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

今天的市场以两种宏观趋势为特征：自动化（即旨在操作或控制流程的技术，同时将人为干预降至最低）和体验式购买（即以获得生活体验而不是物质占有为主要目的的购买）。然而，目前尚不清楚这两种趋势将如何影响消费者，以及它们实际上是否兼容。事实上，自动化可能会破坏或改变体验（例如，驾驶一辆自动驾驶的野马在66号公路上行驶是一种令人向往的体验）。然而，到目前为止，还没有研究调查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消费者感知的体验价值（产品，服务等）中的作用，以及这种作用是否因性能是由人类还是自动代理（例如机器人）提供而有所不同。因此，我们做出了以下几点预测：首先，消费者将根据任务是由人工还是自动代理交付，对“完美”执行的任务采用不同的标准。其次，有人提出，由自动代理提供的不完美比由人类提供的不完美会引发更多的负面反应。第三，所提出的影响预计将被性能特征（例如，轻微的缺陷而不是完全失败）所缓和；情境特征（高体验值与低体验值）、消费者特征（如怀旧、精通技术、创新）和代理特征（如拟人化）。本研究试图在一系列随机实验中对这些命题进行实证检验。我将与范德比尔特大学的Kelly Haws和Steve Hoeffler一起，他们都是各自领域的消费者行为（Haws）和创新（Hoeffler）的领军学者，我将在研究这些问题并得出对消费者和管理者的启示方面处于杰出地位。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.