
• Bienstock, Joshua, Cohn, Deborah Y., Muthuraj, Birasnav, (2020) “The Future of Remote Teaching/Learning in Institutes of Higher Education Looks Bright: But the Kinks Need To Be Ironed Out,” International Academy of Business and Economics 2020 Online Conference in San Francisco, December 11–13, 2020.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. and Joshua E. Bienstock (2020), “Workplace Social Media Relationships and Their Impact on Leadership and Ethics: It’s a Risky Business,” Fifth Israel Organization Behavior Conference (IOBC), The Coller Faculty of Business Administration at Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, January 5–7, 2020.
• Bienstock, Joshua, Seaman, Cristina, LaPerla, John, Brown, Anne, Schwartz, Ellie, Baez, Stacey, Cohn, Deborah Y., and Birasnav Muthuraj (2019), “The Role of Higher Education on Developing Practices to Support Student Career Success: A Practical Framework,” GLOGIFT 2019 Conference, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India, 6–8 December 2019.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. and Birasnav Muthuraj (2019), “Enhancing Student Satisfaction with the Utilization of an Innovative Professional Enrichment Program,” Marketing Educators’ Association Annual Conference 2019, Phoenix, Arizona, April 4–6, 2019.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. and Valerie Vaccaro (2018), “Reducing he Green Gap: The Impact of Cultural & Personal Values on Adoption of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles in the US, UK, Australia & South Africa,” International Academy of Business and Economics 2018 Annual Conference, New York, October 11–13, 2018.
• Aron, David, Marianne Bickle, Deborah Y. Cohn, and Logan Hartman (2018), “Panel: Enhancing the Learning Experience,” 2018 Consumer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction & Complaining Behavior Conference, June 19–22, 2018, New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY.
• Swid, Amr, Joshua Bienstock, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2018), “Satisfied Employees and Company Brand Image: A Social Media Approach,” 2018 Consumer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction & Complaining Behavior Conference, June 19–22, 2018, New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY.
• Bienstock, Joshua, Amr Swid, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2018), “Resolving Campus Conflict Through Mediation: The Road Map to Student Satisfaction,” 2018 Consumer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction & Complaining Behavior Conference, June 19–22, 2018, New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY.
• Vaccaro, Valerie L., Veysel Yucetepe, Deborah Y. Cohn, and James Henry Dunne (2017), “Pleasant Music’s Relationship to Congruence, Consumer Behavioral Intentions, Unplanned Purchase, and Time Spent in Retail and Service Environments,” International Academy of Business and Economics 2017 Annual Conference in New York, October 12–14, 2017.
• Bienstock, Joshua E. and Deborah Y Cohn (2017) “Decision Heuristics Related to Workplace Relationship Management on Social Media” The European Association for Decision Making 26th Subjective Probability, Utility, and Decision Making Conference (SPUDM26), August 20–24, 2017, the Technion Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. and Joshua E. Bienstock (2016), “The Influence of Digital Social Networking Services on Workplace Harmony and Conflict,” Athens Institute for Education and Research 13th Annual International Conference on SΜΕs, Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Management, Marketing, Economic, Social Aspects. 25–28 July 2016, Athens, Greece.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2016), “Thanks, I Guess: What Consumers Complain About When They Complain About Gifts,” 2016 Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior Conference, June 15–18, New Orleans, LA.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie Vaccaro (2015), “The Influence Of Global Consumer Values and Perceived Risk Factors on Green Vehicle Adoption,“ International Academy of Business and Economics 2015 Annual Conference in Las Vegas, October 11–13, 2015.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie Vaccaro, (2013), “A Consumer Values Analysis of Attitudes Towards Green & Non-Green Vehicle Purchase,” The 40th Annual Meeting of the Northeast Business & Economics Association (NBEA), New Hampshire, November 7–9.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2013), “And Baby Makes Three: Changes in Gift Prediction Accuracy During the Transition to Parenthood” presentation at the 2013 Clute Institute Key West International Academic Conference and Proceedings, Key West, Florida (USA). Article 112, March 18–20.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2013), “Deliberate Inaccurate Preference Prediction in Gift Giving Between Spouses,” presentation at the 2013 Clute Institute Key West International Academic Conference and Proceedings, Key West, Florida. Article 113, March 18–20. (Winner: Best Paper in Session Award)
• Vaccaro, Valerie, Sucheta Ahlawat, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2010), “Diffusion of Innovation, Marketing Strategies, and Global Consumer Values,” International Academy of Business and Economics 2010 Annual Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 17–20, 2010.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., Elaine Sherman, and Leon G. Schiffman (2009), “An Examination of a Firm-Level Model of Green Marketing Strategies,” Global Business and Technology Association Eleventh Annual International Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, July. 244–250.

