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Cited by 243AI in Service InteractionsRobotic Process Automation ApplicationsRobotics and Automated Systems

Hotel managers’ perceptions towards the use of robots: A mixed-methods approach

Open access
Ivanov, Stanislav, Seyitoğlu, Faruk, Markova, Martina·2020·Information Technology & Tourism
DOI 10.1007/s40558-020-00187-xPMC PMC7486590
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Abstract

Adopting a supply-side perspective, the paper analyses Bulgarian hotel managers’ perceptions of service robots using a convergent mixed methods design. Structured quantitative data were collected from 79 managers using a questionnaire, while interviews were used for the collection of qualitative data from 20 managers. The findings indicate respondents feel that repetitive, dirty, dull, and dangerous tasks in hotels would be more appropriate for robots, while hotel managers would rather use employees for tasks that require social skills and emotional intelligence. The individual characteristics of respondents and the organisational characteristics of the hotels they currently worked in played little role in their perceptions of service robots. The managers considered that robots would decrease the quality of the service and were generally not ready to use robots. Additionally, the interviewees indicated that skilled and well-trained employees were more valuable and more adequate than robots for the hospitality and tourism industry. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided as well.

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  • In a survey of 79 hotel managers, robots were concluded to have an advantage over human employees due to better data processing capabilities, work speed, protection of personal data, and fewer mistakes.

    “Analysing questionnaires completed by 79 hotel managers, it was concluded that robots have an advantage over human employees due to better data processing capabilities, work speed, protection of personal data, and fewer mistakes.”

    From Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New Trends and Possibilities (2021) · cites this paper as [8]

  • The main disadvantages of robots were listed as lack of capability to provide personalised service, inability to handle complaints, lack of friendliness and politeness, inability to implement a special request beyond their programming, and lack of understanding of emotions.

    “The main disadvantages of robots were listed as: lack of capability to provide personalised service; inability to handle complaints; lack of friendliness and politeness; inability to implement a special request that goes beyond their programming; and the lack of understanding of emotions.”

    From Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New Trends and Possibilities (2021) · cites this paper as [8]

  • In adaptive automation assembly systems for assembling industrial refrigerators, automated assembly process productivity could be increased by more than 79%.

    “This study showed that automated assembly process productivity could be increased by more than 79%.”

    From Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New Trends and Possibilities (2021) · cites this paper as [8]

    The Introduction (Rationale) discusses the potential for service robots to increase productivity, but it distinguishes service robots from industrial automation. Neither that passage nor the searched passages on assembly and 79% report a productivity increase for assembling industrial refrigerators. Our copy does not address the claimed result. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ivanov, S., Seyitoğlu, F., & Markova, M.
Affiliations
  • Varna University of Management (BG)
  • Mardin Artuklu University (TR)
Corresponding author
  • Ivanov, Stanislav
  • Seyitoğlu, Faruk
  • Markova, Martina
ORCID
Venue
Information Technology & Tourism
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2020-09-12
Volume
22
Issue
4
Pages
505-535
ISSN
  • 1098-3058 (ISSN-L)
  • 1943-4294
DOI
10.1007/s40558-020-00187-x
PMC
PMC7486590
OpenAlex
W3086839851
Cited by
243
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 3
FWCI
12.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Information Technology & Tourism (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • SocArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
  • SocArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI in Service Interactions
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering › Robotic Process Automation Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Control and Systems Engineering › Robotics and Automated Systems
Keywords
service robots, hotel managers, hospitality industry, tourism industry, service quality, employee skills, emotional intelligence

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