Developing an Integrated Service Robot Acceptance Model: the moderating role of consumer experience

The rapid integration of service robots in the tourism and hospitality sector has led to a growing, yet fragmented body of research exploring the antecedents of customers’ adoption. To consolidate these findings, this study applies Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling to data from 55 studies (1288 estimates, 63 datasets, & 27,421 respondents). The analysis identifies, compares, and validates three prominent theoretical models, namely, Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and Artificially Intelligent Device Use Acceptance, revealing superior performance of the latter. Building on this comparison, the study develops an Integrated Service Robot Acceptance Model (ISRAM) that incorporates customer experience as a moderator. The ISRAM accounts for 75% of the variance in consumer adoption, uncovering new relationships, and demonstrating superior explanatory power compared to standalone models. The findings offer valuable insights that help narrow the divide between empirical validation and theoretical development in this emerging research domain.