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Dr. Wangoo Lee’s Website

Last updated: Nov 2024

$‎Wangoo\ Lee,\ PhD$

He/him

Assistant Professor

School of Hotel & Tourism Management

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

+852-3400-2265

wangoo.lee@polyu.edu.hk

17 Science Museum Rd, TST East, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hello, I am Wangoo.

I am an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. I serve as a social media engagement officer at the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management and an editorial board member at the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases. I am also a member of the necessary condition analysis (NCA) development team. I am interested in technology-mediated services/experiences, hospitality value management, and necessary causality/NCA. I’m currently studying AI hospitableness, gamified services, and the experimental method with necessary causality… read more

Career Highlights

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4-times Best Paper Awardee/Finalist at leading hospitality/tourism conferences (e.g., GradCon21, GradCon23); Best Reviewer Awardee of ICHRIE Research Reports

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Editorial Board Member in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management and Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases

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10+ papers published author in leading hospitality/tourism journals (e.g., JHTR, IJHM)

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Experienced educator with a teaching record at 3 esteemed institutions: Temple University (Fox/STHM), Erasmus University (RSM), and University of the Philippines (AIT)

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Diverse professional background encompassing over 3 years of experience both in industry and academia, including IT start-up, hotel F&B, tourism planning consultancy, and university faculty roles

Latest Updates

(Click here for all News)

Board view

Why wouldn't we feel moved anymore by a love letter, if it turns out to be an Internet quote or AI-generated? What truly matters is the thoughts behind the letter (or the action of writing)!

Happy to share our first "hospitality-specific" theory paper! Dr. Lu Lu and I theorize, based on the philosophical discussions around the "problem of other minds" and "genuine hospitality," that consumers can recognize true hospitable values via AI providers' services/actions only if they see these AIs as conscious entities. Our study further predicts that AIs, no matter how closely they resemble humans in appearance and behavior (i.e., fully humanoid AI vs. Homo Sapience), will still be viewed as less conscious and, thus, less capable of showing genuine hospitality.

Specifically, our theorizing is based on necessity-based causality and Necessary Condition Analysis, a concept developed by Dr. Jan Dul (a special shout-out to him!). I'm overjoyed to have been part of this wonderful team for more than 5 years now!

Academic abstract

This research establishes the Consciousness Attribution Model of AI Hospitableness (CAMAH), an emerging theoretical framework that examines three interconnected aspects: (1) the mechanism of consciousness attribution by consumers towards AI-enabled service providers, (2) the necessity of such attributions in recognizing the symbolic value of AI hospitableness, and (3) a nuanced comparison between human and AI providers concerning their capacity to deliver genuine hospitability. At its core, CAMAH articulates seven foundational propositions around the argument that consuming genuine hospitality delivered by AI service providers necessitates consumers’ attribution of consciousness. Our model not only highlights a necessary condition under which AI providers are capable of offering symbolic values through their perceived hospitableness but also delineates the key boundaries of such perceptions, acknowledging the inherent distinctions between AI entities—notwithstanding their potential to emulate humanlike form/behavior—and humans.

Link

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278431924002408

New article (IJHM) - Theorizing AI hospitableness

2024/09/23

Publication

Our study, coauthored with Dr. Lu Lu. has been featured in The Conversation US! A big thank you to Tom Benner and Bryan Keogh for collaborating with us on our news brief about self-service kiosks and restaurant waiting lines.

Our "waiting line" research is still on the way to making impacts! It's been highlighted in several spaces including:

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The Conversation (https://lnkd.in/grWTUcNy)

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Temple Now (https://lnkd.in/dNXVuiXh)

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Kiosk Marketplace (https://lnkd.in/gUaJ3A93)

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Fox Newsroom (https://lnkd.in/ggMagzxu)

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Restaurant Business (https://lnkd.in/gJBjxXm8)

Why restaurant self-service kiosks can actually result in customers ordering less food

New research on food-ordering kiosks introduces the social dynamics at play and offers alternatives for designing a more effective and customer-friendly self-service process.

https://theconversation.com/why-restaurant-self-service-kiosks-can-actually-result-in-customers-ordering-less-food-235462

Featured in The Conversation

2024/08/29

Media Hits

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as an Assistant Professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University!

