{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,4]],"date-time":"2026-11-04T12:02:36Z","timestamp":1793793756385,"version":"4.6.1"},"reference-count":92,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,25]],"date-time":"2020-05-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1590364800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Cornell Hospitality Quarterly"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Service robots continue to permeate and automate the hospitality sector. In doing so, these technological innovations pose to radically change current service production and delivery practices and, consequently, service management and marketing strategies. This study explores the various impacts of robotization in the sector by offering one of the first empirical accounts on the current state-of-the-art of service robotics as deployed in hospitality service encounters. The results suggest that service robots either support or substitute employees in service encounters. They also offer hospitality businesses a novel point of differentiation, but only if properly integrated as part of wider marketing efforts. Finally, the automation of tasks, processes, and, ultimately, jobs has serious socioeconomic implications both at the microlevel and macrolevel. Consequently, hospitality executives need to consider where and how to apply robotization to strike a balance between operational efficiency and customer expectations. Displaying ethical leadership is key to reaping the benefits of the robot revolution.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1938965520923961","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,25]],"date-time":"2020-05-25T08:47:21Z","timestamp":1590396441000},"page":"232-247","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":363,"title":["Applications and Implications of Service Robots in Hospitality"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"62","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0515-1313","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aarni","family":"Tuomi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Surrey, Guildford, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Iis P.","family":"Tussyadiah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Surrey, Guildford, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jason","family":"Stienmetz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MODUL University Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/smj.3015"},{"key":"bibr2-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Arruda W. (2016). Why consistency is the key to successful branding. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/williamarruda\/2016\/12\/13\/why-consistency-is-the-key-to-successful-branding\/#68eef5237bbd"},{"key":"bibr3-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Hospitality operations: A systems approach","author":"Ball S.","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr4-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Belanche D., Casal\u00f3 L., Flavi\u00e1n C., Schepers J. (2020). Service robot implementation: A theoretical framework and research agenda. The Service Industries Journal, 40. https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1080\/02642069.2019.1672666","DOI":"10.1080\/02642069.2019.1672666"},{"key":"bibr5-1938965520923961","volume-title":"The coming of post-industrial society","author":"Bell D.","year":"1973"},{"key":"bibr6-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/002224299205600205"},{"key":"bibr7-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Exchange and power in social life","author":"Blau P. M.","year":"1964"},{"key":"bibr8-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09540091.2016.1271400"},{"key":"bibr9-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/9780230244276_3"},{"key":"bibr10-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hrmr.2015.09.002"},{"key":"bibr11-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/WHATT-07-2018-0045"},{"key":"bibr12-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/WHATT-09-2017-0045"},{"key":"bibr13-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Ethnography","author":"Brewer J.","year":"2000"},{"key":"bibr14-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/JHTT-07-2016-0038"},{"key":"bibr15-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Bughin J., Seong J., Manyika J., H\u00e4m\u00e4l\u00e4inen L., Windhagen E., Hazan E. (2019). Notes from the AI frontier: Tackling Europe\u2019s gap in digital and AI. https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/~\/media\/McKinsey\/Featured%20Insights\/Artificial%20Intelligence\/Tackling%20Europes%20gap%20in%20digital%20and%20AI\/MGI-Tackling-Europes-gap-in-digitaland-AI-Feb-2019-vF.ashx"},{"key":"bibr16-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhm.2017.11.011"},{"key":"bibr17-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02508281.2005.11081482"},{"key":"bibr18-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10548408.2019.1592059"},{"key":"bibr19-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Canales K. (2018). This futuristic caf\u00e9 relies on robots to take your order and make your coffee \u2014No human interaction required. https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/cafe-x-robotic-coffee-bar-automation-2018-6"},{"key":"bibr20-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118952788"},{"key":"bibr21-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Doing qualitative research: multiple strategies","author":"Crabtree B. F.","year":"1992"},{"key":"bibr22-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Qualitative inquiry & research design","author":"Creswell J.","year":"2007","edition":"2"},{"key":"bibr23-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0149206305279602"},{"key":"bibr24-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/JOSM-03-2018-0082"},{"key":"bibr25-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781412984591"},{"key":"bibr26-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Dobberstein