The increasing impact of immersive technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) virtual reality (VR) or the different technologies included in what is known as extended reality (XR) create challenges that need full attention from both academics and practitioners (Loureiro et al., 2019; 2020a; tom Dieck, et al., 2018; Japutra et al, 2020). Without a doubt, the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has stimulated the implementation and use of real-and-virtual combined environments, as well as changing nature of human-machine interactions. Several developments, including the forced physical contact lessness between coworkers, vendors, and ultimately consumers, have pressed companies to implement innovative tactics, which provide an acceleration to the digital transformation (Kudyba, 2020).

The impact of new technologies on customer experience is also noteworthy (Kabadayi et al., 2019; Loureiro et al., 2021). For example, XR technologies can support consumers’ activities, either directly in the real environment or indirectly through digital overlaying on the real environment; they can create new experiences that empower consumers along the journey; or they can even create experiences that divert or distract the consumer from their current experiences (Flavián et al., 2019; Loureiro et al., 2020b). Despite the limited number of previous studies to understand how consumers experience, engage and accept immersive/XR technologies (e.g., Flavián et al., 2020; Tussyadiah, et al., 2018) and how human-machine interaction develops (Loureiro et al., 2020a), more research is needed to allow managers and society as a whole to better understand these phenomena, especially in the current situation where these technologies are developing in leaps and bounds.

The degree of integration between technological devices and the human body has the potential to immerse users into multisensory virtual experiences (Flavián et al., 2021). In fact, XR technologies may soon allow people to extend their selves through the use of neuro-stimulators and neural implants (Belk, 2013), which may create a much more immersive augmentation of reality and may even transform the human being into a homo sapiens technologicus with the power to switch from a real environment to a deeply immersive environment without the need for any external devices (Loureiro et al., 2020a). A fully connected human that may use its immersive skills (AR and VR technologies) to interact with the world may allow new applications to be developed in many industries and fields. Although such perspective of a transhumanist society (Bostrom, 2005a; 2005b, Loureiro & Guerreiro, 2018) is still far from becoming a reality, researchers need to address the social and business implications of such future changes for the sake of ethics and consumers’ well-being. The way artificial intelligent (AI) algorithms evolve, the interaction between humans-non-humans and XR interaction will also be of paramount interest (Chung et al., 2016; Huang & Rust, 2018). As Huang et al. (2019) claim, the era of the feeling economy is knocking on our door.

In this vein, the current special issue should consider (but not be limited to) areas such as:

• Digital innovation and transformation through XR
• XR adoption behavior
• XR business models and XR for societal good
• Impacts of XR on value co-creation and customer engagement
• XR and its use for crisis management (e.g. health crisis, Covid-19 recovery)
• Enhancing customer experience via XR
• Legal, ethical, and regulatory issues of XR
• New methodological approaches for XR
• Combining XR and AI in service settings
• Negative impacts of XR in service settings
• Ethical issues with regards to usage of XR in service settings
• Compulsive use of XR in service settings

The topics could cover a range of different fields such as marketing, hospitality, tourism, retailing, entertainment, events, education, cultural heritage, architecture and so forth.

References

Belk, R.W. (2013). Extended Self in a Digital World. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(3), 477–500.

Bostrom, N. (2005a). A history of transhumanist thought. Journal of Evolution and Technology, 14(1), 1–25.

Bostrom, N. (2005b). Transhumanist values. Journal of Philosophical Research, 30(Suppl.), 3–14.

Chung, T. S., Michel Wedel, M., & Rust, R.T. (2016). Adaptive Personalization Using Social Networks.  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 44 (1), 66-87.

tom Dieck, M.C., Jung, T.H., & Rauschnabel, P.A. (2018). Determining Visitor Engagement through Augmented Reality at Science Festivals: An Experience Economy Perspective, Computers in Human Behavior, 82, 4-53

Flavián, C., Ibáñez-Sánchez, S., & Orús, C. (2019). The impact of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies on the customer experience. Journal of Business Research, 100, 547-560.

Flavián, C., Ibáñez-Sánchez, S., & Orús, C. (2020). Impacts of technological embodiment through virtual reality on potential guests’ emotions and engagement. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 1-20.

