As an expert in human behavior, I support companies, institutions, consumers, and citizens in making meaningful and impactful decisions. Passionate about enhancing marketing practices for a better world, I bridge research and practice to address critical environmental and social challenges. My work integrates marketing insights into business strategies and public policies, from influencing consumer lifestyles to fostering business success in developing countries.

With extensive experience across international organizations, government agencies, private firms, and civil society, I have led projects across continents, particularly in Asia and Africa. My professional journey includes roles at Samsung’s marketing agency, Cheil Worldwide, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). In 2019, I was honored as one of The Asia Foundation Development Fellows.

My research focuses on two critical areas: mobilizing citizens for collective action toward public goods and understanding how stakeholders perceive and respond to responsible and irresponsible business practices. These studies, emphasizing social impact, have received academic recognition and funding.

Outside of work, I prioritize health and wellness through activities like F45 training, marathon running, and trail running, reflecting my commitment to maintaining a balanced and active lifestyle.

ACADEMIC ARTICLES

(1) Kim, Kihyon., Jhang, Jihoon., Song, Sujin*., Song, Sangyoug., Shin, Hyun., “Goal proximity effect on collective action: The mediating role of perceived behavioral impact and collective outcome expectancy”. Journal of Business Research, 178; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114642 [Q1 of JCR (Business) / A ranking of ABDC Journal Quality List / SSCI: Impact Factor 11.3]
* Dec 2022 Best Presentation Award on Doctoral Dissertation Competition, Korea Society of Consumer Studies

    * July 2022     Best Research Paper, Korean Association of AD & PR
    * July 2021     Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies 

(2) Kim, Kihyon., Oh, Sehyung*., Jhang, Jihoon “Being Cautious about Irresponsible Employer: How Job Seekers Infer Genuine CSR Motives”.  Business Ethics, the Environment and Responsibility;https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12735  [Q1 of JCR (Ethics) / B ranking of ABDC Journal Quality List / Impact Factor 2.1 in SSCI index] 
*Nov 2021 Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies
*Jan  2021 Best Presentation Award on Doctoral Dissertation Competition, Korea Marketing Association

(3) Choi, Wook-Hee, Oh, Sehyung, Kim, Kihyon*, Hur, Won-moo, (2023), “Losing the meaning of being a socially responsible service worker: Moderating effects of customer and coworker incivility”. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 56, 420-430; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.07.004 [Q1, A ranking / SSCI: Impact Factor 10.1]

(4) Kim, Kihyon, Hong, Soojeong (2023), “Spillover Effect of Leadership Ethics on CSR Initiatives: The Mediating Roles of Firm Warmth, CSR Motive Attributions and Corporate Hypocrisy” Journal of Consumption Culture, 26(4), 205-220

(5) Kim, Kihyon., Lim, Gyoo Gun (2022), “International Dynamic Marketing Capabilities of Emerging Market Small Business on E-commerce”. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce, 17(1), 199-211; https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer17010010 [Q2 of JCR / B Ranking of ABDC Journal Quality List / Impact Factor 5.6 in SSCI index]

(6) Lee, Seokho Victor., Kim, Hyungjin Lukas., Kim, Kihyon., Han, Jinyoung., Lee, Hanjun (2024), “Factors Influencing Attitude toward Advertisements in Location-based Services and the Mediation Effect of Advertisement Context Value", International Journal of Mobile Communications, 23(4), 393-424; https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMC.2024.10051144 [Impact Factor 1.905 in SSCI index]

(7) Oh, Sehyung, Kim, Kihyon (2021)"The Effects of Need for Cognitive Closure on Negotiation Behaviors". Korean Journal of Business Administration, 34(2), 325-346.

(8) Kim, Kihyon (2020), "Analysis on North Korea’s ‘Starting a Business’ Indicator of World Bank’s Doing Business: Comparison with Low Income and Transition Countries", International Development and Cooperation Review, 12(3), 79-95.  

(9) Kim, Kihyon (2020), “A Typology of Social Impact of Art and Culture Business", Journal of Korean Culture Industry, 12(3), 145-153.

