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Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) have been implemented across all service industries. The hotel business in the UK, including budget hotels, has been increasingly adopting SSTs both to enhance customer service and to create operational efficiencies. In addition to providing guests with accommodation and basic services, budget hotels are now using SSTs with a view to increasing operational efficiencies, controlling human resources management, and engaging guests in more intelligent service design. Previous studies have mainly focused on the users’ perspectives, not on the use of SSTs themselves in budget hotels. The purpose of this study, then, is to explore the implications of SSTs in budget hotels both from a managerial and a guest perspective. Bournemouth as a location has been selected as a case study for this research because it is one of the most popular resorts in the UK. This qualitative study employed 14 semi-structured interviews with budget hotel managers and guests who have used SSTs while staying in budget hotels in Bournemouth. The research findings show that, overall, there is positive feedback from both managers and guest on the usage of SSTs in budget hotels in Bournemouth. the increase of operational efficiency is a key benefit of SST implementation from managerial perspective. On the other hand, efficiency, accessibility, privacy and self-control over transactions are the main benefits of SST emphasized by customers. Overall, there is positive feedback from both managers and guest on the usage of SSTs in budget hotels in Bournemouth. The authors conclude that advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) in conjunction with SSTs, will transform the hospitality industry in the near future.

Modern-day customers engage with a multitude of service transactions in technological interfaces performing with Self-Service Technologies (STTs). Nevertheless, many are not conversant with the use of technologies and are willing to use traditional physical service encounters, particularly those that live in developing countries. Since business organizations spend a vast amount of money to transform their traditional physical interfaces into technological-based self-service outlets, it is vital and necessary to make sure that customers willingly move along with this new trend. To accept SSTs, customer should feel comfortable with it, which require knowledge, skills and experiences on how to use such technologies. Since customer learning in SSTs is largely self-directed and experience-based, organizations should understand how customers naturally engage with SSTs and the role important organizations have to play in motivating customer self-learning process in SSTs.Thus, this study aims at investigating the customer learning in self-service technologies based on Self Directed Learning Theory. Accordingly, application of motivation, self- management, and self-monitoring on customer self-learning at SSTs were investigated. Using a quantitative approach, self-administered questionnaires were distributed among 600 individuals selected, based on non-probabilistic convenience method. The Study found that customer learning at SSTs mainly influenced by their motivation and self-management skills.This study contributes to theory by explaining the customer self-learning at SSTs, which is very limited in the literature. Further, it helps practitioners to understand how customer learning takes place at SSTs and therefore to decide on what should be the focus of the organization in designing customer communications aiming at providing a supportive learning experience to the customer.

Teniendo en cuenta este análisis vamos a encontrar la experiencia vivida durante las prácticas en Colombiana de Comercio – Red Contigo, las cuales fueron realizadas en el periodo de 2021 – 2. Debido a que vamos a poder evidenciar una visual de que es la Red Contigo y cuál es el impacto que ha generado en los autoservicios en donde se tiene presencia actualmente. Por otro lado, es importante mencionar que la Red Contigo se creó en el año 2016 debido a la necesitad que encontró Colombiana de Comercio Corbeta y/o Alkosto al encontrarse con tantos formatos nuevos (Hard Discount), los cuales ponían en riesgos los negocios de los pequeños empresarios, tiendas de barrios, autoservicios, etc. Por ende, se buscaba la forma de crear un formato el cual fuera un apoyo comercial a estos pequeños empresarios, por medio de alianzas estratégicas con diferentes proveedores, los cuales ayudaran a impulsar de una mejor forma a estos puntos, por medio de descuentos, lanzamientos, separatas, calendarios, etc. Adicional a esto cabe resaltar que una vez un autoservicio decide ser aliado a la Red Contigo va a contar con muchos beneficios los cuales son, intervención de fachada, implementación de datafono, implementación del sistema POS, asesoría jurídica, implementación de Bancolombia y SURA. Para finalizar es importante mencionar que actualmente la Red Contigo cuenta con apoyos de dos socios comerciales importantes como lo son, Colombiana de Comercio y/o Alkosto y Casa Luker, quienes llevan un arduo trabajo por ir haciendo estudios de mercado en diferentes zonas. Taking into account this analysis we will find the experience lived during the practices in Colombiana de Comercio - Red Contigo, which were carried out in the period of 2021 - 2. Because we are going to show a visual of what Red Contigo is and what is the impact it has generated in the self-service stores where it is currently present. On the other hand, it is important to mention that the Contigo Network was created in 2016 due to the need that Colombiana de Comercio Corbeta and/or Alkosto found when encountering so many new formats (Hard Discount), which put the business of small entrepreneurs, neighborhood stores, self-service stores, etc. at risk. Therefore, we were looking for a way to create a format which would be a commercial support to these small businessmen, through strategic alliances with different suppliers, which would help to promote these points in a better way, through discounts, launches, brochures, calendars, etc. In addition to this, it is worth mentioning that once a self-service store decides to become an ally of Red Contigo, it will have many benefits such as: façade intervention, implementation of a data phone, implementation of the POS system, legal advice, implementation of Bancolombia and SURA. Finally, it is important to mention that currently the Contigo Network has the support of two very important commercial partners such as Colombiana de Comercio and/or Alkosto and Casa Luker, who are working hard to carry out market studies in different áreas. Profesional en Negocios Internacionales Pregrado

