Conceptual Framework Introducing the Success Factors for Implementing Intelligent Automation-A Qualitative Multiple Case Study

Productivity increases in administration remained partially untapped during recent years. At the same time, the pressure on existing professions is being exacerbated by demographic trends in industrialized countries. This reveals the potential offered by process automation in the administrative area. Technological progress can help to overcome this situation. In the recent past, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), automating simple and rule-based tasks, gained traction. RPA alone is not sufficient for more complex tasks. Therefore, supplementing or substituting AI-based technologies such as Machine Learning up to fully autonomous AI solutions, which we refer to as Intelligent Automation at its highest level, can be adopted. While RPA is regarded as an established technology, Intelligent Automation is still in its infancy. Therefore, research on successful practical examples is necessary for its dissemination. To this end, this paper conducts a qualitative multiple case study analysis based on guided semi-structured interviews aiming to identify success factors in the adoption of Intelligent Automation. To unravel the key factors, a framework comprising 45 success factors is introduced. This framework, along with its novelty to the scientific community, has the potential to facilitate practical implementation of Intelligent Automation. Yet, our investigation revealed that the identified use cases in the analyzed companies haven't reached the maturity level expected for Intelligent Automation. Consequently, the findings pertain to the early stages of Intelligent Automation development. This study distinguishes itself from prior research by incorporating additional cases from various institutions and sectors, utilizing a study design rooted in a broader scientific knowledge base. Given that a limited number of companies could be recruited despite extensive systematic acquisition efforts, this subject area deserves further research efforts.