The development of robotics in the current COVID-19 pandemic scenario can change the face of the industries. Robots are becoming more prominent in the hospitality industry. In this scenario, the usage of service robots for hotels is the best option. This study is performed using TAM and TRI theories. The constructs selected for the study are perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitudes, behavioural intention, discomfort, insecurity, and trust. Survey-based research is carried out with the help of a questionnaire. The target population are the employees working in the hotels. Ten hypotheses are proposed for the study. This study highlights the acceptance of service robots in the hotels of India. Out of ten proposed hypothesis, five hypotheses were accepted, and the rest were rejected. For data analysis, structural equation modelling in AMOS 20.0 was carried out. This study will help the managers and the top management in the adoption of service robots.

PurposeThe micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) faced various challenges in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, making it challenging to remain competitive and survive in the market. This research develops a model for MSMEs to cope with the current pandemic's operational and supply chain disruptions and similar circumstances.Design/methodology/approachThe exhaustive literature review helped in identifying the constructs, their items and five hypotheses are developed. The responses were collected from the experts working in MSMEs. Total 311 valid responses were received, and the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was used for testing and validating the proposed model.FindingsCritical constructs identified for the study are-flexibility (FLE), collaboration (COL), risk management culture (RMC) and digitalization (DIG). The statistical analysis indicated that the four latent variables, flexibility, digitalization, risk management culture and collaboration, contribute significantly to the firm performance of MSMEs. Organizational resilience (ORS) mediates the effects of all the four latent variables on firm performance (FP) of MSMEs.Practical implicationsThe current study's findings will be fruitful for the manufacturing MSMEs and other firms in developing countries. It will enable them to identify the practices that significantly help in achieving the firm performance.Originality/valueThe previous researches have not considered the effect of “organizational resilience” on the “firm performance” of MSMEs. This study attempts to fill this gap.

This article aims to identify and analyse the factors that impact the adoption of intelligent agent technology (IAT) in the food supply chain (FSC). The research was conducted based on 329 respondents from various hotels and the theoretical framework adopted in this study, that is, technological, organizational and environmental (TOE) framework. The findings indicated that multiple factors in TOE contribute significantly to the adoption of IAT. We have validated the proposed framework by structural equation modelling utilizing AMOS 22.0. This research offers a new and vital paradigm for adopting this innovation in the FSC, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of a hotel. The proposed TOE framework has identified several factors like relative advantage, reliability, complexity, cost, innovation adoption, top management support, skilled employees, IT awareness, environmental uncertainty, competitive pressure, information intensity and supplier’s pressure, which helps in the adoption process of IAT in the FSC. It also provides a foundation for future research and significant insights to adopt this new technology in the hotel industry.

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PurposeBlockchain can track the material from the manufacturer to the end customers. Therefore, it can ensure the product's authenticity, transparency and trust in the retail supply chain (SC). There is a need to trace and track the retail products before it reaches the customers to check the quality of the products so that expired products can be recycled and reused, which in turn will help gain customers' trust. This research aims to investigate retail employees' behavioural intention to adopt blockchain in the retail SC.Design/methodology/approachTo examine the behavioural intention of employees in the retail SC, the research uses three theories – the technology acceptance model; the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; and the theory of planned behaviour. The technology acceptance model measures the employee's acceptance of blockchain in the retail SC. The unified theory of acceptance is used in this research to measure how blockchain adoption will improve the performance of the employees. The theory of planned behaviour is used in this research to measure whether the employees intend to adopt blockchain. A survey was carried out in the retail stores of India. Exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used for data analysis.FindingsThis study found that the employees of the retail stores have a positive intention and attitude to adopt blockchain technology. Further, it was found that perceived behavioural control and effort expectancy was not promoting blockchain adoption in the retail sector.Practical implicationsThis study will help the retail stores' employees understand the blockchain in their operations and will motivate the top management of the retail companies to adopt this technology. The study is limited to the retail SC in India only.Originality/valueThis study uses three theories technology acceptance model; the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; and the theory of planned behaviour, which were not used in earlier studies of blockchain adoption in the retail SC.

Blockchain technology has gained a lot of attention in the supply chain of many organizations. This technology is being used in sectors like food, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, automobile, etc. The aim of this research is to identify the problems faced in the food and agriculture supply chain in implementing blockchain technology in their organizations. To determine the barriers to blockchain technology in the food and agriculture supply chain, the authors have used technological, organizational, and environmental frameworks. All the barriers are divided into three constructs having some variables. Data is collected through questionnaires using survey methods. Empirical methods used are exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. This study also provides empirical evidence and developed three structural equation models. This study will help the service providers to address the problems that are being faced by the firms in the implementation of blockchain technology in their firms.

Digitalization uses digital technology to change a business model and provide new revenue models and value-producing opportunities. Blockchain is a type of database that stores various kinds of information in blocks that form a chain of information. It is one of the secured ways of transferring and storage of data. Blockchain is helping in creating trust for digitalization among its users. This research aims to study the impact of trust in blockchain by analyzing the privacy and security concerns that can impact the user attitude and its intention to the adoption process. For this structure, literature review is performed. Five variables are used, and they are attitude, privacy, trust, security, and intention. A questionnaire is developed for survey-based research in the software firms, banking sector, and digital marketing companies. For analysis, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling are used. A model is developed that shows a good fit, and the parameters are satisfied.