Jesus, Frederico Miguel Campos Cruz Ribeiro deSemenov, Andrei2025-11-202025-11-202025-11-07http://hdl.handle.net/10362/191120Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Data Driven Marketing, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceThe Portuguese restaurant sector, a vital component of the national economy, faces significant pressure to optimize costs, yet the adoption of critical tools like Inventory Management Systems (IMS) remains low. This thesis aims to develop a conceptual model explaining the psychological and structural barriers that hinder IMS implementation among Portuguese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Employing a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach, this qualitative study analyzes data from thirteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews with restaurant owners, managers, and consultants. The findings reveal a "Model of Structurally Forced Adoption," where a formidable resistance to change is created by a combination of factors: the inertia of traditional management practices, a significant competency barrier due to perceived technological complexity, and a subsequent value-effort calculation that consistently undervalues the benefits of IMS. The research indicates that this resistance is rarely overcome by proactive desire but is instead typically broken only by the structural pressure of business scale, which creates both the unavoidable need and the resources for innovation. Ultimately, this study concludes that successful technology adoption in this sector depends less on the technology itself and more on addressing the deep-seated psychological, competency-based, and structural barriers faced by its decision-makers.engResistance to InnovationTechnology AdoptionInventory Management SystemsRestaurant IndustrySMEsPortugalGrounded Theorymaster thesis204071640