Faculty and Staff
Photo of Dr. Omar Itani

Dr. Omar Itani

Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Marketing

omar.itani@lau.edu.lb
Ext. 1299
AKSOB 1603
LAU Beirut

View CV

Biography 

Omar S. Itani is an Associate Professor of Marketing and the Chair of the Department of Marketing . He holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from The University of Texas (UT) at Arlington and a certificate in higher education teaching. He has extensive teaching experience at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels at international and local universities, including UT at Arlington, UT Rio Grande Valley, and AUB.

Dr. Itani has published in top-tier journals recognized by the Financial Times Top 50 and Shanghai rankings. Since 2022, he has been ranked among the top 2% of scholars globally, according to a Stanford University/Elsevier study—an accomplishment achieved during his tenure as an assistant professor. During the same period, he received the LAU Faculty Excellence in Research Award for the 20–21 academic year. ScholarGPS has distinguished Dr. Itani as one of the top 0.05% of sales scholars worldwide.

His research has received numerous awards. Dr. Itani’s impactful research has garnered international media attention, with citations from leading outlets such as Forbes, Yahoo News, the World Bank, the European Union Publications Office, and World News Monitor.

As a dedicated educator, Dr. Itani is a Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society member and a 2016 American Marketing Association-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium Fellow.

Dr. Itani provides executive training and consulting services across the Arab world.

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

Editorial Experience 

Publications

Mrad, M., Itani, O. S., & Cui, C. C. (2025). Unlocking life satisfaction: the impact of self-image congruence on consumers’ life satisfaction through brand love and brand addiction. European Journal of Marketing.

Hu, B., Itani, O. S., Kim, J. J., Landers, V. M., & Liu, X. (2025). Mapping marketing’s contribution to under-researched Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): a well-being centric approach. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 1-24.

Elhajjar, S., & Itani, O. S. (2025). Examining the impact of social media de-influencing on audiences. Internet Research.

Itani, O. S., Gabler, C. B., Kalra, A., Bakeshloo, K. A., & Agnihotri, R. (2025). The interplay of morality, emotional labor, and customer injustice: How salesperson experiences shape job satisfaction. Industrial Marketing Management, 124, 162-174.

Dahrouj, R., Itani, O. S., Hollebeek, L. D., Eslami, H., & Kassar, A. N. (2025). Which corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach optimizes customer engagement behavior? The role of customer-brand identification, brand love, and social communication. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 84, 104230. 

Velasco, F., Itani, O. S., & Cajina, P. (2024). Ecolabel persuasion effect across cultures: a comprehensive meta-analysis. International Marketing Review, 41(6), 1190-1217.

Itani, O. S., Kalra, A., & Rostami, A. (2024). How does big data affect organizational financial performance in turbulent markets? The role of customer-linking and selling capabilities. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 201, 123221.

Inyang, E., Itani, O. S., Alnakhli, H., & White, J. (2024). Sales team value co-creation in turbulent markets: the role of team learning and agility. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 32(4), 599-613.

Itani, O. S., Loureiro, S. M. C., & Ramadan, Z. (2023). Engaging with omnichannel brands: the role of consumer empowerment. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 51(2), 238-261.

Gabler, C. B., Landers, V. M., & Itani, O. S. (2023). Sustainability and professional sales: a review and future research agenda. Journal of Personal selling & sales ManageMent, 43(4), 336-353.

Itani, O. S., Badrinarayanan, V., & Rangarajan, D. (2023). The impact of business-to-business salespeople’s social media use on value co-creation and cross/up-selling: the role of social capital. European Journal of Marketing, 57(3), 683-717.

Gabler, C. B., Itani, O. S., & Agnihotri, R. (2023). Activating corporate environmental ethics on the frontline: a natural resource-based view. Journal of Business Ethics, 186(1), 63-86.

Kalra, A., Chaker, N. N., Singh, R., Itani, O. S., & Agnihotri, R. (2023). A desire for success: Exploring the roles of personal and job resources in determining the outcomes of salesperson social media use. Industrial Marketing Management, 113, 202-214.

Itani, O. S., Loureiro, S. M. C., & Ramadan, Z. (2023). Engaging with omnichannel brands: the role of consumer empowerment. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 51(2), 238-261.

Kalra, A., Itani, O. S., & Rostami, A. (2023). Can salespeople use social media to enhance brand awareness and sales performance? The role of manager empowerment and creativity. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 38(8), 1738-1753.