Books & Publications 

(1) Services Marketing, Pearson Korea (서비스마케팅 4판, 피어슨 코리아)  (2024.2)

(2) Promoting the Purchase of Green Products Based on the Consumers’ Environmental Ethics, Korea Environment Institute (소비자 환경윤리 의식에 기초한 녹색제품 구매촉진 방안 연구, 한국환경연구원) 

(3) Sustainable Management Corporate Citizenship in the ESG Era (ESG시대의 지속가능경영 기업시민, 플랜비디자인) (2023.3.10)

MANUSCRIPTS UNDER REVIEW

Kim, Kihyon, Lee, Sun-Min*. "When Does CEO Activism Backfire? The Roles of Morality, Business Alignment, and Self-Serving Motives". Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 2nd revision

Lee Garim, Huh Jennifer, Park Jaden, Kim Jungkeun, Kim Kihyon. "AI vs. Human Design in Fashion: Reducing Consumer Resistance to AI-Designed Products through Product Innovativeness". Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 2nd revision 

Kim, Kihyon*. “The Limits of Egoism: Biospheric Values as Catalysts for Virtue-Ethics-Based Marketing Acceptance”. Journal of Global Marketing, 2nd revision  
* Nov 2022 Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies (Fall)

Jeong Hyun Kim, Jungkeun Kim; Daniel Chaein Lee; Tae Hyun Baek; Kihyon Kim. "The Information Sidedness Effect in Travel Decisions with ChatGPT: When, Why, and for Whom Two-Sided Recommendations Outperform One-Sided Recommendations". Tourism Management, 1st revision 

Kim, Kihyon*. “I Make Contribution”: An Integrative Review on Perceived Effectiveness of Individual Behaviors in Collective Action. Journal of Marketing Management, Submitted

Weber, James; Diaz-Gonzalez, Abel; Hernandez, Esperanza; Sharma, Tejinder; Kim, Kihyon; Thoene, Ulf. "Exploring Generation Z Value Orientation Preferences: A Six-Country Study of Business Students". Business & Society, Submitted

James Weber; Ulf Volker Thoene; Kihyon Kim; Abel Diaz-Gonzalez; Esperanza Hernandez-Cuadra; Tejinder Sharma. "Exploring Generation Z Moral Reasoning: Homogenous or Variant?". Journal of Business Ethics, Submitted

Kim, Kihyon*. Jhang, Jihoon. "The Unintended Consequences of Stakeholder Resource Integration on Collective Consumer Engagement". Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Submitted
* Sep 2024 Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies

WORK-IN-PROGRESS 

Hong, Sujeong., Kim, Kihyon*, "A Hopeful Message Works for the Pessimist: The Role of Outcome Expectancy for Message Framing and Mindset". 

Weber, James., Kim, Kihyon, Ambika Zutshi, Paul Dunn, Maria Esperanza Hernandez, Tristano Sainati, Abel Diaz Gonzalez, Ulf Thoene "Exploring Generation Z Value Orientation Preferences: A Six-Country Sample of Business Students" (Writing stage) 

Weber, James., Kim, Kihyon, Ambika Zutshi, Paul Dunn, Maria Esperanza Hernandez, Tristano Sainati, Abel Diaz Gonzalez, Ulf Thoene "Exploring Generation Z Moral Reasoning: A Six-Country Sample of Business Students" (Writing stage) 

Kim, Kihyon. “Emotional Communication Matters: How to repair Corporate Reputation in times of crisis. (Writing stage).
*Presented at Academy of Management Annual Conference 2023
*May 2022 Corporate Citizenship Research Award, Corporate Citizen Research Institute-Postech  

Kim, Kihyon, Hong, Sujeong*. "Live Up to What You Promote: CSR Leadership Hypocrisy Spillover Effect on Organization".  (Writing stage) 

Kim, Kihyon. “When the Message of Hope Deters Collective Climate Action: Moderating Effect of Collective Outcome Expectancy”. (Data analysis stage).
*Presented at the American Marketing Association 2023 Summer Conference

Kim, Kihyon. “Pro-environmental Behaviors and Perceived Impact on Consumer Collective: A Conceptual Framework”. (Writing stage). Presented at the Business & Society conference

