Sara Kim

Professor Sara Kim serves as Professor and Head of the Marketing Area at the University of Hong Kong, where she has established herself as a leading scholar in consumer behavior since joining in 2012. Her interdisciplinary research bridges psychological theory and marketing practice, with findings published in premier journals including Journal of Marketing and Journal of Consumer Research, and featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times and Time.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D., Booth School of Business, University of Chicago
• MBA, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago
• M.S., KAIST Business School, Korea
• B.S., KAIST, Korea

Professor Kim's research program centers on how consumers interpret humanlike qualities in objects and services, with three interconnected pillars: (1) anthropomorphism in technology-mediated contexts like robotics and digital interfaces; (2) emoticon/emoji usage in service communications; and (3) implicit theories shaping consumer decision-making. Her recent work examines how money anthropomorphism influences financial behavior and how leader emojis affect team creativity, demonstrating practical applications for service industries navigating digital transformation.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward technology-intensive service contexts, with 60% of 2023-2025 work focusing on human-AI interaction dynamics. Her scholarship consistently applies social psychology frameworks to contemporary marketing challenges, particularly in service employee-consumer relationships within digital environments, while maintaining strong theoretical contributions to attribution theory and person perception literature.

Her accolades include:

• MSI 2024 Scholar designation
• AP-ACR Best Consumer Behavior Working Paper Award
• Outstanding Area Editor at International Journal of Research in Marketing (2023)
• Multiple university-level teaching and research awards from 2014-2021

Professor Kim has received significant institutional recognition for postgraduate supervision, evidenced by her 2021 Faculty Research Postgraduate Supervision Award, though specific student names and grant funding details are not publicly documented. Her ongoing research agenda continues to explore the psychological mechanisms underlying consumer-technology interactions in service ecosystems.