Adoption of artificial intelligence tools by retail organisations
Abstract
Recent advancements in information and computing technologies have created a new category of artificial intelligence (AI) tools which are now being adopted by the retail industry. History reveals that every new technology-based tool faces barriers before becoming widely and successfully adopted, and AI tools are no exception. While numerous studies have already confirmed the benefits of these tools for multinational corporations, many retailers are facing significant barriers in adopting them. A review of the literature showed that the primary barriers are in the areas of human resources, strategic planning, project management and legacy IT systems. To build on these findings and find the AI adoption barriers, an international study of 13 retail and retail technologies experts from eight different countries was conducted. The results suggest that there is a preferred way for retail organisations to be structured and act in order to be successful at adopting AI tools. Based on the literature review and empirical results, a conceptual model for successful AI tools adoption is proposed. This model with broader research results contributes to the literature on AI tools adoption in retail organisations, suggests the steps organisations can take to be more successful, and highlights the importance of company culture and potential return on investment (ROI) of the AI solution for successful adoption.
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Author's Biography
Paulius Vėželis is a retail professional with over seven years’ experience working in the retail technology sector. He holds an MSc degree in innovation and technology management from ISM University, Lithuania. He specialises in AI and ICT solutions tailored to analyse, automate and improve grocery store operations. Based in Europe, Paulius has extensive project experience across the Nordics, CEE and UK. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer (and Co-Founder) of Traxlo, UAB, a company which operates, through its ‘tasku®’ app, a network of local gig workers providing services to supermarket retail chains and FMCG brands. Traxlo provides important extra income opportunities for the community while building the future of retail operations.
Gurram Gopal PhD is a professor in information technology and management at the Illinois Institute of Technology and a visiting professor at ISM University, Lithuania, with a keen interest in sustainable logistics and supply chain management. He has published more than 50 papers and articles and has presented extensively at academic conferences. He received a Fulbright Scholar Award to teach and conduct research at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology in Ireland in 2011–12 and recently completed another Fulbright Scholar Award teaching and conducting research at ISM University. Gurram developed marketing strategies for some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies as a strategy consultant and manager for ZS Associates and worked in strategic marketing, supply chain management and strategic quality at Tellabs Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and master’s and doctorate degrees in industrial engineering from Northwestern University, USA.
Citation
Vėželis, Paulius and Gopal, Gurram (2024, March 1). Adoption of artificial intelligence tools by retail organisations. In the Journal of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement, Volume 6, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.69554/JCEJ7210.
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