Adopting business process automation for sustainable MICE: a multi-level analysis of innovation and institutional pressures

Purpose This study investigates how organizations in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector adopt Business Process Automation (BPA) to support sustainability efforts. It examines how institutional pressures and innovation evaluations interact to shape adoption behavior. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mixed-methods approach was used. Scenario-based experiments tested five hypotheses derived from Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) and Institutional Theory, using realistic vignettes with 50 MICE professionals across Southeast Asia. Semi-structured interviews with 20 stakeholders from 15 organizations explored one proposition on normative and mimetic dynamics. Findings Quantitative analysis shows that relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, and coercive pressures significantly influence BPA adoption intent, whereas normative pressure plays only a limited role. Qualitative insights highlight the importance of peer networks, mimetic cues, and internal digital readiness, underscoring that BPA adoption reflects both external legitimacy demands and internal innovation logics. Together, these findings demonstrate how institutional and innovation factors jointly shape adoption pathways. Originality/value This is among the first studies to examine BPA adoption in the MICE sector through an integrated, multi-level theoretical lens. It also contributes to understanding how BPA can support sustainability efforts by enabling efficient, transparent, and ESG-compliant reporting in complex service environments.