What do hotel employees think about service robots? A qualitative study in Turkey

VATAN A., Doğan S.

TOURISM MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES, vol.37, 2021 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 37
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100775
  • Journal Name: TOURISM MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Index Islamicus
  • Keywords: Robot, Service robot, Non-human, Hotel, Hotel employees, HOSPITALITY
  • Ondokuz Mayıs University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study aims to determine Turkish hotel employees? perceptions towards service robots. Data were collected through 40 in-depth interviews with hotel employees from different departments. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. The results revealed that the word ?robot? evoked negative emotions for hotel employees. While the hotel employees think that service robots may provide different benefits and advantages for employees and businesses, they also believe that service robots may create some problems during communication with the customers. The hotel employees also think that service robots would lead to an increased unemployment rate in the future.