Introduction : Le syndrome de l’intestin irritable (SII) est un désordre gastro-intestinal qui atteint environ 15% de la population mondiale. La diète FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols), fractionnée en trois phases (élimination, réintroduction, personnalisation), a été développée pour établir une tolérance personnelle aux nutriments (glucides) qui accentuent les symptômes. Une approche a été créée avec la plateforme web SOSCuisine.com afin de permettre aux gens atteints du SII de suivre la diète FODMAP dans un contexte de libre-service. Celle-ci combine un service en ligne de menus hebdomadaires personnalisés faibles en FODMAP avec des instructions pour chaque étape de la diète et l'accès à un groupe de soutien par les pairs modéré par une nutritionniste spécialisée. Objectif : Évaluer l’impact de ce service sur la qualité de vie et le contrôle des symptômes physiologiques et psychologiques des gens atteints du SII. Méthode : Étude prospective observationnelle effectuée auprès de patients (suivis dans deux hôpitaux montréalais) souffrant du SII. Ceux-ci devaient effectuer la diète FODMAP via la plateforme web et des questionnaires leur ont été administrés en ligne avant et après les deux premières phases. Résultats : 35 personnes ont été incluses et 14 ont complété l’étude. Après l’intervention, la sévérité du SII et l’anxiété situationnelle des participants étaient significativement améliorées tandis que la qualité de vie demeurait inchangée. Conclusion : Cette étude pilote démontrent la pertinence et l’utilité de l’enseignement de la diète FODMAP à l’aide de méthodes alternatives. Cependant, des études de plus grande envergure sont nécessaires pour confirmer ces résultats., Introduction: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects approximately 15% of the worldwide population. The Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAP) diet was developed to establish a personal tolerance to these nutrients (carbohydrates) that accentuate the symptoms related to IBS. This diet, lasting on average twelve weeks, is separated into three steps: elimination, reintroduction and personalization. An innovative approach has been developed by the online platform SOSCuisine.com to allow people with IBS to safely follow the FODMAP diet in a ‘self-service’ way. It combines an online service of personalized low-FODMAP weekly menus with instructions for each step of the diet in combination with an access to a peer support group moderated by a specialized registered dietitian. Objective: Assess the impact of this service on the quality of life and the control of physiological and psychological symptoms of people with IBS. Method: Prospective observational study involving patients (followed in two Montreal hospitals) suffering from IBS. They had to perform the FODMAP diet via the web platform and several variables were evaluated, via questionnaires administered online, before and after phase one and. Results: 35 people were included and 14 completed the study. After the intervention, the severity of the IBS and the situational anxiety of the participants were significantly improved while the quality of life was not changed. Conclusion: The data from this pilot study demonstrate the relevance and utility of teaching the FODMAP diet using alternative methods. However, larger studies are needed to confirm these results.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to update the fashion retail literature with an investigation of consumers' perceptions of in-store self-service technology (SST) and their willingness to adopt SST for fashion purchases. Specifically, this study examined the relationships between technology readiness (TR), individual characteristics and the perceived pragmatic and hedonic qualities of SST.Design/methodology/approachA web-based survey was distributed to Korean consumers who had experience with in-store technologies. A two-step analysis including confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling was applied.FindingsBoth pragmatic and hedonic perceptions had significant impacts on acceptance of SST for fashion shopping. As for the roles of TR, innovativeness and optimism inherent in TR enhanced consumer perceptions of SST, while discomfort and insecurity did not.Originality/valueThis study extends the knowledge of consumer acceptance of SSTs in fashion retail by highlighting the need to consider hedonic qualities and examining the different roles of each TR dimension for a full understanding of SST acceptance.