Kim, Kihyon. “Social Cognitive Theory Revisited: How to Promote Sustainable Service Usage” (Data collection stage).
*May 2022 Best Research Presentation Award, The Korean Academic Association of Business Administration

Kim, Kihyon., Jhang, Jihoon*., "When You Feel Pressured for Collective Climate Action: The Moderation Effect of Independent Self-Construal and Agentic Motive".
*Selected for the special issue of Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics [A ranking / SSCI: Impact Factor 4.643]

Kim, Kihyon., "Growth Mindset and Pro-environmental Behavior" (Data collection stage)

Kim, Kihyon., "Children's Hope for the Future: Growth Mindset and Climate Crisis" (Data collection stage)

Kim, Kihyon, Hong, Sujeong*. "BTS Fandom and Sustainability"  (Data collection stage)

INVITED TALKS

(1) Hoffman Center for Business Ethics (HCBE) at Bentley University. Sep 17, 2025 

“When Moral Signals Collide: How CEO Rhetoric and Moral Conduct Spills Over to Corporate Reputation”

(2) Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University. Aug 29, 2023 

"A Behavioral Perspective on Sustainability: Collective Action & Corporate Social Irresponsibility"

RESEARCH GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS

2024~2025 Fulbright Visiting Scholar 2024-2025, Fulbright Korea

Title: Overcoming Social Dilemmas: Citizens' Collective Action for the Climate Crisis  

2024~2029 Global Ph.D. Fellowship, National Research Foundation of Korea, Principal Investigator, 

Title: Citizen Participation for the Climate Crisis 

May 2022 Research Professor, Korea University, School of Business, Korea Ministry of Education BK21

April 2022 Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, KDI School of Public Policy and Management 

May 2022 Social Value Senior Fellow, Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies 

2019~2022 Global Ph.D. Fellowship, National Research Foundation of Korea, Principal Investigator, 

Principal Investigator, 

Title: Collective Action: research on factors to drive individuals to participate in common objectives, the threshold level of the network, and its patterns over time.

2019 The Asia Foundation Development Fellow, The Asia Foundation (2019)

https://asiafoundation.org/2019/02/20/the-asia-foundation-selects-2019-development-fellows/

https://asiafoundation.org/people/kihyon-kim/

2019 Fellowship, Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies 

2019 Research Grant, Korea Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation 

RESEARCH AWARDS & HONORS

Sep 2024         Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies

Dec 2022 Best Presentation Award on Doctoral Dissertation Competition, Korea Society of Consumer Studies

Nov 2022        Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies (Fall)

July 2022 Best Research Paper, Korean Association of AD & PR

May 2022 Corporate Citizenship Research Award, Corporate Citizen Research Institute-Postech  

May 2022 Best Research Presentation Award, The Korean Academic Association of Business Administration

Nov 2021 Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies 

July 2021 Best Research Paper. Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies 

Jan 2021 Best Presentation Award on Doctoral Dissertation Competition, Korea Marketing Association

ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS 

2025 2nd Symposium of the International Research Network on Sustainable Fashion Consumption, Yale Center for Business and the Environment, Oct 27-28, 2025 

 "Believing in making a difference for Earth: Effect of Positive Framing and Consumer Mindset on Green Advertising"

2025 The Association for Consumer Research, Washington DC, Oct 9-11, 2025

"Encouraging Collective Action: How Conditional Resource Integration Boosts Participation"

"CEO Activism: Understanding the Role of Morality and Business Alignment" 

"How AI-Based Personalized Messaging and Learning Processes Promote Virtuous Behavior" (Pre-conference) 

2025 American Marketing Association Summer Academic Conference, Chicago, Aug 22-24, 2025

“The Unintended Consequences of Stakeholder Resource Integration on Collective Consumer Engagement"

“Measuring the Behavioral Dimensions of Social Impact"

2025 International Association for Business & Society Annual Conference. Maastricht, The Netherlands. April 3~6. 

“Exploring Generation Z Value Orientation Preferences: A Six-Country Sample of Business Students”

2025 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference. Phoenix, AZ. February 14-16, 

"The Unintended Consequences of Stakeholder Resource Integration on Collective Consumer Engagement"

"Spillover Effect of Leadership Immorality on Moral Company: Genuine CSR Motive and Corporate Hypocrisy"

2024 International Conference of Asian Marketing Associations (ICAMA) in Osaka, Japan. November 22-24, 

"The Effect of Power Distance Belief on Zero Waste" 

2024 Annual Meeting of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, New York, November 22-25. (Selected for poster presentation but withdrawn because of travel)

"The Danger of Stakeholder Engagement: Resource Integration Schemes’ Impact on Citizen’s Collective Climate Engagement". 

