AI in recruitment: an exploratory study into the factors that impact its pace of adoption. : A case study to reveal the strategic implications of these factors on AI solution providers from a contingency perspective.

Abstract: Over the past few years, the adoption of AI in recruitment has accellerated. However, there has been a noticeable resistance from HR managers to invest in AI tools for their deparment. With the aim of understanding the causes prompting this resistance, this thesis investigates the factors that impact the pace of adoption of AI in HR, with a focus on recruitment solutions. While designing an analytical framework inspired by the contingency perspective, the factors have been searched through a literature review and their effects have been tested in terms of magnitude and direction through a qualitative study. To do this, the authors performed a case study involving an external partner, an AI solution provider start-up company. A total of 16 semi-structured interviews have been conducted with different levels of stakeholders, including external partner`s employees, investors, competitors, and end- users. Finally, a strategic analysis of the AI recruitment market has been deployed. Our ambition is that the combination of the information over the factors together with the strategic analysis will empower the companies within the industry in taking better informed strategic decisions.