Kalra, A., Itani, O. S., & Sun, S. (2023). “Turning role conflict into performance”: assessing the moderating role of self-monitoring, manager trust and manager identification. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 33(3), 436-461.

Hollebeek, L. D., Menidjel, C., Itani, O. S., Clark, M. K., & Sigurdsson, V. (2023). Consumer engagement with self-driving cars: a theory of planned behavior-informed perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 35(8), 2029-2046.

Dugan, R., Chaker, N. N., Nowlin, E., Deeter-Schmelz, D., Rangarajan, D., Agnihotri, R., & Itani, O. S. (2023). Preparing for, withstanding, and learning from sales crises: Implications and a future research agenda. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 43(2), 89-104.

Tóth, Z., Mrad, M., Itani, O. S., Luo, J., & Liu, M. J. (2022). B2B eWOM on Alibaba: Signaling through online reviews in platform-based social exchange. Industrial Marketing Management, 104, 226-240.

Itani, O. S., Kalra, A., & Riley, J. (2022). Complementary effects of CRM and social media on customer co-creation and sales performance in B2B firms: The role of salesperson self-determination needs. Information & Management, 59(3), 103621.

Itani, O. S., Chonko, L., & Agnihotri, R. (2022). Salesperson moral identity and value co-creation. European Journal of Marketing, 56(2), 500-531.

Chaker, N. N., Nowlin, E. L., Pivonka, M. T., Itani, O. S., & Agnihotri, R. (2022). Inside sales social media use and its strategic implications for salesperson-customer digital engagement and performance. Industrial Marketing Management, 100, 127-144

Guerreiro, J., Loureiro, S. M. C., Romero, J., Itani, O., & Eloy, S. (2022). Transhumanism and engagement-facilitating technologies in society. Journal of Promotion Management, 28(5), 537-558.

Itani, O. S., & Chaker, N. N. (2022). Harnessing the power within: The consequences of salesperson moral identity and the moderating role of internal competitive climate. Journal of Business Ethics, 181(4), 847-871.

Itani, O. S., Kalra, A., Chaker, N. N., & Singh, R. (2021). “Because you are a part of me”: Assessing the effects of salesperson social media use on job outcomes and the moderating roles of moral identity and gender. Industrial Marketing Management, 98, 283-298.

Itani, O. S., & Hollebeek, L. D. (2021). Consumers’ health-locus-of-control and social distancing in pandemic-based e-tailing services. Journal of Services Marketing, 35(8), 1073-1091.

Itani, O. S. (2021). “Us” to co-create value and hate “them”: examining the interplay of consumer-brand identification, peer identification, value co-creation among consumers, competitor brand hate and individualism. European Journal of Marketing, 55(4), 1023-1066.

Itani, O. S., & Hollebeek, L. D. (2021). Light at the end of the tunnel: Visitors’ virtual reality (versus in-person) attraction site tour-related behavioral intentions during and post-COVID-19. Tourism Management, 84, 104290.

Alnakhli, H., Inyang, A. E., & Itani, O. S. (2021). The role of salespeople in value co-creation and its impact on sales performance. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 28(4), 347-367.

Itani, O. S., Krush, M. T., Agnihotri, R., & Trainor, K. J. (2020). Social media and customer relationship management technologies: Influencing buyer-seller information exchanges. Industrial Marketing Management, 90, 264-275.

Freling, T. H., Yang, Z., Saini, R., Itani, O. S., & Abualsamh, R. R. (2020). When poignant stories outweigh cold hard facts: A meta-analysis of the anecdotal bias. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 160, 51-67.

Alnakhli, H., Singh, R., Agnihotri, R., & Itani, O. S. (2020). From cognition to action: the effect of thought self-leadership strategies and self-monitoring on adaptive selling behavior. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 35(12), 1915-1927.

Itani, O. S., El Haddad, R., & Kalra, A. (2020). Exploring the role of extrovert-introvert customers’ personality prototype as a driver of customer engagement: does relationship duration matter?. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101980.

Itani, O. S., Jaramillo, F., & Paesbrugghe, B. (2020). Between a rock and a hard place: Seizing the opportunity of demanding customers by means of frontline service behaviors. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101978.

Itani, O. S., Goad, E. A., & Jaramillo, F. (2019). Building customer relationships while achieving sales performance results: Is listening the holy grail of sales?. Journal of Business Research, 102, 120-130.

