Michel Laroche spent nearly five decades studying what drives people's decisions, from the brands they choose to the cultures and technologies that shape their behaviour.
But for the colleagues and students who knew him, his influence reached well beyond his research.
Laroche, a longtime professor of marketing at Concordia's John Molson School of Business, died on Sept. 25, 2026. He was 81.
According to Anne-Marie Croteau, dean of the John Molson School, Laroche was the most highly cited researcher in the school's history. His Google Scholar profile recorded more than 41,500 citations in October 2026, reflecting the international reach of his work.
"Michel was one of the most accomplished and influential scholars in the history of the John Molson School of Business," Croteau says.
"He was respectful, kind and generous with his time. Even after decades of scholarship, he remained interested in new questions and new ideas, and was deeply committed to supporting the next generation of researchers."
Laroche joined Concordia in 1979 as an associate professor and became a professor in 1983. He was named the first holder of the Royal Bank Distinguished Professorship in Marketing in 2000.
His academic journey began in engineering. He earned a degree from École Centrale de Paris in 1969, followed by a master's degree in engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1971 and a PhD from Columbia University in 1974.
In the ensuing decades, he developed an extensive body of research into consumer behaviour, cultural identity, advertising and digital marketing.
Understanding how people make choices
Throughout his career, Laroche explored how consumers make decisions, from choosing brands to navigating cultural differences and emerging technologies.
His early work helped explain how people categorize brands before making purchases. He later examined how culture influences consumer behaviour, including research with Mark Cleveland and Nicolas Papadopoulos that earned the 2016 Hans B. Thorelli Award for its lasting contribution to international marketing.
One of his most influential studies, published in 2001, explored why consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. The research grew out of an MBA student's paper and became his most cited publication.
"It has had a tremendous impact, which we weren't expecting," Laroche recalled in a 2023 Concordia interview.
As consumer habits evolved, so did his research. He went on to investigate online shopping, social media, brand communities and emerging technologies, including TikTok.
Building a research community
Laroche's contributions extended beyond his publications.
He coauthored 26 major textbooks and supervised generations of graduate students. He also helped create opportunities for researchers to exchange ideas and develop their careers.
Through the Royal Bank Distinguished Professorship, he organized research seminars that brought scholars together from Canada and abroad. The seminar series eventually expanded internationally, with events in Tokyo and Shanghai.
Laroche served as managing editor of the Journal of Business Research from 1999 to 2015 and editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences from 2017 to 2022. An outstanding associate editor award at the Journal of Business Research bears his name.
His achievements earned him recognition from several international scholarly organizations. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the American Psychological Association, and he became a Distinguished Fellow of both the Society for Marketing Advances and the Academy of Marketing Science.
His honours included the 2000 Acfas Jacques-Rousseau Award, the 2002 Living Legend of Marketing recognition from HEC Montréal and the Academy of Marketing Science's 2025 Cutco/Vector Distinguished Marketing Educator Award.
A generous mentor and a lifelong friend
For Alan Hochstein, a professor in John Molson's Department of Finance, Laroche's generosity was apparent early in his career.
Hochstein joined Concordia in 1984. Although they worked in different departments, their offices were close together and they often discussed Laroche's research.
In 1989, Laroche included Hochstein as a coauthor on a paper published in Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences.
"It was my first publication! How could I ever forget that?" Hochstein recalls.
What stayed with him was Laroche's humility.
"He never pulled rank with me or others," Hochstein says. "Although Michel's academic achievements were laudable, we were all treated as his equal."
Hochstein credits Laroche with helping him gain the confidence to take on greater responsibilities, including serving as interim dean at John Molson.
Michèle Paulin, a professor in John Molson's Department of Marketing who worked closely with Laroche, remembers a quiet man whose actions spoke louder than his words.
"He was a man of few words, but a man with a very big heart," Paulin recalls.
She describes a supervisor who trusted students to develop their own ideas instead of imposing his approach. Laroche encouraged young researchers to explore their potential and gave them the independence to do so.
Paulin also remembers his willingness to collaborate, share expertise and support colleagues.
That generosity extended well beyond Concordia.
Barry Babin, executive director of the Academy of Marketing Science and a professor at the University of Mississippi, was a friend and collaborator for more than 30 years.
The two worked together for over 15 years at the Journal of Business Research and helped support international marketing organizations.
"Michel was genuinely interested in people," Babin says. "He made time for others, celebrated their successes, and was always willing to offer encouragement, advice or simply a listening ear."
Babin also remembers the friendships they shared beyond academia, particularly their conversations over good food and wine.
"I will particularly remember our good times at the table," he says.
Reflecting on Laroche's legacy, Babin adds: "He made our profession, and our lives, richer."
For Paulin, Laroche's intellectual curiosity was another defining quality, even late in his career.
In a 2023 Concordia interview, Laroche spoke about his growing interest in artificial intelligence and its potential influence on marketing research.
"I'm always interested in new topics and I'm always curious," he said. "Even after 50 years, I'm not done."
