Tarofder, Arun Kumar and Khan, Md Irfanuzzaman and Azam, Ferdous and Haque, A. K. M. Ahasanul and Nawaz, Nishad (2026) How do service robots generate customer value? Rethinking service robot acceptance model (sRAM) through necessary condition analysis. Acta Psychologica, 270 (10). pp. 1-14.
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Abstract
This study reframes the Service Robot Acceptance Model (sRAM) as a value-centred framework. It examines how functional, social, relational and individual factors shape customer value in robot-mediated restaurant encounters and how this value drives re-patronage intention, word-of-mouth intention and robot–human rapport across generational cohorts. On-site intercept surveys were conducted with 351 diners in Kuala Lumpur restaurants using service robots. Using a disjoint two-stage PLS-SEM, the four second-order antecedent blocks predicted customer value and three post-use outcomes. Multi-group analysis tested generational moderation (Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z). Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) identified cohort-specific configurations leading to high customer value. Relational and functional factors are the strongest overall predictors of customer value, followed by social and individual factors. Customer value, in turn, consistently predicts re-patronage intention, word-of-mouth intention and robot–human rapport. Generational results show distinct value-formation logics: Baby Boomers combine functional, relational and social drivers, Generation X relies mainly on social cues, Millennials on individual and relational factors, and Generation Z primarily on functional performance. fsQCA reveals equifinal configurations, with different combinations of functional, social, relational and individual conditions producing high value by cohort. Managers should intentionally design robot encounters by aligning functional, social, relational, and individual value drivers with the expectations of different generational cohorts, moving beyond uniform interaction styles toward cohort-sensitive value orchestration. The study extends sRAM beyond adoption by positioning customer value as the central post-use mechanism, integrating four antecedent blocks with generational and configurational perspectives to explain how service robots generate loyalty, word of mouth and rapport in hospitality settings.
| Item Type: | Article (Journal) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This article already published. It is added into author Scopus account. Please check it through this following link https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=46461377600 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Service robot; Chatbot; Customer value; Generational cohort; Acceptance model; fsQCA |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business. Business Administration |
| Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences > Department of Business Administration |
| Depositing User: | Prof. Dr Ahasanul Haque |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Oct 2026 09:30 |
| Last Update: | 19 Oct 2026 09:30 |
| Queue Number: | 2026-10-Q5655 |
| URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/132008 |
| Indexed In: | WOS and SCOPUS |
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