Angel or devil? Revisiting antecedents and consequences of WOM toward service robots based on perspectives of consumer and employee

Abstract

Service robots have emerged as powerful technological tools across various markets. Customer orientation and responsiveness to feedback, such as word of mouth (WOM), are critical factors in managerial decision-making. However, does WOM act as an angel or a devil? To address this question, the current study seeks to deepen our understanding of both positive and negative WOM regarding service robots. This investigation integrates perspectives from both consumer and employee, utilizing asymmetric data analysis techniques, specifically fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Study 1 examines the antecedents of WOM from consumer’s perspective, while study 2 further explores the consequences of WOM related to service robots from employee's perspective. The findings reveal three causal configurations that are sufficient to result in high levels of both positive and negative WOM, respectively. Additionally, study 2 identifies three causal configurations that can lead to elevated levels of intention to cooperate with service robots.