Paper Type
Short
Paper Number
PACIS2026-1280
Description
Unmanned stores have been widely regarded as a key direction of smart retail transformation, yet their development has often remained confined to pilot deployments and hybrid configurations rather than scalable, stable operations. Existing research commonly equates maturity with increasing levels of automation or system autonomy, offering limited explanation for these empirical patterns. This study proposes a configuration-based perspective that conceptualizes maturity not as a linear progression of technological capability, but as the alignment among technological deployment, human–AI collaboration, and operational stability. Building on prior literature, we develop a conceptual maturity model that identifies illustrative configuration states of unmanned stores. The proposed framework provides an analytical lens for comparing developmental patterns across retail contexts and offers a foundation for future empirical investigation of configuration-based retail transformation.
Recommended Citation
Chen, Chris Sheng-chi and Liu, Claude Chien-Hung, "Rethinking Maturity in Unmanned Stores" (2026). PACIS 2026 Proceedings. 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2026/general_topic/general_topic/3
Rethinking Maturity in Unmanned Stores
Unmanned stores have been widely regarded as a key direction of smart retail transformation, yet their development has often remained confined to pilot deployments and hybrid configurations rather than scalable, stable operations. Existing research commonly equates maturity with increasing levels of automation or system autonomy, offering limited explanation for these empirical patterns. This study proposes a configuration-based perspective that conceptualizes maturity not as a linear progression of technological capability, but as the alignment among technological deployment, human–AI collaboration, and operational stability. Building on prior literature, we develop a conceptual maturity model that identifies illustrative configuration states of unmanned stores. The proposed framework provides an analytical lens for comparing developmental patterns across retail contexts and offers a foundation for future empirical investigation of configuration-based retail transformation.
Comments
17-General