Hair鈥檚 Half- Million
Posted on December 17, 2024 by Marketing and Communications
DR. JOE HAIR, one of the most proli铿乧 academic researchers in the history of the University of South Alabama, reached a satisfyingly round number this fall when his business and marketing articles were cited for the half-millionth time.
The director of the Ph.D. program in the Mitchell College of Business ranks No. 1 in the world among professors cited in marketing, multivariate data analysis and structural equation modeling.
鈥淚 basically reinvented myself when I was 62,鈥� says Hair, who鈥檚 now 80 years old. 鈥淚鈥檝e reinvented myself my entire career, and my long-term success as a scholar, teacher and consultant has been based on continuously reinventing myself.鈥�
At South, he recruits nontraditional graduate students with a 铿俥xible curriculum that enables them to attend classes on weekends and keep working in business and industry.
鈥淭hese students are experienced, intelligent and highly motivated,鈥� Hair says. 鈥淎nd they too want to reinvent themselves.鈥�
Hair attended the University of Florida, where he earned bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees. Before coming to South, he taught at the University of Mississippi, Louisiana State University and Kennesaw State University. Hair still 铿乶ds time to teach graduate courses each semester.
鈥淭eaching and research go hand in hand,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 constantly updating my books, and I use my students and their feedback to learn what I need to improve upon. It鈥檚 like a circular chain. I could not update my books if I didn鈥檛 stay in touch with what鈥檚 happening in the 铿乪ld, and the way I stay in touch with what鈥檚 happening is through my teaching and research.鈥