A study of the effect of the adoption and use of information technology innovations on service quality in Small to Medium Hotels in Harare

Abstract

Information Technology (IT) innovations are a lifeblood of every organisation, start-ups, small, medium and large organisations providing real-time information for quick informed decision making and delivering better service quality in a digitalised cutthroat competitive operating environment. IT innovations have interrupted the way business is conducted and how businesses interact with their customers creating a digital economy that the Small to Medium hotels are not immune to but are forced to embrace if they need to survive. Literature supports that IT innovations are pivotal on the enhancement of service delivery by quickening and simplifying processes and operations; fostering collaborative and seamless communication within and without a hotel for quick informed decision making by both hotels and guests. This study’s centre of focus was to establish the effect of IT innovations on Service Quality in Small to Medium hotels in Harare. The bounding objectivesthe research focused on establishing hotel management’s level of awareness of IT innovations in hotels, determining the extent of use of IT innovations in Small to Medium hotels in Harare, establishing the level of service quality of Small to Medium Hotels. Moreso, evaluating the impact of the adoption and use of IT innovations on Service Quality in Small to Medium Hotels in Harare. The study adopted the pragmatism philosophy and the mixed methods strategy, thereby utilising both quantitative and qualitative approaches to answer the research questions and meet the research objectives. Questionnaire was the instrument used to collect the data. 44 Small to Medium hotel managers out of a targeted 48 and 213 guests out of a targeted 256 participated in the study giving a response rate of 84.5%. The study found a significant association between IT innovations and service quality. In-room, front office, food and beverages and back room IT innovations had a logit relationship with SERVQUAL service quality dimensions namely; reliability, responsiveness, tangibility, assurance and empathy. IT innovations used in In-room, front office, food and beverages and back room were found to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and performance of Small to Medium hotels. These IT innovations assist in the provision of timely services, increase responsiveness of staff, assist with Know Your Customer, enhance communication between hotel staff and guests, improve the security of guests and increase the convenience of doing things by both hotel staff and guests. Further findings were that the majority of small to medium managers are aware of the existence of IT innovations used in the hotel industry; and service quality of the majority Small to Medium hotels is generally poor.