On May 20, 2024, FITM successfully organized the "Seminar of Frontiers of Scholarship Lecture Series" in N408 of the Choi Kai Yau Building.

Dr. Cass Shum, an expert in organizational behavior in the hospitality industry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was invited to speak on 'Methods in employee-robot interaction research: multi-level data analysis, quasi-experiment, and curvilinear effect'. The lecture discussed

the relationship between robots and employees in the tourism and hospitality industries, as well as the fundamental components and

potential outcomes of employee-robot interactions.

Dr. Cass Shum shared her research findings with the students

The seminar was divided into two sessions. In the opening session, Dr. Cass Shum gave an overview of the current state of hotel staffing and

robotics research. She noted that an increasing number of hotels in China are implementing robotic services to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. However, this development has also prompted concerns about the future of their careers. Despite the need to collaborate with robots, many employees are anxious about the potential replacement of their jobs by them. This unpredictability puts a lot of psychological pressure on employees and can even cause fear and worry.

To illustrate the situation more effectively, Dr. Shum presented the students with a comparison of North American and Asian research in the

field of robotics, using graphs and charts to analyze the data. She then provided a detailed and straightforward explanation of the findings to help the students gain a deeper understanding of the subject.

Students listened attentively at the seminar

In the second session of the seminar, Dr. Shum provided further insight into the potential challenges and complexities that may arise in the

interaction between hotel staff and robots. She emphasized the importance of mutual understanding and adaptation between staff and

robots and the necessity for hotel managers to formulate reasonable policies and systems to protect the rights and interests of staff. Dr. Shum provided students with a deeper understanding of the complexities and challenges inherent in this subject by utilizing relevant examples and extensive data. Her talk not only broadened the students' understanding of the potential applications of robotics in the hospitality sector but also inspired them to think about the opportunities and problems that may arise in their future employment.

Group photo of Dr. Cass Shum and Dr. Wendy Gao

The seminar provided students with an insight into the latest developments in the field of hotel staff-robot interaction research. It also

allowed them to obtain a thorough grasp of the underlying reasons for the staff's attitudes and behaviors towards service robots. This will be

invaluable guidance for their future studies and career development in this field.