We are happy to welcome Prof. Dr. Werner Kunz from University of Massachusetts, Boston giving a research talk on "The Future of Work – Understanding the Collaboration Between Humans and Machines".
 
This talk explores the evolving collaboration between human and digital employees in service contexts. As AI and service robots become more prevalent, understanding how humans and machines can effectively work together is crucial. The presentation will draw on findings from multiple experimental studies, examining how the communication of human-digital employee collaboration influences customer perceptions and satisfaction across various service industries. Key insights will be provided on enhancing process fluency and team cohesion, focusing on how task-based and entitybased connection cues impact customer evaluations. The presentation finishes with insights for both scholars and industry, emphasizing the importance of fostering effective human-AI symbiosis to create superior service experiences.
 
Werner H. Kunz is Professor of Marketing and Director of the digital media lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston. His research interests are in service technology, including. AI, service robots, company innovativeness, and digital media. His work has been published, amongst others, in the Journal of Service Research, Journal of Retailing, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Tourism Management, and Computational Statistics and was awarded multiple times. Among many honors, Professor Kunz is the inaugural recipient of the Bo Edvardsson “Industry Impact in Services” Award. He is the Senior Editor of the Journal of Service Research and a board member of AMA SERVSIG.
 
Date: Tue, April 1, 2025, 14.00 – 15.00
Location: Kaiserstr. 93, Geb. 05.20, 5C - 01