UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGY (SST) HAS ON FRONT-LINE EMPLOYEES (FLES) IN A RETAIL SERVICE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

**Please note that the full text is embargoed until 05/15/2025** ABSTRACT: The widespread adoption of self-service technology (SST) has revolutionized how customers make decisions and dramatically shifted the roles of front-line employees (FLEs) in retail environments. However, most research on SSTs only focuses on their effects on customer behavior. This three-essay dissertation explores how SST affects the job outcomes of FLEs and their interactions with consumers in the current service environment. The first essay is a conceptual paper that overviews the current SST literature and proposes a theoretical framework that draws from the pyramid model and socio-technical system theory (STS). The second essay employs qualitative research methods, such as in-depth interviews and focus groups, to investigate FLEs' attitudes and behaviors toward SST. The findings of the second essay are used in the third to develop a quantitative field study that uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze how a company's readiness to implement SST and the types of self-service platforms offered to customers affect employees' job outcomes and perceptions of customer service encounters.