Itani, O. S., Kassar, A. N., & Loureiro, S. M. C. (2019). Value get, value give: The relationships among perceived value, relationship quality, customer engagement, and value consciousness. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 80, 78-90.

Itani, O. S., Jaramillo, F., & Chonko, L. (2019). Achieving top performance while building collegiality in sales: It all starts with ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 156(2), 417-438.

Agnihotri, R., Gabler, C. B., Itani, O. S., Jaramillo, F., & Krush, M. T. (2018). Salesperson ambidexterity and customer satisfaction. Keller Center Research Report, 16.

Gabler, C. B., Agnihotri, R., & Itani, O. S. (2017). Can salesperson guilt lead to more satisfied customers? Findings from India. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 32(7), 951-961

Agnihotri, R., Trainor, K. J., Itani, O. S., & Rodriguez, M. (2017). Examining the role of sales-based CRM technology and social media use on post-sale service behaviors in India. Journal of Business Research, 81, 144-154.

Agnihotri, R., Gabler, C. B., Itani, O. S., Jaramillo, F., & Krush, M. T. (2017). Salesperson ambidexterity and customer satisfaction: examining the role of customer demandingness, adaptive selling, and role conflict. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 37(1), 27-41.

Itani, O. S., Agnihotri, R., & Dingus, R. (2017). Social media use in B2b sales and its impact on competitive intelligence collection and adaptive selling: Examining the role of learning orientation as an enabler. Industrial Marketing Management, 66, 64-79.

Itani, O. S. (2017). Who am I? Customer identification: A quantitative synthesis.

Itani, O. S., & Inyang, A. E. (2015). The effects of empathy and listening of salespeople on relationship quality in the retail banking industry: The moderating role of felt stress. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 33(6), 692-716.

Dagher, G., Itani, O. S., & Kassar, A. N. (2015). The impact of environment concern and attitude on green purchasing behavior: Gender as the moderator. Contemporary Management Research.

Dagher, G. K., & Itani, O. (2014). Factors influencing green purchasing behaviour: Empirical evidence from the Lebanese consumers. Journal of consumer behaviour, 13(3), 188-195.

Dagher, G., & Itani, O. (2012). The influence of environmental attitude, environmental concern and social influence on green purchasing behavior. Review of Business Research, 12(2), 104-111.

Case Studies and Reports

Elhajjar, S., & Itani, O. S. (2025). Brands for less: Navigating expansion into Southeast Asia (Case study). Ivey Publishing, Ivey Business School at Western University, London, ON, Canada.

Agnihotri, R., Gabler, C. B., Itani, O. S., Jaramillo, F., & Krush, M. T. (2018). Salesperson ambidexterity and customer satisfaction. Keller Center Research Report, 11(4), 16–21. 

Conferences

Fischer, H., Gabler, C., Itani, O. S., Keränen Salesperson Ambidexterity and Customer Satisfaction, J., Landers, M., & Deva, R. (2025, January). Selling sustainable solutions and emerging tensions: Towards a conceptual framework and future research agenda. Paper presented at the 8th Industrial Marketing Management Summit, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Badrinarayanan, V., Itani, O. S., Rangarajan, D., Srivastava, R., & Stewart, G. (2024). Let me tell you about myself! Salesperson orientations, self-presentation, and pathways to performance. Paper presented at the National Conference in Sales Management, St. Louis, Missouri.

Velasco, F., Itani, O. S., & Torres, P. (2023). A cross-cultural study of how ecolabels persuade consumers to purchase green products: A meta-analysis. Paper presented at the Society of Marketing Advances, Fort Worth, Texas. Best Track Paper Award.

Kalra, A., Sun, S., & Itani, O. S. (2021, February). Role conflict, job satisfaction, and performance: Assessing the contingent role of salesperson self-monitoring and trust in manager. Paper presented at the American Marketing Association Winter Conference.

Inyang, A. E., Itani, O. S., & Alnakhli, H. (2020). The role of value co-creation in sales team performance. Paper presented at the Global Sales Science Institute Conference, Fort Worth, Texas.

Itani, O. S., Riley, J., & Kalra, A. (2020, August). Value co-creation through SocialCRM: The role of salesperson knowledge and needs. Paper presented at the American Marketing Association Summer Conference, San Francisco, California.

Itani, O. S., Chaker, N. N., & Alnakhli, H. (2020, April). The impact of salesperson moral identity centrality on external and internal customers. Paper presented at the National Conference of Sales Management Conference, Norfolk, Virginia. Conference Best Paper Award.