2024 한국방송학회 가을철 정기학술대회. November 9

"환경과 커뮤니케이션의 학문적 제도화 가능성 세미나" (토론자) 

2024 American Marketing Association Summer Academic Conference, Boston, Aug 12, 2024

 “The Unintended Consequences of Stakeholder Resource Integration on Collective Consumer Engagement" (Virtual Presentation) 

 “CSR Advocacy of Morally Questionable CEO: Spill-over Effect on Organizational Attraction" (Virtual Presentation) 

2024 Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, Aug 4-8, 2024 

 “CSR Advocacy of Morally Questionable CEO: Spill-over Effect on Organizational Reputation" (AOM ONE-SIM Junior Faculty Consortium)  

2024 헬스커뮤니케이션학회 전기 학술대회. June 15

"운동이 친환경행동에 미치는 영향: 성장마인드셋과 집합결과기대감의 매개효과" 

2024 춘계마케팅학회 학술대회. May 25

"거액기부가 방해가 될 때: 개인의 기부의도와 영향력 인식에 대한 외부지원 방식의 효과 비교 ​ 

"기업이 감정적으로 피해자와 공감할 때: 기업의 감정적 위기 커뮤니케이션 효과 ​ 

"CEO의 윤리경영 방침과 비윤리적 행동에 따른 기업 위선 인식 ​ 

"사회적 이슈에 대하여 말하는 CEO: CEO 행동주의에 대한 소비자 심리 연구

2024 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference. St. Pete Beach, FL. February 23-25, 

“Beware of Hypocritical Social Responsibility: How Stakeholders Attribute Irresponsibility After CSR and How Firms Should Communicate” (Virtual Presentation) 

“Expectations of Making a Difference for Earth: Interaction Effect of Positive Framing and Consumer Mindset on Environmental Message” (Virtual Presentation)

2023 Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, Aug 4-8, 2023 

 “Crisis Communication Strategy on Corporate Hypocrisy: Attribution of Genuine CSR Motive" 

2023 American Marketing Association Summer Academic Conference. San Francisco. Aug 4-6, 2023

“When the message of hope backfires: moderation effect of hope on collective clime action” (Virtual Presentation) 

“A Hopeful Message Works for the Pessimist: The Role of Outcome Expectancy for Message Framing and Mindset” (Virtual Presentation)

“Enough is Enough”: Environmental Value Orientation and Social-Ecological Thought Marketing (Virtual Presentation)

2023 Global Marketing Conference, Seoul, S. Korea. July 20 -23, 2023 (Selected but withdrawn because of travel) 

"Protecting the environment for my own sake? The Effect of Egoistic Value Orientation on Virtue Ethics-Based Marketing Strategy"

2023 American Marketing Association + Public Policy Conference. Nashville, Arlington, VA. USA. 08 - 10 June 2023 (Selected but withdrawn because of travel) 

"When the message of hope backfires: moderation effect of hope on collective clime action" 

“Enough is Enough”: Environmental Value Orientation and Social-Ecological Thought Marketing 

2023 International Association for Business & Society Annual Conference. Bath, UK. June 5~11.(Selected but Withdrawn because of travel) 

“Virtue Ethics-Based Marketing Strategy: What Makes Social-Ecological Thought Marketing Strategy Successful”

2023 American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference. Nashville, Tennessee. USA. February 7, 2023

"Don't Tell Me What Others Do for the Climate: Resistance to the Majority by Agentic Motive" (Kihyon Kim, Jihoon Jhang, Sanyoung Song, Sujin Song) 

2022 Distribution Marketing Advertising Consumer (DMAC) Doctoral Dissertation Competition (Korean Society of Consumer Studies). Seoul. Dec 16  