Appointed as Assistant Professor at PolyU

2024/08/01

Academic Appointment

I recently had a brief interview with Jacob Sanders, a communication specialist at WalletHub. The discussion was centered around celebrating Independence Day positively and constructively. I expressed my thoughts on how to make the holiday both meaningful and financially efficient. Additionally, I emphasized the importance of incorporating sustainability into celebrating this significant day.

Link

https://wallethub.com/blog/4th-of-july-fun-facts/22075#expert=Wangoo_Lee

Opinion Interview with WalletHub

2024/06/26

Media Hits

I'm thrilled to share an exciting update about our recent article, "Lined Up? Examining a 'Waiting Line' Effect in Technology-Enabled Restaurant Menu Ordering." Following being featured by the Fox Newsroom, it caught the eye of several additional media outlets such as Restaurant Business, Kiosk Marketplace, and Temple Now. It's heartening and quite a journey to witness our research ripple through the industry, possibly inspiring change.

In our research, Dr. Lu Lu and I dive into the fascinating dynamics of how waiting lines can shape the way customers interact with self-service technology when ordering from menus.

Link to the article:

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Restaurant Business: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/long-lines-kiosks-can-stress-customers-study-finds

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Kiosk Marketplace: https://www.kioskmarketplace.com/news/temple-study-reviews-negative-effects-of-self-service-kiosks/

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Temple Now: https://news.temple.edu/news/2024-04-12/feeling-rushed-food-ordering-kiosk-you-re-not-alone

“Waiting Line” Article Now Featured in More Media Outlets: Temple Now, Kiosk Marketplace, Restaurant Business

2024/04/12

Media Hits

This week, I was invited to deliver a guest lecture in Dr. Po-Ju Chen's graduate class at the TAMU Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.

As an editorial board member of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases (JHTC), I talked with PhD/Master's colleagues at TAMU, sharing insights on JHTC and case studies, and the exciting opportunity presented by the International CHRIE JHTC Case Study Competition. Following that, I also shared one recent research on the "waiting line effect" in tech-enabled menu ordering systems (https://lnkd.in/dNXVuiXh).

I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Po-Ju Chen for her gracious invitation, and a special thanks to Drs. Brian EM King, Jim Petrick, and John Crompton for their warm welcome during my stay in Aggieland!

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This post was originally shared on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7181839585587453953/

Guest Lecture at TAMU’s graduate course

2024/04/02

Invited Talk

Honorably, I have been invited to join the editorial board of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases (JHTC), a leading case study journal affiliated with International CHRIE.

As a PhD student, it's incredibly humbling to find myself in the company of esteemed hospitality/tourism professors serving on this board. Cases teach us how to apply theory in practice and how to induce theory from practice, so I will approach my role in JHTC with the principles case studies emphasize.

A huge thank you to Henri Kuokkanen for extending this kind invitation and for believing in my potential to contribute to the board!

*This article was first shared on LinkedIn. You can find the original post here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7175113659038281728/

Joined JHTC Editorial Board

2024/03/17

Academic Appointment

Academic abstract

This research introduces a gamification-induced reward-desensitization effect observed in hotel loyalty promotions. Guided by scope-insensitivity theory and the dual-process model of value evaluation, it specifically examines whether integrating gamification into loyalty programs can mitigate customers’ sensitivity to reward size and unfair preferential treatments based on loyalty status. Study 1 focuses on varying reward sizes, while Study 2 appraises loyalty status when preferential treatment toward other members is observed. Both studies demonstrate that gamification effectively dampens consumer sensitivities towards reward size and unfair preferential treatment. Cross-national validation further reinforces the universal impact of gamification and paves the way for future research. Aside from the well-known role of gamification in enhancing customer experiences and motivating specific actions, this research explores a novel aspect of gamification: the attenuation of reward sensitivity. In practice, gamification thus provides a viable business solution to overcome challenges in traditional reward-centric programs.

Link

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027843192400029X

New Publication (IJHM) - Gamification in Loyalty Program

2024/02/21

Publication

Seeing my academic research suggest a real difference to our industry professionals is incredibly rewarding!

Extremely thankfully, Laila Samphilipo did a fantastic job of featuring our recent study (conducted with Dr. Lu Lu) in the Fox Newsroom! Her article communicates the key insights from our research findings to restaurant owners and managers, helping them understand what lessons they could apply.

If you'd also like to know why self-service kiosks might make customers feel more rushed than when they're served by human employees, especially with a queue behind them, please click on the link below: