The interactive effect of robotics awareness and perceived compatibility with robotics on creative service performance: a moderated mediation model

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between frontline employees’ (FLEs) robotics awareness and their creative service performance directly and indirectly via psychological distress. This research also investigates the moderating role of FLEs’ perceived compatibility with robotics in the relationship between their robotics awareness and psychological distress (first-stage moderator). Design/methodology/approach Using a time-lagged research design and data collected from two sources, the study surveyed 388 FLEs and 121 of their managers in an emerging Indian subcontinent country, which is part of the Bottom of the Pyramid market. Hayes’ PROCESS macro (model 7) was used to analyze and test the moderated mediation model. Findings The results show that FLEs’ robotics awareness has a positive relationship with their psychological distress and creative service performance. Furthermore, psychological distress mediates the negative association between robotics awareness and creative service performance. FLEs’ perceived compatibility with robotics negatively moderates the relationship between robotics awareness and psychological distress. The moderated mediation effect of perceived compatibility with robotics is also found to be significant. Practical implications The findings offer practical insights for hospitality organizations and their managers by highlighting the significance of promoting compatibility between FLEs and robotics technologies to reduce their psychological distress. By addressing resource depletion, hospitality organizations can increase FLEs’ creative service performance. Originality/value The novelty of this research lies in developing and investigating a holistic moderated mediation model in the hospitality industry that incorporates FLEs’ robotics awareness (rated by FLEs at T1) as an antecedent, their perceived compatibility with robotics as a boundary condition (rated by FLEs at T1), their psychological distress (rated by FLEs at T2) as an underlying mechanism and FLEs’ creative performance (rated by FLEs’ supervisors) as an outcome construct.