Purpose In the mobile internet era, the path and mechanism of hospital patient-perceived quality have been changed radically. The purpose of this study is to develop a scale that adequately captures the characteristics of hospital service quality from the patient’s perspective under the background of the mobile internet. Design/methodology/approach Based on previous related research and interviews with focus groups, this paper conceptualized, constructed, refined and tested a multiple-item scale that examined key dimensions of hospital process service quality in the mobile context. To validate this scale, data were collected through two formal surveys in Chinese hospitals and were used to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Findings The final measurement scale contains three dimensions, that is, environment conditions, attitude and behavior and technical convenience. With the help of this quality scale, hospital managers could have a better understanding of patients’ expectations under the new condition and pinpoint appropriate initiatives to fill the service gap. Originality/value This study focuses on service quality measurement issues related to the application of mobile internet technology in traditional clinical settings, such as hospitals. This paper develops an original and specific service quality scale that catches the online and offline characteristics of the hospital process in the mobile setting and considers both human-technology interaction and human-human interaction.

The reported study presents the design and findings of a food honor system that was implemented in an academic building over 12 weeks. Relying on the tenets of self-concept maintenance theory, a fo...

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of chronological age on the likelihood to choose a service provider with technological machines versus humans in the context of services. Design/methodology/approach Two experimental studies were used to collect data. In both experiments, scripts were devised to depict a food ordering situation. The studies, each of which represents two between-subject conditions, were presented to a total of 312 participants. Findings The results of studies show that as age increases, consumers show a higher visit likelihood with human servers as compared to self-ordering machines. This effect emerges because as age increases, people find it more comfortable and convenient to order from human servers. Nevertheless, when a self-ordering machine is the only option, older and younger people find it equally comfortable and convenient. Research limitations/implications This research indicates that as age increases, consumers tend to choose human servers. However, age does not impact willingness to use technology when human service is not available. A limitation of our research is that we look at food ordering contexts only. Another limitation is that most participants were between 18 and 60 years of age. Practical implications With a better understanding of the effect of age on preference for service types and the reason behind it, this research helps implement and manage service technologies that may elicit favorable judgments and decisions from consumers. Originality/value It demonstrates how, when and why age affects the intention to visit service providers that adopt self-service technologies. This research suggests that as age increases, consumers like human service better, but they do not resist self-service technology.

Purpose This paper investigates factors that determine users’ behaviours during services co-creation, as well as those that influence their engagement in such efforts. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 relies on partial least squares structural equation modelling and between-subjects, scenario-based experiments with 633 participants to examine users’ co-creation behaviours. Study 2 uses interactive research workshops with 38 design professionals to analyse the drivers and inhibitors of users’ co-creation engagement and the likelihood of different user types to engage in it. Findings Dispositional and demographic factors can predict users’ behaviours during services co-creation. A proposed framework details drivers and inhibitors of users’ engagement in co-creation, and a typology predicts the likelihood of different users to engage in co-creation, based on their traits and demographics. This likelihood to co-create, according to traits, then can be predicted according to elemental, compound and situational traits. Practical implications Service providers and service designers can use these findings to design better co-creation activities for various users, build a conducive working environment and select suitable participants for co-creation activities. Originality/value The current study addresses the dearth of research pertaining to how to encourage users to co-create services and drive their engagement in such efforts.

Augmented Reality (AR) is a way of looking at the real environment in which the computer-generated environment is located. The use of augmented reality changes the way we interact with the real environment. In the past few years, with the development of technology, augmented reality is gaining in importance and becoming closer to everyday users. Many companies such as Google, Sony, HTC and Samsung are investing heavily in the development of this field. Augmented reality is finding usage in various areas such as entertainment, marketing, navigation, surveillance, system maintenance, and user training. The purpose of this paper is to present the possibilities of using augmented reality systems for the needs of self-service automated systems.

