Dr Karen Kao

Dr. Karen Kao initiated her academic research career at the University of Adelaide, presently known as Adelaide University, situated in the esteemed and engaging region of South Australia. She commenced her doctoral studies following a decade of managerial experience in global sales, marketing, customer relations, production management, and international logistics. Since that time, Dr. Kao has amassed extensive teaching and research expertise in the fields of consumer behavior, digital marketing, integrated marketing communication, creative advertising, and brand management. Her scholarly focus predominantly centers on marketing and consumer behavior within the digital sphere. Furthermore, Dr. Kao has broadened her research scope to include augmented reality (AR) and its influence on consumers and marketing strategies, initiating an interdisciplinary collaborative research project with the Game School at Inland Norway University.

Dr. Karen Kao specializes in consumer research within the digital environment, focusing on advertising, e-commerce, brand management, and digital intervention. Moreover, Dr. Kao has an interest in film theory, particularly in analyzing digital transformation and its impacts on filmmaking and consumer behavior. The influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) disruption on consumer behavior in these domains is also part of her future research agenda. Her primary research methodology is quantitative, employing experimental techniques.

Dr. Karen Kao is presently a certified Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in the United Kingdom and holds membership in the Aurora program, which aims to advance women in leadership positions. Dr. Kao advocates for engaging pedagogical methods to foster students' autonomy and self-reflective learning.