UMass Boston Marketing Professor Named One of the World’s Most Influential Researchers
Researchers selected for this list have authored multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for their field and publication year in the Web of Science Core Collection over the past 11 years. Only about 1 in 1,000 researchers worldwide receives this honor indicating exceptional influence in their disciplines.
Dr. Kunz is the first scholar in the history of UMass Boston to be named a Highly Cited Researcher. The recognition is also a key component of the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), underscoring his global impact in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation.
“Werner’s achievement is a milestone not only for the College of Management, but for UMass Boston,” said Dean Venky Venkatachalam of the College of Management. “Being named a Highly Cited Researcher places him among the most influential scholars in the world, and it reflects the groundbreaking work happening across our college.”
Professor Kunz is a professor of Marketing and director of the Digital Media Lab at the College of Management. He has published more than 50 peer‑reviewed papers in top-tier academic journals, including the Journal of Service Research, Journal of Retailing, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Tourism Management, and Computational Statistics, and has received numerous national and international awards. Among many honors, he is the inaugural recipient of the Bo Edvardsson “Industry Impact in Services” Award.
Reflecting on the honor, Professor Kunz said, “Academia is a wonderful profession. It allows us to devote our work to the questions we’re truly passionate about. It’s even more rewarding when others read that work and find it impactful. I’m deeply grateful to my co-authors and my college— none of this would have been possible without them”
His research focuses on service technology, including generative AI, service robots, human–machine collaboration, and how organizations can become more innovative. In particular today, he focuses on how emerging technologies such as AI and service robots are reshaping the way people live, work, and do business.
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