PT. Data Utama is a company that organizes professional - international trade shows that have500 permanent employees, 50 contract employees and 10 daily employees. PT. Data Utama hasmany divisions / department, one of which is the Human Resources Department (HRD) whichhas many documents for all employees. One of the duties of HRD is to manage the employee'sApplication for Permit (SPI). During this time in managing SPI, the HR department stillcollected SPI forms from employees. In the process of applying for permits and taking leave ofleave, the manual process still uses the application letter submitted to the supervisor. Then theSPI that has been approved by the employer, therefore needs to submit an SPI form to the adminsection of the HRD for ratification of the employee permit application. This causes the work ofemployees & HRD to be ineffective and inefficient. For this problem, an online Employee SelfService (ESS) information system was created. The study was conducted using surveytechniques, where primary data collection was taken by distributing questionnaires to severalparts of PT. Data Utama. The expected results are knowing that this application can facilitatethe management of employee permit applications, so that from the input process to the searchfor data that becomes easier, faster and more efficient.

Technologies have changed the way of doing business remarkably. The marketplace is being replaced by market space, where almost all products/services are embodied in digital forms and delivered through information-based channels. As a result, this study attempts to investigate the determinants of marketspace marketing, particularly of self-service technologies. More specifically, the study examines the relationships among technology readiness, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and continuance intention in using self-service technologies. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey on 179 users who have had experience in using self-service technologies (including internet banking, airline ticket online booking, and tours online booking) in Ho Chi Minh City –Vietnam’s largest city. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. The results show that all of the six hypotheses were empirically supported. Specifically, (1) Technology readiness has a strong positive influence on perceived value, customer satisfaction, and continuance intention; (2) Perceived value shows a moderate positive impact on satisfaction and continuance intention; (3) Satisfaction has a significant positive impact on continuance intention. In terms of theoretical contributions, this study proposed a value-based framework to predict continuance intention and conceptualized technology readiness as a second-order formative construct, which better represents the content of the construct originally developed by Parasuraman (2000). In terms of managerial implications, marketing managers should pay special attention to TR when making decisions such as launching new SSTs, segmenting customers, or boosting customers’ TR.

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to study the influence of self-service technologies (SST) on cross-buying and word-of-mouth. This study tests the direct impact of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on cross-buying and word-of-mouth. Further, this study also tests the mediating role of e-service quality for the aforementioned relationships. The study has been undertaken in the context of retail banking in an emerging market, India.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey research design was used to collect data from 235 customers of retail banks in India. The data were analysed using IBM AMOS 23.0 taking structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to test the hypothesised relationships.FindingsThe findings of the study suggest that both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use influence cross-buying and word-of-mouth. E-service quality partially mediates the relationship between perceived usefulness on cross-buying and word-of-mouth. E-service quality partially mediates the relationship between perceived ease of use and cross-buying but does not mediate the relationship between perceived ease of use and word-of-mouth.Practical implicationsThis study shows that managers need to focus on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in order to ensure cross-buying and promote word-of-mouth recommendations by customers. Also, managers will be able to enhance cross-buying and promote word-of-mouth recommendations if e-service quality delivered by the bank is perceived to be good by customers.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on SST and offers empirical evidence to show that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use can influence cross-buying as well as word-of-mouth. Previous studies have shown that SST usage can foster loyalty, and the present study offers new evidence on the outcomes of behavioural loyalty. The study has been undertaken through responses taken from retail bank customers in an emerging market. This study also contributes to the literature on SST by testing the mediating effect of e-service quality for the above-mentioned relationships.