“Goal Proximity Effect on Collective Climate Action: Sequential Mediation by Perceived Behavioral Impact and Collective Outcome Expectancy”

2022 International Conference of Asian Marketing Associations (ICAMA). Jeju Island, S. Korea. October 27−29, 2022

"Feeling Hopeful about Changes on Earth and Myself: Interaction of Message Framing and Consumer Mindset" (Sujeong hong, Kihyon Kim)

“Because I Feel Responsible”: Impact of Consumers’ Environmental Value Orientations on Social-Ecological Thought Marketing" (Kihyon Kim, Jung-Yoon Yum, Jeongseok Lee, Chaeuen Yim) 

"When You Feel Pressured for Collective Climate Action: The Moderation Effect of Independent Self-Construal and Agentic Motive"

2022 American Marketing Association  Summer Academic Conference. Chicago, USA. Aug 12~14.

“Your Contribution Matters: Motivating Collective Climate Action through Shared Goal” (Kihyon Kim, Sanyoung Song, Sujin Song, Hyun Shin) 

2022 Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, USA. Aug 5~9.

Social Issues in Management - Organization and Environment Junior Faculty Consortium

2022 Society for Business Ethics Annual Meeting. Seattle, USA. Aug 5~7.

“Genuine CSR Motive Matters: How Ethical Jobseekers Perceive Changing” (Kihyon Kim, Sehyung Oh, Jihoon Jhang) 

2022 International Association for Business & Society Annual Conference. San Francisco, USA. June 16~19.

“Pro-environmental Behaviors and Perceived Impact on Consumer Collective: A Conceptual Framework”

2021 International Conference on Electronic Commerce. Online. June 29~30. (Korea Society of IT Services)

“Cross-border E-Commerce in South Korea for Micro Businesses in Mongolia”  (Kihyon Kim and Gyoo Gun Lim) 

2021 Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies, Online. Dec.

“Changing CSR and Job seeker’s Attitudes: Effect of Genuine CSR motive and Moral Identification” (Kihyon Kim, Sehyung Oh, Jihoon Jhang)

2021 Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies, Seoul, Korea. Jul. 

     “Proximal Shared Goal for Distant Social Outcome: Perceived Impact and Collective Outcome Expectancy”

2021 The Korea Academy of Business Ethics, Online. June

“Changing CSR and Job seeker’s Attitudes: Effect of Genuine CSR motive and Moral Identification”

2021 Distribution Marketing Advertising Consumer (DMAC) Doctoral Dissertation Competition (Korea Marketing Associations), Online. Jan

“Changing CSR and Job seeker’s Attitudes: Effect of Genuine CSR motive and Moral Identification”

2020 Korea Society of IT Services, Seoul, Korea. Jun

     “Cross Border E-commerce in Developing Countries: Supporting MSME Entrepreneurs through Export Marketing Strategy” 

2020 The Korean Association of Small Business Studies, Seoul, Korea. Jun

     "Analysis on North Korea’s ‘Starting a Business’ Indicator of World Bank’s Doing Business: Comparison with Low Income and Transition Countries"

2020 Center for Social Value Enhancement Studies. Online. Dec

       “A Typology of Social Impact of Art and Culture Business

2019 The Asia Foundation, Seoul, Korea. Sep

     “International Dynamic Marketing Capabilities of Emerging Market Small Business on E-commerce”

2018 Korea Association of International Development and Cooperation

      “International Development and Sustainable Business: ISO 26000”

2018 Busan Democracy Forum

      “Case of Korean Private-Public Partnership model: Development Alliance Korea”

2016 Korea Association of International Development and Cooperation

      “Behavior Change in International Development: Case analysis of KOICA”

DOCTORAL DISSERTATION 

Two Essays on Marketing for Sustainable Business

Essay 1. Proximal Shared Goal for Distant Social Outcome - Perceived Impact and Collective Outcome Expectancy for Collective Action –

Essay 2. Inconsistent CSR Information and Job Attractiveness - Effect of Genuine CSR Motive and Moral Identification -

Committee Members:  Dr. Sang-Lin Han (Chair), Hyun Shin, Sangyoung Song, Se Hyung Oh, Sujin Song