Flavián, C., Ibáñez-Sánchez, S., & Orús, C. (2021). The influence of scent on virtual reality experiences: The role of aroma-content congruence. Journal of Business Research, 123, 289-301.

Huang, M-H. & Rust, R.T. (2018). Artificial Intelligence in Service, Journal of Service Research, 21(2), 155-172.

Huang, M-H., Rust, R.T., & Maksimovic, V. (2019). The Feeling Economy: Managing in the Next Generation of AI. California Management Review, 61(4), 43-65.

Japutra, A., Bilro, R.G., & Loureiro, S.M.C. (2020). Beyond Virtual and Augmented Reality: AI-Assisted Mixed Reality and Its Impacts on Society. In Managerial Challenges and Social Impacts of Virtual and Augmented Reality (pp. 252-265). IGI Global.

Kabadayi, S., Ali, F., Choi, H., Joosten, H., & Lu, C. (2019). Smart service experience in hospitality and tourism services. Journal of Service Management, 30(3), 326-348.

Kudyba, S. (2020). COVID-19 and the acceleration of digital transformation and the future of work, Information Systems Management, 37(4), 284-287.

Loureiro, S.M.C., Guerreiro, J., Eloy, S., Langaro, D., & Panchapakesan, P. (2019). Understanding the use of Virtual Reality in Marketing: A text mining-based review, Journal of Business Research, 100, 514-530.

Loureiro, S.M.C., Sarmento, E.M., & Rosário, E.M. (2020a). Incorporating VR, AR and Related Technologies in Tourism Industry: State of the Art. In S.M.C. Loureiro (Ed.) Managerial Challenges and Social Impacts of Virtual and Augmented Reality (pp. 211-233) (chapter 13). Hershey, PA: IGI Global

Loureiro, S.M.C. & Guerreiro, J. (2018). Psychological behavior of generation Y: living between real and virtual reality. In Megan Gerhardt and Joy VanEck Peluchette (ed.)., chapter 3 (pp.67-90) Millennials: Characteristics, Trends and Perspectives. NOVA science publishers, Inc: New-York, USA

Loureiro, S.M.C., Guerreiro, J., & Ali, F. (2020b). 20 years of research on virtual reality and augmented reality in tourism context: A text-mining approach. Tourism Management, 77.

Tussyadiah, I., Wang, D., Jung, T., & tom Dieck, C. (2018). Virtual Reality, Presence, and Attitude Change: Empirical Evidence from Tourism. Tourism Management,  66,  140-154.

Submissions dates:

1 September 2021 to 1 March 2022 (early submissions are appreciated).

Guest Editors:

Sandra M.C. Loureiro
ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal.
Orcid ID:  0000-0001-8362-4430
sandramloureiro@netcabo.pt

Faizan Ali, University of South Florida, USA.
Orcid ID: 0000-0003-4528-3764
faizanali@usf.edu

Arnold Japutra, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Orcid ID: 0000-0002-0513-8792
arnold.japutra@uwa.edu.au

About the SJM-ESIC

The Spanish Journal of Marketing-ESIC (SJM-ESIC) is a double peer-reviewed journal with an international vocation, accepting manuscripts of authors from all over the world who can focus on any relevant international market, not necessarily related to the Spanish market. The name of the journal only reflects its origin. ESIC and AEMARK are proud to offer this channel of scientific communication to the entire international community on marketing, international business, services or tourism.

Free Open Access Journal

SJM-ESIC is a free open access journal: all articles will be immediately and permanently free for everyone to read, download and share. Open access is also free for authors: Authors do not have to pay any publication fee (all the publications fees are paid by ESIC and AEMARK guaranteeing the independence between authorship and funding of the journal).

 Submission Procedure 

Submissions should be made through the Scholar One submission system. Please, read the author guidelines before and clearly indicate in your Cover Letter that you would like your paper to be considered for inclusion in the Special Issue “Current and potential applications of augmented reality and virtual reality to enhance user experience”.

Spanish journal of marketing-ESIC ISSN: 2444-9709

Abbreviated key-title: Span. j. mark.-ESIC

Contacts

If you have any queries please feel free to discuss your manuscript ideas with the Guest Editors: Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro (sandramloureiro@netcabo.pt); Faizan Ali  (faizanali@usf.edu) or Arnold Japutra (arnold.japutra@uwa.edu.au).