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INTEREST CATEGORY: INNOVATION AND TECH, SERVICE
POSTING TYPE: Calls: Journals

Author: Valter Afonso Vieira

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The Role of Frontline Employees at the Wake of Robotics, Artificial intelligence and other Novel Technologies

Edited by Dr. Raj Agnihotri (Iowa State University, USA) and Dr. Valter Afonso Vieira (State University of Maringá, Brazil)

“Automation of consumption” has become a new reality in today’s marketplace (Sheth 2021). Accordingly, scholars increasingly focus on the impact of Robotics, AI, and other novel technologies on customer experiences and engagement (Agnihotri 2020; Mende et al. 2019). However, how these technologies will shape the future of frontline employees (sales and service professionals) has not received the attention it deserves. On the one hand, these novel technologies could be perceived as a replacement for frontline employees (Lin et al. 2020); on the other hand, they open up human-machine integration possibilities (Davenport et al. 2020; Huang and Rust 2018). For example, numerous opportunities exist for AI usage by sales professionals (Luo et al. 2021; Rapp and Beeler 2021), ranging from sales process enablement to pre-and post-sales tasks facilitation (Agnihotri 2021; Syam and Sharma 2018).

In this special issue of the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice (JMTP), we will publish papers that specifically focus on the impact of such novel technologies on the role of sales and service employees. We specially encourage empirical research (qualitative and quantitative) as well as theoretical manuscripts, that enriches our current knowledge and provide concrete directions for future research.

Possible topics:

• Understand how AI and AI-driven robotics can be leveraged to affect organizational frontlines, and other relevant firm outcomes.
• What will the future of frontline (sales and service) employees would look like?
• What about the nature of these jobs and the quality of services delivered?
• What will be the role of robots, artificial intelligence and new technology in customer interface?
• How frontline employees are using robots, artificial intelligence, and social media analytics for selling, creating experience, and engaging customers?

The editors are looking to publish leading-edge papers with a different range of methodologies, theories, concepts, models and applications on any aspect of frontline employees at the wake of robotics, artificial intelligence and other novel technologies. In addition, JMTP journal and the editors has no preferable methodologies, but is open to qualitative, quantitative, theoretical, and historical approaches.

Special Issue Editors

Questions pertaining to the special section should be submitted to the ´³²Ñ°Õ±ÊÌýEditorial Office or directed to one of the special issue editors

Dr. Raj Agnihotri () is Dean’s Fellow in Marketing and Director of Ivy Sales Forum at Ivy College of Business, Iowa State University.

Dr. Valter Afonso Vieira () is Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean at School of Management, State University of Maringá, Brazil