{"title":"Managing change when integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the retail value chain: The AI implementation compass","authors":"Jeandri Robertson , Elsamari Botha , Kim Oosthuizen , Matteo Montecchi","doi":"10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115198","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In a complex business environment, the quest for intelligent solutions has placed artificial intelligence (AI) at the center of many operational business decisions, particularly within the retail sector. As retailers’ investment in AI disrupts value chains, they must adapt to organizational changes, yet limited research exists on how to address organizational challenges when integrating AI into the retail value chain. Using 23 expert interviews with retail executives and AI vendors, this study investigates the socio-technical challenges retailers encounter when integrating AI into their value chain and offers strategies to address these organizational hurdles. We identify micro-, meso-, and macro-level factors impacting AI implementation in retail and propose an AI Implementation Compass to address the change management process. This framework serves as a guide to navigate the complex landscape of AI adoption, emphasizing a holistic approach that considers not only internal organizational dynamics, but also external market forces.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business Research","volume":"189 ","pages":"Article 115198"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Business Research","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325000219","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In a complex business environment, the quest for intelligent solutions has placed artificial intelligence (AI) at the center of many operational business decisions, particularly within the retail sector. As retailers’ investment in AI disrupts value chains, they must adapt to organizational changes, yet limited research exists on how to address organizational challenges when integrating AI into the retail value chain. Using 23 expert interviews with retail executives and AI vendors, this study investigates the socio-technical challenges retailers encounter when integrating AI into their value chain and offers strategies to address these organizational hurdles. We identify micro-, meso-, and macro-level factors impacting AI implementation in retail and propose an AI Implementation Compass to address the change management process. This framework serves as a guide to navigate the complex landscape of AI adoption, emphasizing a holistic approach that considers not only internal organizational dynamics, but also external market forces.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Business Research aims to publish research that is rigorous, relevant, and potentially impactful. It examines a wide variety of business decision contexts, processes, and activities, developing insights that are meaningful for theory, practice, and/or society at large. The research is intended to generate meaningful debates in academia and practice, that are thought provoking and have the potential to make a difference to conceptual thinking and/or practice. The Journal is published for a broad range of stakeholders, including scholars, researchers, executives, and policy makers. It aids the application of its research to practical situations and theoretical findings to the reality of the business world as well as to society. The Journal is abstracted and indexed in several databases, including Social Sciences Citation Index, ANBAR, Current Contents, Management Contents, Management Literature in Brief, PsycINFO, Information Service, RePEc, Academic Journal Guide, ABI/Inform, INSPEC, etc.