Future of Robots in Emerging Economies and Bottom of Pyramid (BoP)

Closes:
Journal
The Bottom Line
Guest editor(s)
Sudhir Rana, Roussell W. Belk, Piyush Gupta, Vinaytosh Mishra,

Click here to submit your manuscript!

Introduction 

In emerging markets, robots—such as industrial, agricultural, and service robots—are driving economic development. Industrial robots, extensively used in sectors like energy, automobile, metals, and plastics, enhance business efficiency and reduce costs (Grau et al., 2020). Agricultural robots empower small-scale farmers to increase crop yields and profits (Gorjian et al., 2021). Policies supporting small firms and addressing technology gaps are crucial (Chen et al., 2021). Service robots differentiate companies in competitive markets by enhancing service delivery while balancing efficiency and customer expectations (Tuomi, Tussyadiah, & Stienmetz, 2021).

Emerging markets, also known as the Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP), present unique challenges and opportunities due to factors such as poverty, illiteracy, and uncertain government policies (Agarwal et al., 2018). These markets are attractive for business growth due to modernization, business flexibility, connectivity, cheap labour, and technological advancements. However, operational dynamics differ significantly due to ownership structures, regulatory systems, and market heterogeneity (Khanna, Palepu, & Sinha, 2015). Consumer behaviour in these markets reflects a mix of traditional and modern influences, impacting market dynamics and economic strategies.

The adoption of automation, including robotics, enhances productivity across various sectors (Ballestar et al., 2020), yet raises concerns about job displacement, especially among low-skilled workers (Kuo et al., 2024). Research suggests varied impacts of robot adoption on employment across different countries (De Vries et al., 2020; Dixon et al., 2021). This accessibility of robotic technology has the potential to create new job opportunities (Domini et al., 2021) and benefit BoP enterprises (Wirtz et al., 2021).

Barriers to robot adoption in emerging economies include costs, funding systems, and skills development (Mukherjee et al., 2023). Despite challenges, industrial robots have potential to promote innovation in labour-intensive industries or those that are lacking high-end talent (Luo & Qiao, 2023) especially in mandatory services such as healthcare, education, and transportation. Firms in developed countries use robots strategically for competitive advantage (Sundaresan Antonioli et al., 2023). Therefore, it can be expected that the adoption of robots can enhance emerging countries' position in global value chains, though it may impact traditional sectors negatively (Pedemonte, 2018; Yuan & Lu, 2023). 

Service robot adoption enhances customer service but faces barriers like mismatched service scenarios (Liu et al., 2022). Consumer robot research focuses on technical aspects over socio-technical factors (Alaiad & Zhou, 2014), highlighting a need for more research in emerging markets and the BoP context. Robotics align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting economic, societal, and environmental progress (Haidegger et al., 2023; Bogue, 2021).

List of topic areas

This special issue encourages academicians and practitioners to contribute to discourse on the following areas:

  • Examine how robotic technologies can contribute to economic growth in emerging economies.
  • Analyse the impact of robots on job creation and displacement, productivity, and work environment. 
  • Identify innovative business models and financing mechanisms that can support the adoption of robots in low-income settings.
  • Examine the strategies small businesses have implemented to adopt robots in the early stage of the business life cycle.
  • Examine the inclusive growth strategies firms have implemented to deal with the insecurities related to job displacement and other issues that arise due to the adoption of industrial robots.
  • Examine the strategies firms have implemented to improve their business using robots (including industrial robots, consumer robots, service robots etc.).

Guest Editors:

Dr. Sudhir Rana, College of Healthcare Management and Economics, Gulf Medical University, United Arab Emirates (UAE), [email protected]

Prof. Roussell W. Belk, Schulich School of Business, York University, Canada, [email protected] 

Dr. Piyush Gupta, Birla Global University, India, [email protected]

Dr. Vinaytosh Mishra, Gulf Medical University, United Arab Emirates (UAE) [email protected]


Submissions Information:

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Click here for registration and access ScholarOne!


Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Click here to find Author Guidelines!

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to ““Please select the issue you are submitting to”. 

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.

Key Dates: 

Opening date: 5th of August 2024
Closing date: 11th of November 2024 
Closing date for abstract submission: 31st October 2024    
Contact the Lead Guest Editor with your queries: [email protected]

References:

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