Exploring The Shifting Role And Status Of Collaborative Robots In Industrial Settings

Abstract

Despite power being an extensively studied topic, there is limited knowledge about how organizational power dynamics are changing due to novel robotic technologies. More specifically, collaborative robots, or cobots, are designed to execute tasks in collaboration with a human employee, presumably affecting the status of both the employee and the robot. In this research in progress, we aim to address this research gap by exploring how the employee–cobot relationship is perceived in industrial organizations in light of status. The study is based on semi-structured interviews of representatives of industrial organizations who have firsthand experience of cobots. In our preliminary analysis, we identified four interrelated themes on how the power dynamics and different statuses between employees and cobots are perceived. Our preliminary findings reveal certain organizational tensions: cobots are presented as subordinates or mere tools, despite their decreasing dependence on employees and an occasional status of a peer.