Selected Publications

• Vaccaro, Valerie, Benja Stig Fagerlandand, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2019), “A SHEconomy Management 3.0 Benefit Model & Framework of Gender Diversity Leadership for Greater Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Firm Financial Performance,” European Journal of Management.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie L. Vaccaro (2018), “Reducing the Green Gap: The Impact of Cultural & Personal Values on Adoption of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles in the US, UK, Australia & South Africa,” Journal of International Management Studies 18 (3), 29–44.
• Vaccaro, Valerie L., Veysel Yucetepe, Deborah Y. Cohn, and James Henry Dunne (2017), “Pleasant Music's Relationship to Congruence, Consumer Behavioral Intentions, Unplanned Purchase, and Time Spent in Retail and Service Environments,” Journal of International Management Studies 17(2), 35–48.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2016), “Thanks, I Guess: What Consumers Complain About When They Complain About Gifts,” Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction, and Complaining Behavior 29, 77–89.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie Vaccaro (2015), “The Influence of Global Consumer Values and Perceived Risk Factors on Green Vehicle Adoption,” Journal of International Business and Economics 15 (3), 35–52.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2013), “The Bright Side: An Examination of Green Marketing Product Strategies for Sustainability with Diffusion of Innovation Characteristics,” European Journal of Business Research 13 (3), 135–142.
• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Valerie Vaccaro (2013), “A Consumer Values Analysis of Attitudes Towards Green & Non-Green Vehicle Purchase,” Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association, January 40–43.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2010), “Commentary Essay on ‘Exploring Origins of Ethical Company / Brand Perceptions – A Consumer Perspective of Corporate Ethics” (invited by Tony Ellson, associate editor of Buyer Behavior), Journal of Business Research 63 (12) December, 1267–1268.
• Vaccaro, Valerie, and Deborah Y. Cohn (2010), “Green Marketing, Diffusion of Innovation, and Global Consumer Values for Sustainability,” Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association January 596–598.
• Schiffman, Leon G., and Deborah Y. Cohn (2009), “Are They Playing by the Same Rules? A Consumer Gifting Classification of Marital Dyads,” Journal of Business Research 62(11), 1054–1062.

Professional Publications

• Cohn, Deborah Y., and Joshua Bienstock (2018), “The Tricky Task of Friending (or Unfriending) a Colleague,” The Wall Street Journal, online May 17, print May 21, 2018.
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2017), “When cringeworthy gifts are worse than inconsiderate,” The Conversation, December 15, 2017. (Reprinted in The Washington Post as “This is why people give bad Christmas gifts,” December 25, 2017.)
• Cohn, Deborah Y. (2017), “Marketing in a World of Bad Gift-Giving,” Academic Minute podcast, May 9, 2017.

Honors and Awards

• Long Island Business News Top 50 Women in Business, Class of 2021
• NYIT School of Management Distinguished Faculty Service Award (2019)
• NYIT Presidential Award for Student Engagement by Faculty (2018)
• Aishet Chayil (Woman of Valor) Award presented by Congregation Ohav Sholom, Merrick, N.Y. (2018)
• Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing presented by Elsevier in recognition of the contributions made to the quality of the Journal of Business Research (2016)
• Commitment to Marketing Award, presented by Mu Kappa Tau – National Marketing Honor Society. Awarded to faculty with three or more years of continuous membership and a commitment to the principles, academic achievement, and dedication to the marketing profession. (2016)
• NYIT School of Management Adjunct Faculty Council Leadership Award, awarded to a full-time faculty member for efforts to improve working conditions for adjuncts (AY 2015–2016)
• Women of March, awarded by Community Service Center, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, N.Y. (2012)

Courses Taught at New York Tech

Undergraduate

• Introduction to Marketing
• Management of Promotion
• Management of New Product Development
• Professional Selling and Digital Customer Relationship Management Tools
• International Marketing
• Introduction to Business
• Interactive/Internet Advertising
• Marketing Policy and Strategy

Graduate

• Introduction to Marketing
• Branding
• Marketing Management
• Marketing Strategy and Branding
• New Product Management
• Internet Marketing
• Consumer Behavior and Marketing Action
• Practicum

Contact Info

• dcohn02@nyit.edu