Agnihotri, R., Singh, R., Itani, O. S., & Trainor, K. (2019, August). Effects of CRM and social media on buyer-seller information exchanges: A multigroup analysis comparing high vs. low seller experience. Paper presented at the American Marketing Association Summer Conference, Chicago, Illinois.

Itani, O. S. (2019, April). The role of moral self in professional selling. Paper presented at the Marketing Management Association Spring Conference, Chicago, Illinois.

Itani, O. S., & Paesbrugghe, B. (2018, December). Salespeople service delivery in the era of demanding customers. Paper presented at the Industrial Marketing & Purchasing Conference, Sri Lanka.

Itani, O. S. (2018, November). The differential impacts of two forms of identification: Investigating the moderating role of individual cultural orientation. Paper presented at the Society of Marketing Advances Annual Conference, Florida.

Itani, O. S., & Paesbrugghe, B. (2018, April). Salespeople service delivery in the era of demanding customers. Paper presented at the Marketing Management Association Spring Conference, Chicago, Illinois.

Itani, O. S., Kassar, A., & Loureiro, S. (2017, November). Engaging customers in the restaurant sector. Paper presented at the International Conference on Organization and Management, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Itani, O. S., Kalra, A., Agnihotri, R., Singh, P., & Tyagi, S. (2017, November). Firm’s digital marketing pursuits: Examining the role of social media and salesperson knowledge for B2B relationships. Paper presented at the Society for Marketing Advances Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Kalra, A., Brewer, L., & Itani, O. S. (2017, November). Effect of service provider’s facial attractiveness on customer outcomes. Paper presented at the Society for Marketing Advances Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Itani, O. S. (2017, September). Customer relationship management technology use of salespeople. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the EuroMed Academy of Business, Rome, Italy.

Itani, O. S. (2017, April). Bringing moral identity into sales. Paper presented at the National Conference of Sales Management, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Itani, O. S., Alnakhli, H., Han, M., & Sun, S. (2017, March). Variety seeking at the brand level: Unidentified strategy used by luxury shoppers. Paper presented at the Marketing Management Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Itani, O. S., Kalra, A., Gabler, C., & Agnihotri, R. (2016, August). Boundary spanning employees’ pro-social disposition and B2B relationships: Lessons from India. Paper presented at the American Marketing Association Summer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Kalra, A., Itani, O. S., & Agnihotri, R. (2016, August). The good and the bad of competitive coworkers: Performance impacts through creativity and emotional exhaustion. Paper presented at the American Marketing Association Summer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Itani, O. S., Kalra, A., & Inyang, E. (2016, June). Revisiting the relationship between organizational ethical climate and job satisfaction of salespeople. Paper presented at the Global Sales Science Institute Conference, Birmingham, England.

Itani, O. S. (2016, March). The answer is to empower your sales force when it comes to sales technology. Paper presented at the National Conference of Sales Management, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

Gabler, C., Agnihotri, R., Trainor, K., Krush, M., & Itani, O. S. (2016, March). The role of guilt relational orientation selling, and positive outcome feedback on customer satisfaction. Paper presented at the National Conference of Sales Management, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

Itani, O. S. (2016, March). CRM sales technology: New perspectives and dark side outcomes. Paper presented at the Texas Ph.D. Conference, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA.

Itani, O. S. (2015, April). Sales quota and salesperson’s selling behavior: The missing link of felt stress and the moderating role of ethical climate. Paper presented at the National Conference of Sales Management, Houston, Texas, USA.

Syrdal, H., & Itani, O. S. (2014, September). Student evaluations of teaching: What can text analytics reveal from qualitative data? Paper presented at the Marketing Management Association Conference, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Dagher, G., Itani, O. S., & Kassar, A. N. (2013, March). Factors influencing green purchasing behavior. Paper presented at the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators, Federation of Business Disciplines, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Dagher, G., & Itani, O. S. (2013, June). Gender differences in Lebanese consumer green purchasing behavior and environmental concern and attitude. Paper presented at the Academy for Global Business Advancement, Bangkok, Thailand.

Dagher, G., & Itani, O. S. (2012, June). The influence of environmental attitude, environmental concern, and social influence on green purchasing behavior. Paper presented at the International Academy of Business and Economics, Venice, Italy.

Awards and Accomplishments

Training and Consulting Activities