earticle

영어

The advancement and widespread adoption of digital technologies have given rise to a novel service paradigm - self-service. Concurrently, this emerging service model has also ushered in a new form of labor known as "shadow work." Self-service empowers consumers to assume more proactive and leading roles in the service process, yet it also imposes upon them a significant burden of concealed, non-monetary remunerated shadow work, traditionally delegated to employees. While some scholars have introduced and elucidated the concepts and manifestations of shadow work, research on the decision factors and comprehension of consumers engaging in shadow work remains limited. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to delve into the psychological decision factors underpinning consumers' engagement in shadow work within self-service environments. This research adopts a mixed-method approach. It initiates with an exploratory qualitative study, utilizing a grounded theory methodology through interviews with consumers, to identify the psychological decision factors influencing the engagement in shadow work. Subsequently, a quantitative confirmatory study employs a survey to scrutinize the newly derived theoretical model and hypotheses, which are founded upon grounded theory. This study not only serves to augment consumers' awareness and comprehension of the psychological decision factors associated with engaging in shadow work but also advances the academic recognition of the concept of shadow work. Furthermore, it contributes to enhancing consumers' self-protective awareness when employing self-service technologies. Given that comprehending consumer decision psychology has perennially posed a challenge for non-face-to-face self-service enterprises, this research also assists businesses in acquiring deeper insights into consumer psychology, thereby providing valuable theoretical underpinnings to facilitate the sustainable development of enterprises.