PurposeBased on the E-Service Quality (E-SQ) model, this study investigates the effects of self-service technology (SST) quality attributes, specifically automated teller machines (ATMs), on customer satisfaction. The interaction effects of technological optimism on the abovementioned link are also examined. SST usage is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that consists of five dimensions (reliability, security, convenience, functionality and responsiveness).Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected through a survey of a sample of Malaysian participants who used cash-recycling ATMs. The proposed theoretical model was tested using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe results suggest that reliability, convenience, and functionality are critical factors that affect customer satisfaction in using ATMs. Technological optimism was found to weaken the relationship between reliability and customer satisfaction.Practical implicationsConsidering the relative novelty of cash-recycling ATMs in the market, banks should ensure a smooth, error-free and accessible functioning of the system. Special attention has to be given to tech-savvy consumers whose higher level of optimism, with an increase of perceptions of reliability, may suppress their heighten sense of fulfillment. This customer group could be offered interactive digital engagement through mobile applications and social networking channels.Originality/valueThe E-SQ model is a helpful tool to understand the reasons underlying user satisfaction with cash-recycling ATMs. The results also contribute to the theoretical development of the E-SQ model through the integration of technological optimism as a contingent factor.

PurposeIn the absence of direct employee involvement, customers sharing knowledge and know-how with other customers during self-service encounters is key for promoting service quality. This study assessed the extent to which customer support and help during self-service encounters could simply be explained by multiple motivations of the social exchange theory.Design/methodology/approachA survey approach was followed. The model was tested among 258 electronic banking customers in South Africa and later cross-validated among 253 electronic banking customers in Australia. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis with country as the grouping variable, latent variable modelling and indirect tests were performed to assess interrelationships among diverse factors that may contribute to customer support and help during self-service encounters, as accounted for by motivations of the social exchange theory.FindingsAdequate model fit was obtained for the combined structural model, which was based on the invariant model. Value contribution and competence affirmation, pleasure derived from helping, reciprocity and reputation enhancement are relevant motivations of the social exchange theory that may impact customer support and help through knowledge sharing.Research implicationsThe study provides a simplified and more cohesive explanation of customers' motivations for engaging in customer support and helping behaviours during self-service encounters.Practical implicationsService providers seeking guidance on knowledge sharing among customers, which may lead to greater service quality, should benefit from this research.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to greater understanding of social exchanges by customers who provide support and help to other customers during self-service encounters, and that ultimately may affect service quality.

The ever-growing volume of data promotes data-driven decision-making in more cases and more areas than before. The development of user-friendly self-service BI (SSBI) tools enable business users to autonomously execute tasks in the area of Business Intelligence (BI), statistical analysis, or data science. Cloud computing offers the opportunity to provide SSBI as services as well. This paper focusses on cloud-based SSBI tools and their support for data-driven decision-making by business users. This paper aims to identify the influence of a deeper understanding of business informatics on (a) the handling of the cloud-based SSBI tools and (b) the data-driven decision making performance. An experimental setting was used to collect empirical data. Two groups with equal knowledge in business administration, but different backgrounds in business informatics have been defined. Based on different backgrounds in business informatics, the results show no significant difference in handling the cloud-based SSBI tool but reveal significant differences in decision-making performance.

Modern retail business with the concept of minimarket has experienced a very significant development. Behaviors and lifestyles of consumers who prioritize self service also contribute to the development of the concept of a minimarket, especially in this case are Indomart which is not only a minimarket that provides daily necessities, but also as a cafeteria. The price competition, product quality and brand love of minimarket these days, prioritize customer loyalty.The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze: (1) the effect of prices on customer loyalty in Indomaret GKB-Gresik, (2) the effect of product quality on customer loyalty in Indomaret GKB-Gresik, and (3) the influence of brand love on customer loyalty in Indomaret GKB-Gresik. This research is a field of research conducted using a quantitative approach to Indomart customers who make purchases more than once. The research population is Indomaret GKB - Gresik customers with 100 respondents using accidental sampling method. The data obtained were analyzed using research instrument testing and research hypothesis testing using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) analysis. The results showed that (1) price had a significant effect on customer loyalty at Indomaret GKB - Gresik, (2) product quality had a significant effect on customer loyalty at Indomaret GKB - Gresik, and (3) brand love had a significant effect on customer loyalty at Indomaret GKB – Gresik.

