Anthony Patterson

Papers

Total Citations

258

H-Index

About

Anthony Patterson is a leading scholar at the intersection of service research, technology, and consumer culture. His work critically examines how emerging technologies—particularly robotics and artificial intelligence—reshape service encounters and brand relationships. In his highly influential paper “Replaced by a Robot: Service Implications in the Age of the Machine” (2020, 258 citations), Patterson explores the ethical and trust-related challenges organizations face when introducing robots to frontline service roles. He argues that while service firms are eager to innovate by augmenting or replacing human employees with machines, they must navigate a wary public’s skepticism about their brand’s ethical commitments. This work has become a cornerstone for researchers studying automation’s social and commercial consequences. Beyond this, Patterson’s broader contributions span consumer behavior, transformative service research, and the cultural dynamics of marketplace interactions. His incisive, often provocative analyses have earned him recognition as a critical voice in service scholarship, and his work continues to shape debates on how technology and humanity coexist in commercial spaces.