Shadow work in self-service technologies usage: Scale development and validation

Self-service technologies (SST) have been frequently used as a part of routine service delivery options. These SSTs require consumers to perform unpaid work , effectively shifting some of the service labor to the consumer as a form of self-service. The purpose of this study is to conceptualize, develop, and validate scales of shadow work. Shadow work refers to the extent to which a consumer performs additional unpaid work via consumer labor technologies. With four steps and 738 Korean respondents, we followed rigorous scale development steps by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Step 1 involved conceptualizing shadow work using the grounded theory method based on relevant research Step 2 focused on the development of measures, including generating items and validating their content. Step 3 and Step 4 pertain to the scale validations using structural equation modeling . We demonstrate that shadow work is a multidimensional construct with two dimensions: unpaid consumptive work and extra burden work. This study makes theoretical contributions by establishing the concept of shadow work, which has been relatively unexplored, for its application to technology forecasting and social change. It also provides practical insights into how companies should establish relationships with consumers in the context of SSTs. • Shadow work refers to the extent to which a consumer performs additional unpaid work via consumer labor technologies. • Shadow work is a multidimensional construct with two dimensions: unpaid consumptive work and extra burden work. • Our findings provide a theoretical foundation for understanding shadow work in self-service environments. • This study presents practical insights into how companies should establish relationships with consumers.