Dr Ying Feng BSc, MRes, PhD, FHEA

Dr Ying Feng

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Assistant Professor in Sport Business and Management

Contact details

Email
y.feng.7@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Ying is an Assistant Professor in Sports Business and Management. Ying specialises in digital anthropomorphism, utilising experimental and quantitative methods to address sport and service marketing and social issues in human-agent interactions.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Digital Technologies - 'Unlocking the Power of Digital Agency: Conceptualisation, Causality and Synergy', Institute for Digital Technologies, Loughborough University, London, UK, 2024
  • MRes in Sports Business - Institute for Sport Business, Loughborough University, London, UK, 2019
  • BSc in Sports Economics and Management - School of Management , Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China, 2018                

Biography

Ying holds a PhD in Digital Technologies from the Institute for Digital Technologies at Loughborough University as a recipient of a full scholarship. She was a visiting PhD student at the Affective Intelligence and Robotics (AFAR) lab, Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge. Her PhD research was rewarded with the 'Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad' from the China Scholarship Council (The highest government award granted by the Chinese government to doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who conduct research and have received doctorates overseas, globally selects 650 young talents from different disciplines every year). 

Before earning her PhD., Ying received her Master of Research (MRes) Sport Business Degree with Distinction from the Institute for Sport Business at Loughborough University and a BSc Sport Economics and Management Degree at Beijing Sport University. 

Before joining Birmingham, she served as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Marketing at the University of Southampton and the University of East Anglia.

Teaching

MSc Sport Business, Management and Leadership Modules

Postgraduate supervision

Ying is interested in supervising doctoral projects in the following areas:

  • Consumer Well-Being
  • Sport Marketing
  • Technology Innovation
  • Human-Agent Interaction

She is open to supervising students from psychology, statistics, and sport technology backgrounds.

Research

Ying's research interests centre on technopsychology, technology innovation, and consumer well-being. She investigates how digital technology interventions shape consumer behaviour and promote well-being.

Publications

Highlight publications

Feng, Y, Meng, J & Cheah, J-H 2025, 'From Virtual Trainers to Companions? Examining How Digital Agency Types, Anthropomorphism, and Support Shape Para-Social Relationships in Online Fitness', Psychology & Marketing, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 842-865. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22154

Recent publications

Article

Feng, Y & Meng, J 2023, 'Will Social Distancing in Service Encounters Affect Consumers’ Value Perception During the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Role of Servicescape, Self-Efficacy, and Technological Intervention', Journal of Interactive Marketing, vol. 58, no. 2-3, pp. 167-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968231156530

Conference contribution

Feng, Y & Cheah, J-H 2025, Bridging Emotional Gaps: The Role of Co-presence and Enjoyment in AI-Driven Fitness Services. in EMAC 2025 Annual. Proceedings of the European Marketing Academy, European Marketing Academy, 54th Annual Conference of the European Marketing Academy, Pozuelo (Madrid), Spain, 25/05/25.

Feng, Y & Cheah, J-H 2025, Servitization of AI in Consumer Markets: Addressing Emotional Needs in Digital Fitness. in 2025 Global Marketing Conference at Hong Kong (2025). Global Marketing Conference Proceedings, Global Marketing Conference, 2025 Global Marketing Conference at Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 24/07/25.

Feng, Y & Meng, J 2023, Choosing the Perfect Coach: Real Person, Avatar, Humanoid Robot or Robot Dog? Empirical Studies of Para-social Relationship Formation in Exercise Experience. in J Saint Clair & A Kumar (eds), AMA Summer Academic Conference 2023: A World Disrupted: Marketing's Role in Understanding, Adapting and Transforming the Business Ecosystem. 1 edn, vol. 1-2, AMA Educators Proceedings, vol. 34, American Marketing Association, 2023 AMA Summer Academic Conference, San Francisco, California, United States, 4/08/23. <https://www.proceedings.com/70588.html>

Meng, J, Feng, Y, Ji, KM & King, B 2023, How Does Distance Matter to Third-place Experience? Role of Seat Arrangements and Social Distancing Signages. in 2023 Global Marketing Conference at Seoul (GMC). Global Marketing Conference Proceedings, Global Marketing Conference, pp. 881-882, 2023 Global Marketing Conference at Seoul, Seoul, Korea, Republic of, 20/07/23. https://doi.org/10.15444/GMC2023.11.01.01

Feng, Y & Meng, J 2023, Impact of Digital Agent’s Types and Humanoid Features on Para-social Relationship: Evidence of Online Gym Exercises. in EMAC 2023 Annual., A2023-113965, Proceedings of the European Marketing Academy, European Marketing Academy, EMAC Annual Conference 2023, Odense, Denmark, 23/05/23. <https://proceedings.emac-online.org/index.cfm?abstractid=A2023-113965&Impact%20of%20Digital%20Agent%E2%80%99s%20Types%20and%20Humanoid%20Featu>

Doctoral Thesis

Feng, Y 2024, 'Unlocking the power of digital agency: conceptualisation, causality and synergy', ???thesis.qualification.phd???, Loughborough University. <https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/thesis/Unlocking_the_power_of_digital_agency_conceptualisation_causality_and_synergy/26789512>

Poster

Feng, Y & Meng, J 2024, 'Exploring the Dimensions of Technological Anthropomorphism: Insights into Human-Agent Interaction and Consumer Behaviour', 2024 Association for Consumer Research (ACR) Annual Conference, Paris, France, 26/09/24 - 29/09/24.

View all publications in research portal