Contactless technologies adoption during the coronavirus pandemic: a combined technology acceptance and health belief perspective

Consumer acceptance of autonomous delivery robots for last-mile delivery: Technological and health perspectives

The unprecedented outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led to a great shift toward online retailing and accelerated the need for contactless delivery. This study investigates how technological and health belief factors influence consumer acceptance of autonomous delivery robots (ADRs). Anchored in four behavioral theories [i.e., technology acceptance model, health belief model, perceived value (VAL) theory and trust theory], a synthesized model is developed. A total of 500 valid responses were collected through an online questionnaire in Singapore, and structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the responses. The results revealed that perceived ease of use (EOU), perceived usefulness (UFN), perceived susceptibility (SUS), perceived severity (SEV), self-efficacy (SEL) and cues to action (CUE) have a positive and significant influence on consumers' perceptions of the value of ADRs. The total effect analysis also showed that perceived VAL strongly affects consumer acceptance of ADRs. Academically, this study introduces both technological and health belief factors to explain consumer acceptance of ADRs. It also provides recommendations for policymakers and autonomous delivery robot developers on policy formulation, public communication, product design and infrastructure development.

A study on psychological determinants of users' autonomous vehicles adoption from anthropomorphism and UTAUT perspectives

As the autonomous vehicles technology gradually enters the public eye, understanding consumers' psychological motivations for accepting autonomous vehicles is critical for the development of autonomous vehicles and society. Previously, researchers have explored the determinants of fully autonomous vehicles but the relevant research is far from enough. Moreover, the relationship between anthropomorphism and users' behavior has been ignored to a large extent. Therefore, this study aim to fill the gap by using anthropomorphism and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explore how system attributes (i.e., perceived anthropomorphism, perceived intelligence) and UTAUT attributes influence consumers' acceptance behavior. The data were collected via questionnaire survey conducted in Beijing, China, which can be a promising early adopter of AVs. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results reveal that perceived anthropomorphism and perceived intelligence have a direct positive influence on the adoption of AVs; performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions have an indirect positive influence on intention to adopt AVs. Also, this research contributes to the literature by enriching studies on psychological determinants of autonomous vehicles' adoption by taking an initial step to highlight anthropomorphism perceptions. This can provide managerial implications for policy-makers and businesses on how to effectively allocate resources to enhance autonomous vehicle adoption.

The changing role of innovation for crisis management in times of COVID-19: An integrative literature review

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have concentrated on developing policies that encourage the creation of more innovative products and services in response to the global health emergency. Effective collaboration, communication, and Open Innovation (OI) among government entities, education and research institutions, and the private sector have been critical to each country's overall effectiveness during the economic crisis. The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between innovation and COVID-19 critically to have a better understanding of future research and practice developments. A systematic evaluation was conducted, analyzing papers on innovation and the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 218 studies were analyzed to determine the essential research directions in this domain. Our suggested framework is made of aggregate components, which include technology adaption, sustainable development, healthcare, and sustainable economic performance. These components form the basis for the identification of emerging research hotspots in the field of COVID and innovation, as well as frame the COVID-19 issue as an opportunity to raise awareness about the crucial role of innovation in business and society at large.