Consumer perception of employees with disabilities using robots

Sungwoo Choi and Sara Kim

Annals of Tourism Research, 2025, vol. 112, issue C

Abstract: Advanced robotic technologies provide direct assistance to people with disabilities in overcoming physical barriers. We examine how consumers respond to frontline service employees with disabilities who utilize such technologies. Across three studies, we demonstrate that not all technologies are perceived equally: consumers tend to respond negatively to employees with disabilities who are telepresent via robots compared to those who work in person, regardless of whether the latter use assistive technology (e.g., wearable robots). Our findings suggest that companies focused on social inclusivity should consider investing in wearable robotic technologies instead of telepresence robots to reduce physical barriers for frontline employees with disabilities while improving their working conditions.

Keywords: Employees with disabilities; Assistive technology; Telepresence robot; Wearable robot; Dehumanization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:anture:v:112:y:2025:i:c:s0160738325000519

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2025.103945

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