Purpose This study aims to measure the effect of customers’ technology readiness and the quality of electronic services on customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach The statistical sample included 410 respondents from 24 branches of a private bank. The sampling method was questionnaire. Because of the structural and organizational similarity of private banks and the elimination of nuisance variables, a bank with the most branches and customers has been selected. To test the model, equation modeling was performed to test the hypotheses. Data were collected through a self-developed structured questionnaire, which served as the measurement tool as well. Findings The results of the study showed that technology readiness has a significant and positive effect on customer satisfaction through the quality of self-service. Moreover, the intermediate role of perceived value in this regard was confirmed; however, the role of trust was not confirmed. Originality/value Previous studies have considered technology readiness as an effective factor in the quality of self-service and customer satisfaction. In this study, apart from quality of service in self-service banking and customer satisfaction, two variables of trust and perceived value have been investigated. An attempt has also been made to address some questions, including “what the effect of customer technology readiness on perceived value of self-services as well as customer satisfaction is?” and “how it is possible to improve self-service quality in modern banking based on customer expectations?” or “what effects variables such as trust and perceived value have on customer satisfaction?” Having a glance at the studies done before, it can be understood that so far, there has been no study done using a mixture of these variables, yet societies’ demands for self-service operations grow day by day. It is, therefore, mandatory to study the prerequisites associated with any actions before one is taken. The paper contributes in the following way: trust and perceived value are added to the the study because of their role in customer satisfaction. In addition, for the first time, variables have been studied, which had never been under focus in any studies in developing countries before.

This study examines which factors influence the use of self-service business intelligence (SSBI) applications. To analyse the interdependencies, we develop a structural equation model (SEM) and tes...

The majority of studies on internal brand equity examine its various dimensions and relationships between them. While prior research specifies organizational practices relevant for successful internal branding, the insights about the impact of essential organizational factors on internal brand equity are still limited. This study focuses on organizational resilience that is vital for the existence of organizations not only during a crisis, but also during everyday operations. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of organizational resilience on internal brand equity considering the effects triggered by self-service technology (SST) in retailing. Since retailing had been significantly transformed by technological innovations over the past decade, we explore the effects of employees’ perceptions about performance of SST. The results of a survey conducted among retail employees in Sweden demonstrate that organizational resilience and employees’ perceptions about technological innovations are critical for enhancing internal brand equity, which includes brand orientation, internal brand knowledge, internal brand involvement, and internal brand commitment.

The thesis deals with the topics of independence, self-care and hygiene habits of visually impaired children of preschool age. The aim is to search for and analyse theoretical knowledge and subsequently create a proposal for educational program for kindergarten teachers who have a child with a visual impairment in their classroom. A qualitative method (observation, document analysis, interview) was chosen to meet the objectives. The thesis is divided into two parts, the theoretical and practical one. The first chapter of the theoretical part deals with the concept of visual impairment, the most common visual defects in children, the development of the child and the child care possibilities regarding visually impaired children. In the second chapter, preschool education is specified in more detail, including legislative and curricular documents. The third chapter deals with the theoretical basis for the practical part of the work, namely independence, self-care and hygiene habits of children with visual impairment. The practical part consists of a proposal for educational program which is divided into three areas: hygiene habits and skills, habits and skills associated with dressing and undressing and habits and skills associated with dining. Each of them has several subchapters, which include a list of activities that can be implemented by kindergarten teachers during the education of a visually impaired child.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the implementation of self-service technologies (SST) in two competitors and unravel the process of change in two related setups, offering a comparison as well as an association of cases. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on two extensive case studies of SST adoption by leading retailers in a Western European country. The analysis is based on a material-discursive approach using Greimas actantial model to identify actors’ roles in the implementation process. Findings Results highlight the key role of technology and organizational identity as legitimizers of the change process. The findings also emphasize the role of competition in justifying change. Research limitations/implications Due to the specific situation of the market in the country of study (both retailers share 70 percent of the grocery market), this research offers a textbook example of the role of competition in technological change. This helps to understand the role of competition in technological change. Originality/value This study explores the implementation of SST in two competitors and unravels the process of change in two related setups, offering a comparison as well as an association of cases.

