Jutong Wen’s recent research investigates the growing integration of autonomous delivery robots (ADRs) in logistics and their impact on human delivery workers. As ADRs become more common in the Logistics 4.0 era, understanding how workers perceive and interact with these technologies is vital to ensuring both operational efficiency and fair workplace practices. 

The study examines the factors influencing delivery workers’ willingness to collaborate with ADRs by extending well-established frameworks: the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Service Robot Acceptance Model (sRAM). Drawing from these models, the research explores functional, social, and relational factors that shape employees’ acceptance and cooperation with robotic counterparts. 

To test the model, Wen and collaborators conducted a field survey with 483 delivery workers in China and an online survey of 292 participants from Western countries. The results demonstrate that perceived usefulness, ease of use, social influence, and anthropomorphism positively affect willingness to collaborate with ADRs. Procedural fairness emerged as a key mediator, influencing how these factors translate into actual willingness. 

While the overall model holds across both cultural contexts, the study found notable differences in how strongly certain factors influenced workers’ attitudes, underscoring the importance of cultural context in technology adoption. “Differences in the strength of relationships suggest that cultural context shapes how employees perceive and respond to ADRs,” Wen explains. 

This research fills a critical gap in logistics and supply chain literature by offering a cross-cultural perspective on employee-robot collaboration. It also provides practical guidance for organizations seeking to integrate ADRs in ways that support decent work conditions while embracing technological advancements. 

The findings are documented in the manuscript titled “Employee Willingness to Collaborate with Autonomous Delivery Robots: A Cross-Cultural Perspective,” currently under review at the International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management. 

This research was recently presented at the School of Business Research Colloquium series at Farmingdale State College. Stay tuned for announcements on upcoming fall colloquia featuring more innovative faculty research.