Rethinking Smart Technology Adoption in Foodservice Microbusinesses Through Specialist-Driven Action Research

This study examines smart technology adoption in foodservice microbusinesses by moving beyond intention-based explanations to examine how adoption and post-adoption unfold in practice. Hospitality technology research has largely emphasised attitudes and behavioural intentions, offering limited insight into how technologies become embedded in everyday operations, particularly in resource-constrained microbusiness contexts. Focusing on foodservice microbusinesses in Malaysia, this study goes beyond pre-adoption intention and examines the nuances of actual technology implementation, guided by adaptive training as the central adoption-enabling mechanism. Using an action research approach, this study implemented a one-month adaptive training intervention that enabled operators to engage in hands-on, experiential learning within their own business environments. The findings uniquely indicate that technology adoption is shaped by capability asymmetry, with differences in technological literacy, prior experience, and resources producing varied adoption pathways. These differences were addressed through adaptive training that aligned the pace and intensity of learning with operators’ capabilities. This study also identifies specialist mediation as a key mechanism supporting adoption, as guidance from a knowledgeable intermediary reduced complexity, facilitated learning, and enabled the transfer of trust. The findings suggest that smart technology adoption in microbusiness settings is not only a matter of intention but also a situated learning process shaped by unequal capabilities, adaptive training, and specialist-guided trust formation.