Purpose Cloud computing is one of the technologies that improves performance and reduces costs in companies through flexible and easy access to computational resources. Supply chain management is one of the widespread and unlimited computing resources. Applying cloud computing to the green supply chain will eliminate constraints and speed up the implementation of various chain processes. Therefore, this paper aims to present a model and framework for assessing the impact of cloud computing on green supply chain management, which improves the performance of the resulting system in comparison with previous systems. Design/methodology/approach In this study, a self-made questionnaire containing 38 questions was used to collect data. The questions were compiled based on the variables identified in previous studies. Besides, the answers to the questions were based on the five-point Likert scale (strongly disagree, disagree, no opinion, agree and strongly agree). By reviewing the subject literature, the factors that affect the green supply chain management have been identified, which include cost of services, user-friendly software, energy consumption, subscription and collaboration capabilities and self-service ability. Findings The findings confirmed the fitness of the proposed model and showed the impact of cloud computing on green supply chain management. In addition, results showed that considered variables (service cost, user-friendly applications, energy consumption, sharing and collaboration and self-service) significantly affect the success management of green supply chain. Practical implications The results of this research show that, to help effective management of the complexity of the supply chain, many companies have adopted an advanced IT strategy to increase the flow of information and, in turn, to increase their competitive advantage. Originality/value The development of a cloud computing-based green supply chain management system can lead to improved system performance compared to traditional systems, which can revolutionize a wide range of industries and businesses by clarification of businesses and making the processes smart. It can also reduce costs and improve performance of micro- and macro-business firms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide a model for investigating the impact of cloud-based IT systems on green supply chain management.

Improvements in technologies provide incredible service performance that customers have never been experienced at traditional service encounters managed by service staff. Further, Self Service Technologies (SSTs) presents remarkable customer convenience by allowing them to perform various service transactions at their fingertips. However, very few studies focused on understanding SSTs profoundly. Thus, this research aims to explore ‘performance’ and ‘convenience’ related to SSTs in detail which cause customer movement from traditional physical service encounters to SSTs. Based on the qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 SST users, and data were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. The study found eight performance features: ‘usefulness, speed, efficiency, consistency, cost-effectiveness, user-friendliness, reliability, trialability’ and three convenience features, ‘locational convenience, time convenience and physical exertion’ as important in customer choice of SSTs. This study fills the gap in the literature by discussing two crucial matters in customer choice of SSTs in detail. It opens theoretical lenses to understand the significance of self-service technologies to customers from its performance and convenience perspectives. It provides useful insights for SST service providers that can be incorporated into their SSTs in designing and delivering a high-quality service that matches the customers’ expectations.

V nalogi je prikazan razvoj avtomatizirane izposoje v Knjižnici Velenje. Knjižnica je prvi korak k tehnološki posodobitvi naredila, ko je ob selitvi v nove prostore pridobila knjigomat Libmaster, ki je temeljil na identifikaciji člana in knjižničnega gradiva s črtno kodo in optičnim čitalnikom. Nadaljnji korak je naredila leta 2007, ko je kot prva knjižnica v Sloveniji uvedla samopostrežni kiosk (BIBLIO24) za izposojo in vračanje knjig 24 ur na dan. V letu 2021 se pripravljajo na uvedbo knjigomata, ki temelji na tehnologiji RFID. V nalogi je predstavljena uporaba knjigomata Libmaster, samopostrežnega kioska ter izposoja in vračilo knjižničnega gradiva s pomočjo čitalnika RFID pri izposojevalnem pultu. Izvedena je bila tudi raziskava uporabnikov knjižnice Velenje, s katero smo želeli preveriti, koliko uporabniki poznajo RFID tehnologijo ter ali nameravajo pri izposoji gradiva uporabljati knjigomat ali pa se bodo še naprej posluževali izposoje za izposojevalnim pultom. Raziskava je pokazala, da uporabniki slabo poznajo RFID tehnologijo, a menijo, da je pomembno, da jo knjižnica uvaja. Uporaba knjigomata se jim zdi hitra in enostavna. The thesis presents the development of the automated circulation system in the Velenje Public Library. The first step towards technological modernization was taken by the library when it moved to the new building and acquired the Libmaster self-checkout system, which is based on the identification of both the member and the library material with a barcode and a scanner. The library took another step in 2007 when it became the first in Slovenia to introduce a self-service kiosk (BIBLIO24) for borrowing and returning books 24 hours a day. In 2021, it began preparations for the introduction of a bookmaker based on RFID technology. The thesis presents the use of the Libmaster self-checkout system, the self-service kiosk, and the borrow and return of library materials with an RFID reader at the circulation desk. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to see how much users know about RFID technology and whether they intend to use a self-checkout system or whether they will continue to cheque out their books at the circulation desk. The research showed that users are not familiar with RFID technology, however, they believe that it is important for the library to adopt it. They find using the self-checkout system quick and easy.

