Staff Profile

  • Lucy Zhu completed her BA Accounting and Finance and MSc International Management with a specialism in Marketing from University of Exeter with Distinction. She worked at Glasgow for three years in esports project management, where she applied the knowledge gained in her studies to this emerging and fast growing industry. In her work, she built further connections within the sports industry in both the UK and China, and realised that this industry was in need of more research, guidance, understanding and talents. In order to increase the understanding of the industry and support future esports generations better, she applied for PhD in Sport Management at Loughborough University, with the topic on esports events.

    Lucy joined University of Northampton in 2021 as a lecturer in esports, before she finished her 3rd year of her PhD. She is currently at the writing-up phase of her PhD.

  • Lucy taught modules on qualitative and quantitative research methods to undergraduate and postgraduate students as a tutor from 2019/20 at Loughborough University. She delivered two guest lectures to undergraduate students in Sport Management in 2020.

    She has over three-year experience in teaching 3rd year and Masters students on how to write dissertation as part time academic advisor. Topics include general management, sport marketing, and sport management.

  • Lucy’s PhD research focuses on the specific context of esports. Topics include perceived service quality, Self-Determination Theory, motivation, satisfaction, behavioural intention, passion, and well-being.

    Lucy is very interested in multidisciplinary studies of esports, particularly positive psychology, marketing and branding, and biomechanics.

  • For publications, projects, datasets, research interests and activities, view Lucy Zhu’s research profile on Pure, the University of Northampton’s Research Explorer.

  • Papers:

    • X. Zhu, Pyun, D. Y., Manoli, E. A. and Men, Z. Y. (2019). Reexamination of Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II) in Esports: Cross Validation of Intrinsic Motivation and Integrated Motivation. Asian Association of Sport Management.
    • Zhu, X., Pyun, D. Y., Manoli, A. E. (2021). Developing a conceptual model of service quality for eSports. Quest, 73(4), 375-390. DOI: 10.1080/00336297.2021.1976654

    Conferences:

    • 2019   Reexamination of Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II) in Esports: Cross Validation of Intrinsic Motivation and Integrated Motivation. Asian Association of Sport Management.
    • 2019   A Test and Refinement of Self-Determination Theory: Investigating the Relationships among Basic Psychological Needs, Motivation, Satisfaction, and Revisit Intention in Esports. European Association of Sport Management.
    • 2021   Developing a Measurement Scale for Spectators’ Perceived Service Quality of Esports Events. European Association of Sport Management.
    • 2021   Investigating the impact of passion for esports on wellbeing for UK college esports players. (accepted). Sport Marketing Association.
    • 2022   Esports discussion panel. Manchester 2022 Conference.