The Adoption of Self-Service Technologies

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 The Proliferation of Self-Service Technologies

1.2 Problem Statement and Research Questions

1.3 Master Thesis Outlined

1.4 Contribution

2 Literature Review – Self-Service Technology Adoption

2.1 Self-Service Technologies as Innovations

2.2 Factors Influencing the Adoption of SSTs

2.2.1 Self-Service Technology Related Factors

2.2.2 Consumer Related Factors

2.2.3 Service Provider Related Factors

2.3 Emerging Research Questions

3 Development of Hypotheses

3.1 Consumer Readiness

3.1.1 Role Clarity

3.1.2 Motivation

3.1.3 Ability

3.2 Moderating Effects

3.2.1 Trust in Technology and in the Service Provider

3.2.2 Previous Experiences with Technology-Based Products and Services

3.2.3 Previous Experiences with Service Employees

3.3 Self-Service Technology-Interface Dependence

4 Research Design

4.1 Research Setting

4.2 Sample Design

4.3 Methodology

4.3.1 Survey Approach

4.3.2 Questionnaire Development

4.3.3 Construct Measures

4.4 Data Collection

5 Analysis and Results

5.1 Sample Description

5.2 Data Preparation

5.3 Scenario A

5.3.1 Internet Check-in Users versus Non-Users

5.3.2 Scenario A – Consumer Readiness Hypotheses

5.3.3 Scenario A - Moderating Effects Hypotheses

5.4 Scenario B

5.4.1 Kiosk Check-In Users versus Non-Users

5.4.2 Scenario B – Consumer Readiness Hypotheses

5.4.3 Scenario B - Moderating Effects

5.5 Comparison of Scenarios

6 Discussion and Implications

6.1 Check-in Choice Behavior

6.2 The Role of Consumer Readiness

6.3 The Influence of Trust and Experiences

6.4 Managerial Implications

6.5 Theoretical Implications and Future Research

6.6 Limitations

Objectives & Key Themes

This master thesis investigates the critical factors influencing consumers' voluntary adoption of self-service technologies (SSTs) in the airline industry. Specifically, it aims to determine the relationship between consumer readiness—defined by role clarity, motivation, and ability—and SST adoption, while examining how trust in technology and service providers, along with previous experiences, moderate this relationship.

• Role of consumer readiness (role clarity, motivation, ability) in SST adoption.
• Moderating impact of trust (technology and service provider) and previous experience.
• Interface-dependence of adoption factors (Internet vs. kiosk scenarios).
• Integration of consumer, service provider, and technology-related aspects in a multi-channel context.

Excerpt from the Book

Chapter Summaries

1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the proliferation of self-service technologies and defines the problem statement and research questions regarding consumer adoption.

2 Literature Review – Self-Service Technology Adoption: Examines existing research on SST adoption, categorizing factors into technology-related, consumer-related, and service provider-related dimensions.

3 Development of Hypotheses: Develops a conceptual model and derives specific hypotheses linking consumer readiness and trust/experience factors to SST usage.

4 Research Design: Describes the methodology, including the selection of the airline industry, survey approach, and questionnaire development for two distinct scenarios.

5 Analysis and Results: Presents the empirical findings from the web-based survey, applying logistic regression to test the hypotheses across the two scenarios.

6 Discussion and Implications: Discusses the findings, provides managerial and theoretical implications, and acknowledges the study's limitations.

Keywords

Self-Service Technologies, SST, Consumer Readiness, Role Clarity, Motivation, Ability, Trust in Technology, Trust in Service Provider, Technology Adoption, Airline Industry, Online Check-in, Kiosk Check-in, Service Encounter, Customer Co-production, Multi-channel context

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this master thesis?

The thesis focuses on identifying critical factors that drive consumers to adopt self-service technologies (SSTs), specifically within the context of airline check-in processes.

What are the central thematic pillars of the research?

The research explores consumer readiness, the impact of trust (in both the technology and the service provider), and the role of prior experiences in influencing whether a customer chooses a self-service option over traditional counter service.

What is the core objective or main research question?

The main objective is to understand the relationship between consumer readiness and SST adoption, and how trust and experience act as moderators in this relationship across different SST interfaces (Internet vs. kiosk).

Which research methodology is employed?

The study uses a quantitative approach, specifically a scenario-based web survey with 239 respondents, analyzing data through logistic regression models.

What topics are covered in the main body?

The main body reviews relevant literature, develops a conceptual model with specific hypotheses, describes the research design, and presents the empirical analysis of two scenarios (Internet check-in and kiosk check-in).

Which keywords best characterize this work?

Key concepts include Self-Service Technologies (SST), Consumer Readiness, Role Clarity, Motivation, Ability, and Trust, particularly applied to multi-channel service environments.

How does this thesis distinguish between the three parties involved in an SST encounter?

The thesis differentiates between the consumer (readiness, experience), the service provider (trust, interaction quality), and the technology interface (trust, system reliability), integrating all three in a comprehensive conceptual model.

Why are different check-in interfaces (kiosk vs. Internet) analyzed separately?

The study analyzes them separately to test the hypothesis of interface-dependence, exploring whether the influence of consumer readiness factors changes based on whether the technology is accessed via a kiosk or the Internet.