The team's Living Heart Abaqus 2020 workflow from Dassault Systemes Simulia has been implemented in UberCloud's HPC containers on the fully automated UberCloud Platform on Google Cloud's c2 instances. The team ran more than 1,500 simulations needed to train the ML algorithm. The whole simulation process took place as a multi-cloud approach, with all computations running on Google GCP, and management, monitoring, and health-checks orchestrated from Azure Cloud performed through SUSE's Kubernetes management platform Rancher implemented in UberCloud's own Azure account.

Human resources are knowledge, skill, and abilities that make humans the capital or assets of a company. If a company has employees as highly competent assets, the company will benefit more. This is based on the fact that by assuming employees as capital who have the knowledge, expertise, and skills that are qualified, humans who work in a company can run other resources. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the attainment of the SAP ESS MSS Portal features in Bank XYZ specifically in Human Capital Management Module. expected benefits to be gained of this research is to help company know the level of suitability and gaps that might be identified in the features that are evaluated in SAP ERP time management and training and event management submodule. methods that are used to gather data in this research includes interview, questionnaire, and observation. from the data gathered, fit-gap analysis is conducted in order to find problems that might existed on the system. the final result that are obtained from this research are recommendations for the system development such as new the user interface and flow of the activities executed during operating the system and calculation of the cost of business activities / processes before and after system development by making costing matrix. It is concluded that the proposed functions enables company to save both time and costs needed to perform related activities.

The current generation of connected devices and the Internet of Things augment people’s capabilities through ambient intelligence. Ambient Intelligence (AmI) support systems contain applications consuming available services in the environment to serve users. A well-known design of these applications follows a service architecture style and implement artificial intelligence mechanisms to maintain an awareness of the context: The service architecture style enables the distribution of capabilities and facilitates interoperability. Intelligence and context-awareness provide an adaptation of the environment to improve the interaction. Smart objects in distributed deployments and the increasing machine awareness of devices and people context also lead us to architectures, including self-governed policies providing self-service. We have systematically reviewed and analyzed ambient system governance considering service-oriented architecture (SOA) as a reference model. We applied a systematic mapping process obtaining 198 papers for screening (out of 712 obtained after conducting searches in research databases). We then reviewed and categorized 68 papers related to 48 research projects selected by fulfilling ambient intelligence and SOA principles and concepts. This paper presents the result of our analysis, including the existing governance designs, the distribution of adopted characteristics, and the trend to incorporate service in the context-aware process. We also discuss the identified challenges and analyze research directions.

In this study, we developed an automated tableware tidying-up robot mechanism to clean tableware in self-service restaurant with a large number of tableware. In particular, we focus on the process of sorting and collecting tableware where in the tray on which the tableware is placed is placed on the conveyor belt by the guest. The separated tableware was placed in a washing machine. Our mechanism also deals with garbage and leftover food. The parallel arm and robot hand mechanism were designed to realize the advantages of low cost, high processing speed, and space saving. The effectiveness of the prototype robot arm and hand was verified through an experiment of grasping tableware and an experiment of throwing leftover food by rotating fingers.

This paper aims to improve the existing railway self-service terminals with regards to usability and user-friendliness for elderly passengers. First, the deficiencies of the current railway self-service terminals for senior users are identified through pre-experiments. After that, the improvement and iteratively upgrading of the system is proposed by exploiting focus group and user participating approach with an experiment team of 40 participants. Lastly, this paper carries out a before-and-after usability study with a variety of metrics, such as behavior trajectory complexity, task completion time, task path operands, and satisfaction scores. The evaluation results show that the enhanced self-service terminal not only provides greater operational efficiency along with a better system fault-tolerance rate but also is more user-friendly for the elderly while preserving the universality of the system for general users. The results of this paper can be used to facilitate further design and development of railway self-service terminals suitable for users of various ages.