Service robots in hospitals: new perspectives on niche evolution and technology affordances
Journal
European journal of information systems : EJIS
ISSN
0960-085X
ISSN-Digital
1476-9344
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
Changing demands in society and the limited capabilities of health systems have paved the way for robots to move out of industrial contexts and enter more human-centered environments such as health care. We explore the shared beliefs and concerns of health workers on the introduction of autonomously operating service robots in hospitals or professional care facilities. By means of Q-methodology, a mixed research approach specifically designed for studying subjective thought patterns, we identify five potential end-user niches, each of which perceives different affordances and outcomes from using service robots in their working environment. Our findings allow for better understanding resistance and susceptibility of different users in a hospital and encourage managerial awareness of varying demands, needs, and surrounding conditions that a service robot must contend with. We also discuss general insights into presenting the Q-methodology results and how an affordance-based view could inform the adoption, appropriation, and adaptation of emerging technologies.
Language
English
Keywords
health information technology
IT affordance
materiality
mixed methods
niche evolution
Q-methodology
service robots
IT affordance
materiality
mixed methods
niche evolution
Q-methodology
service robots
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SoM - Business Innovation
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Publisher place
London
Volume
26
Number
5
Start page
451
End page
468
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
251758