A. (2019). Report: The growing and dominating UK FoodTech ecosystem. https:\/\/medium.com\/forwardfooding\/report-the-growing-and-dominating-uk-foodtech-ecosystem-10917deb212e"},{"key":"bibr27-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0921-8890(02)00371-8"},{"key":"bibr28-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techfore.2016.08.019"},{"key":"bibr29-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Frey C., Osborne M., Holmes C., Rahbari E., Curmi E., Garlick R., Chua J., Friedlander G., Chalif P., McDonald G., Wilkie M. (2016). Technology at work v2.0. https:\/\/www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk\/downloads\/reports\/Citi_GPS_Technology_Work_2.pdf"},{"key":"bibr30-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jom.2003.12.004"},{"key":"bibr31-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gomber P., Koch J.A., Siering M. (2017). Digital finance and FinTech: Current research and future research directions. Journal of Business Economics, 87, 537\u2013580. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11573-017-0852-x","DOI":"10.1007\/s11573-017-0852-x"},{"key":"bibr32-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gursoy D., Chi O., Lu L., Nunkoo R. (2019). Consumers acceptance of artificially intelligent (AI) device use in service delivery. International Journal of Information Management, 49, 157\u2013169.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2019.03.008"},{"key":"bibr33-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Harari Y. (2017). Reboot for the AI revolution. Nature, 550, 324\u2013327. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/550324a","DOI":"10.1038\/550324a"},{"key":"bibr34-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Hernandez D. (2018). Las Vegas casino workers prep for strike over automation: \u2018Robots can\u2019t beat us.\u2019 https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2018\/jun\/02\/las-vegas-workers-strike-automation-casinos"},{"key":"bibr35-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1094670517752459"},{"key":"bibr36-1938965520923961","first-page":"428","volume-title":"Handbook of qualitative research","author":"Huberman A. M.","year":"1997"},{"key":"bibr37-1938965520923961","unstructured":"International Federation of Robotics. (2017). World Robotics 2017. https:\/\/ifr.org\/downloads\/press\/Executive_Summary_WR_2017_Industrial_Robots.pdf"},{"key":"bibr38-1938965520923961","unstructured":"International Federation of Robotics. (2018). Robots and the workplace of the future [Positioning Paper]. https:\/\/ifr.org\/downloads\/papers\/IFR_Robots_and_the_Workplace_of_the_Future_Positioning_Paper.pdf"},{"key":"bibr39-1938965520923961","unstructured":"International Organization for Standardization. (2019). ISO\/TC 299\u2014Robotics. https:\/\/www.iso.org\/committee\/5915511\/x\/catalogue\/"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr40-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.1108\/JHTT-11-2019-143","volume":"10","author":"Ivanov S.","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology"},{"key":"bibr41-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/9781787566873"},{"key":"bibr42-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ivanov S., Webster C. (2019b). Robots in tourism: A research agenda for tourism economics. Tourism Economics, 1\u201321. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1354816619879583","DOI":"10.1177\/1354816619879583"},{"key":"bibr43-1938965520923961","first-page":"1501","volume":"27","author":"Ivanov S.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Revista Turismo & Desenvolvimento"},{"key":"bibr44-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techsoc.2018.06.004"},{"key":"bibr45-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/230046"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr46-1938965520923961","first-page":"1","volume":"6","author":"Kawulich B.","year":"2005","journal-title":"Forum: Qualitative Social Research"},{"key":"bibr47-1938965520923961","unstructured":"KPMG. (2017). The road ahead: The KPMG survey of corporate responsibility reporting 2017. https:\/\/assets.kpmg.com\/content\/dam\/kpmg\/xx\/pdf\/2017\/10\/kpmg-survey-of-corporate-responsibility-reporting-2017.pdf"},{"key":"bibr48-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/IJCHM-08-2015-0414"},{"key":"bibr49-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/2529310"},{"key":"bibr50-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2017.03.008"},{"key":"bibr51-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tourman.2019.02.006"},{"key":"bibr52-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Food and beverage service","author":"Lillicrap D.","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr53-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/19368623.2010.514547"},{"key":"bibr54-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0147-1767(85)90062-8"},{"key":"bibr55-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1938965516630424"},{"key":"bibr56-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhm.2018.09.009"},{"key":"bibr57-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhm.2019.01.005"},{"key":"bibr58-1938965520923961","first-page":"188","volume-title":"Encyclopedia of research design","author":"Mahmud S.","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr59-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Manyika J., Chui M., Miremadi M., Bughin J., George K., Wilmott P., Dewhurst M. (2017). A future that works: Automation, employment and productivity. https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/~\/media\/McKinsey\/Featured%20Insights\/Digital%20Disruption\/Harnessing%20automation%20for%20a%20future%20that%20works\/MGI-A-future-that-works_Full-report.ashx"},{"key":"bibr60-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Marinova D., de Ruyter K., Huang M.H., Meuter M., Challagalla G. (2017). Getting smart: Learning from technology-empowered frontline interactions. Journal of Service Research, 20(1), 29\u201342. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1094670516679273","DOI":"10.1177\/1094670516679273"},{"key":"bibr61-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4018\/978-1-4666-8693-9.ch011"},{"key":"bibr62-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mayring P. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical foundation, basic procedures and software solution. https:\/\/nbn-resolving.org\/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-395173","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-017-9181-6_13"},{"key":"bibr63-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4337\/9781849802192.00009"},{"key":"bibr64-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Hospitality experience: An introduction to hospitality management","author":"Melissen F.","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr65-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Mest E. (2017). Distribution, technology and how to retain the humanity of hospitality. Hotel Management, 232(10), 16. https:\/\/www.hotelmanagement.net\/operate\/distribution-technology-and-retaining-humanity-hospitality"},{"key":"bibr66-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10548408.2019.1571983"},{"key":"bibr67-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.54055\/ejtr.v15i.265","volume":"15","author":"Murphy J.","year":"2017","journal-title":"European Journal of Tourism Research"},{"key":"bibr68-1938965520923961","unstructured":"National Restaurant Association. (2016). Mapping the technology restaurant landscape. https:\/\/www.restaurant.org\/Downloads\/PDFs\/RIS\/RIS16_techresearch.pdf"},{"key":"bibr69-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hrm.21904"},{"key":"bibr70-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1938965511434112"},{"key":"bibr71-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2017.8172305"},{"key":"bibr72-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1094670515576315"},{"key":"bibr73-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.robot.2016.08.026"},{"key":"bibr74-1938965520923961","unstructured":"People 1st. (2015). The skills and productivity problem. http:\/\/www.people1st.co.uk\/getattachment\/Research-Insight\/People-and-productivity\/Report-The-Skills-and-productivity-problem-Oct-15.pdf\/?lang=en-GB"},{"key":"bibr75-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Porter E. (2018, September 24). Hotel workers fret over a new rival: Alexa at the front desk. The New York Times. https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/09\/24\/business\/economy\/hotel-workers-ai-technology-alexa.html"},{"key":"bibr76-1938965520923961","first-page":"752","volume-title":"The SAGE encyclopedia of communication research methods","author":"Roach\u00e9 D.","year":"2018"},{"key":"bibr77-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2015.01.014"},{"key":"bibr78-1938965520923961","first-page":"28","volume":"55","author":"Schneider T.","year":"2018","journal-title":"Finance & Development"},{"key":"bibr79-1938965520923961","volume-title":"Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques","author":"Strauss A.","year":"1990"},{"key":"bibr80-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/JOSM-05-2018-0131"},{"key":"bibr81-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/002224298705100207"},{"key":"bibr82-1938965520923961","unstructured":"Troitino C. (2018, June 21). Meet the world\u2019s first fully automated burger robot: Creator debuts the Big Mac killer. Forbes. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/christinatroitino\/2018\/06\/21\/meet-the-worlds-first-fully-automated-burger-robot-creator-debuts-the-big-mac-killer\/#7959e2926a89"},{"key":"bibr83-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/IJCHM-06-2017-0322"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr84-1938965520923961","first-page":"662","volume":"17","author":"Tuomi A.","year":"2019","journal-title":"e-Review of Tourism Research"},{"key":"bibr85-1938965520923961","first-page":"308","volume-title":"Information and communication technologies in tourism 2018","author":"Tussyadiah I.","year":"2017"},{"key":"bibr86-1938965520923961","unstructured":"UKHospitality. (2017). Food Service management market report 2017. http:\/\/www.bha.org.uk\/food-service-management-market-report-2017\/"},{"key":"bibr87-1938965520923961","unstructured":"United Nations. (2018). Decent work and economic growth: Why it matters. https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Goal-8.pdf"},{"key":"bibr88-1938965520923961","volume-title":"How cool brands stay hot: Branding to generations Y and Z","author":"van den Bergh J.","year":"2016"},{"key":"bibr89-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2017.04.014"},{"key":"bibr90-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/493604a"},{"key":"bibr91-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/JOSM-04-2018-0119"},{"key":"bibr92-1938965520923961","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jretai.2012.10.004"}],"container-title":["Cornell Hospitality Quarterly"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1938965520923961","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1938965520923961","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1938965520923961","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T16:47:07Z","timestamp":1777394827000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1938965520923961"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,25]]},"references-count":92,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,5]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1938965520923961"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1938965520923961","relation":{},"ISSN":["1938-9655","1938-9663"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1938-9655","type":"print"},{"value":"1938-9663","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,25]]}}}