Research

Research Overview

I research the service–technology interface in marketing, with a focus on digital marketing, service innovation, and customer experience management.

My work has been published in leading international journals such as the Journal of Service Research (JSR), Journal of Business Research (JBR), and Industrial Marketing Management (IMM). My 2023 article in JSR ranks among the Top 5 most read and most cited papers in the journal.

I have received funding from the Marketing Science Institute (MSI) as well as from industry partners in Asia, Europe, and the US.

Articles in Refereed Journals

Merfeld K., Klein J. F., Regt, A., Riegger A.-S., Henkel S., (2025), In-Store Technology Personalization: A Typology and Research Agenda Based on Type of Automation and Data Collection, Journal of Business Research, 191(2025), pp. 115236.(PDF)

Fitschen P., Merfeld K., Klein J. F., Henkel S., (2024), Understanding the Urban Mobility Challenge: Why Shared Mobility Providers Fail to Attract Car Drivers, Transport Policy, 158(2024), pp. 104-111. (PDF)

Terpoorten C., Klein J. F., Merfeld K., (2024), Understanding the B2B Customer Journey for Complex Digital Services: The Case of Cloud Computing, Industrial Marketing Management, 119(May 2024), pp. 178-192.(PDF)

Grossmann C., Merfeld K., Klein J. F., Foeller F., Henkel S., (2024), Onto the Light side of Sharing: Using the Force of Blockchain, Journal of Business Research, 175(114507), 1-18. (PDF)

Gahler M., Klein J. F., Paul M., (2023), Customer Experience: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Application in Omnichannel Environments, Journal of Service Research, 26(2), 191-211.(PDF)

Riegger A.-S., Merfeld K., Klein J. F., Henkel S., (2022), Technology-Enabled Personalization: Impact of Smart Technology Choice on Consumer Shopping Behavior, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 181, 1-11. (PDF)

Klein J. F., Merfeld K., Wilhelms M.P., Falk T., Henkel S., (2022), Buying to Share: How Prosumption Promotes Purchases in Peer-to-Peer Asset Sharing, Journal of Business Research, 143, 171-183. (PDF)

Riegger A.-S., Klein J. F., Merfeld K., Henkel S., (2021), Technology-Enabled Personalization in Retail Stores: Understanding Drivers and Barriers, Journal of Business Research, 123, 140-155. (PDF)

Wittkowski K.*, Klein J. F.*, Falk T., Schepers J. J. L., Aspara J., Bergner K. N., (2020), What Gets Measured Gets Done: Can Self-Tracking Technologies Enhance Advice Compliance?, Journal of Service Research, 23(3), 281-298. (PDF)

Klein J. F., Zhang Y., Falk T., Aspara J., Luo X., (2020), Customer Journey Analyses in Digital Media: Exploring the Impact of Cross-Media Exposure on Customers' Purchase Decisions, Journal of Service Management, 31(3), 489-508. (PDF)

Gahler M., Klein J. F., Paul M., (2019), Measuring Customer Experiences: A Text-Based and Pictorial Scale, MSI Working Paper Series Report No. 19-119.

Aspara J., Klein J. F., Luo X., Tikkanen H., (2018), The Dilemma of Service Productivity and Service Innovation, Journal of Service Research, 21(2), 249-262. (PDF)

Klein J. F., Falk T., Esch F.-R., Gloukhovtsev A., (2016), Linking pop-up brand stores to brand experience and word of mouth: The case of luxury retail, Journal of Business Research, 69(12), 5761-5767. (Link)

Applied Business Journals & Book Chapters

Gahler, Markus, Jan F. Klein, and Michael Paul (2021), “Customer Experience Tracking im Handel: Echtzeitmessungen Wirksam Implementieren”, Marketing Review St. Gallen, 5/2021, 18-25.

Esch, Franz-Rudolf, Jan F. Klein, Mirjam Schmitt, and Christian Knörle (2016), “Strategie und Steuerung des Customer Touchpoint Management,” in Handbuch Controlling der Kommunikation, Franz-Rudolf Esch, Tobias Langner, and Manfred Bruhn, eds.: Wiesbaden, Springer, 329-350.

Esch, Franz-Rudolf, Jan F. Klein, Mirjam Schmitt, and Christian Knörle (2014), “Customer Touchpoint Management für Corporate Brands umsetzen,” in Corporate Brand Management, Franz-Rudolf Esch, Torsten Tomczak, Joachim Kernstock, Tobis Langner, and Jörn Redler, eds.: Wiesbaden, Springer, 427‑448.

Esch, Franz-Rudolf and Jan F. Klein (2014), “Offline und Online harmonisch verzahnen,“ Lebensmittelzeitung, 26, 42.

Esch, Franz-Rudolf and Jan F. Klein (2014), “Wann passt Social Media zur Marke?,” Absatzwirtschaft, 5, 38-39.

Teaching Cases (with Teaching Note)

Klein J. F., (2025), Conversion Rate Optimization at Quantor Networks: Leveraging A/B Testing, The Case Centre, case study 525-0090-1. (Link)

Klein J. F., (2025), Wellness Hotel Hofgut: Leveraging Research Methods for Business Decisions, The Case Centre, case study 525-0018-1. (Link)

Klein J. F., (2024), EternaWell Supplements Part A - Developing a Digital Marketing Strategy, The Case Centre, case study 524-0133-1. (Link)

Klein J. F., (2024), EternaWell Supplements Part B - Crafting an Effective Social Media Strategy, The Case Centre, case study 524-0133-1B. (Link)

Klein J. F., (2024), Cloud Computing at Cumulus - Marketing Along the Customer Journey, The Case Centre, case study 524-0114-1. (Link)