Automation versus Experiences: The value of (im)perfection delivered by human versus automated agents

今天的市场以两个宏观趋势为特征：自动化（即，旨在操作或控制过程同时将人为干预减少到最低限度的技术）和体验式购买（即，购买的主要目的是获得生活经验，而不是物质财富）。然而，目前还不清楚这两种趋势将如何为消费者发挥作用，以及它们是否实际上是兼容的。事实上，自动化可能会破坏或改变体验（例如，在66号公路上驾驶自动驾驶野马是一种渴望的体验）。然而，到目前为止，还没有研究探讨自动化对消费者体验的影响。这里提出的研究旨在解决这一普遍的研究差距。具体而言，本研究旨在阐明完美或不完美在性能（产品，服务等）中的作用。对于消费者所感知的体验价值，以及该角色是否取决于性能是由人还是由自动代理来交付而不同（例如，机器人）。因此，有几个预测：首先，消费者将采用不同的标准来衡量什么是“完美”执行的任务，这取决于它是由人类还是自动代理交付的。其次，有人提出，由自动代理提供的不完美触发更多的负面反应比由人类提供的不完美。第三，预期性能特征（例如，与完全失败相对的轻微缺陷）;情境特征（高与低经验值），消费者特征（例如，怀旧、精通技术、创新）和代理特征（例如，拟人化）。本研究旨在通过一系列随机实验对这些命题进行实证检验。范德比尔特大学的凯利·霍斯和史蒂夫·霍夫勒都是消费者行为（霍斯）和创新（霍夫勒）领域的顶尖学者，我将与他们一起研究这些问题，并从中得出对消费者和管理者的启示。就我个人而言，这项研究有可能发表在顶级营销期刊上，从而使我更接近我成为德国营销/创新教授的目标。

Today's marketplaces are characterized by two macro trends: Automation (i.e., technology aiming to operate or control processes while reducing human intervention to a minimum) and experiential buying (i.e., purchases made with the primary intention of acquiring a life experience rather than a materialistic possession). However, it is unclear how these two trends will play out for consumers, and whether they are in fact compatible. Indeed, automation may destroy or alter experiences (e.g., driving on Route 66 with a self-driving Mustang an experience to long for). However, to date, no research examines the impact automation has on consumers' experiences. The research proposed here seeks to address this general research gap. Specifically, this research seeks to illuminate the role of perfection or imperfection in a performance (product, service, etc.) for the experiential value as perceived by consumers, and whether this role differs depending on whether the performance is delivered by a human versus an automated agent (e.g., a robot). As such, several predictions are made: Firstly, consumers will apply different standards of what is perceived a “perfectly” carried out task is, depending on whether it is delivered by a human or an automated agent. Secondly, it is proposed that imperfection delivered by an automated agent triggers more negative reactions than imperfection delivered by a human. Thirdly, the proposed effects are expected to be moderated by performance characteristics (e.g., slight imperfection as opposed to complete failures); situational characteristics (high versus low experience value), consumer characteristics (e.g., nostalgia, tech-savvyness, innovativeness), and agent characteristics (e.g., anthropomorphism). The present research seeks to empirically test these propositions in a series of randomized experiments. Together with Kelly Haws and Steve Hoeffler of Vanderbilt University, who both are leading scholars in their respective fields of consumer behavior (Haws) and innovation (Hoeffler), I will be in an outstanding position to research these issues and derive implications for consumers and managers. Personally, this research has the potential to become published in a top-tier marketing journal and thus bring me closer to my goal of becoming a professor of marketing/innovation in Germany.