Olena Ciftci

Papers

Total Citations

212

H-Index

About

Olena Ciftci is a leading voice at the intersection of technology and hospitality, specializing in service robots, artificial intelligence, and automation within the restaurant and tourism sectors. Her work is foundational in understanding how RAISA (Robots, AI, and Service Automation) technologies are reshaping customer experiences and operational dynamics. In her highly influential 2019 chapter, which has garnered 208 citations, Ciftci provided the first systematic and in-depth review of RAISA in the restaurant industry, establishing a critical framework for subsequent research. More recently, she has pushed theoretical boundaries by introducing activity theory to the study of human-robot interaction in hospitality. Her 2023 work, which analyzes in-depth interviews through this lens, offers a novel conceptual model for exploring how customers experience service robots, moving beyond descriptive studies to deeper theoretical engagement. By bridging cutting-edge technology with established social science frameworks, Ciftci’s research not only documents industry transformation but also provides the conceptual tools to understand it, making her a pivotal figure for students and scholars examining the future of automated service.