Implementing self-service technologies: not without competition!

Abstract

PurposeThe 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/approachThe 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.FindingsResults 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/implicationsDue 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/valueThis 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.