ENTER 2014 Research Track Slide Number 1

Listening to CEOs: A New Perspective to Study Technology

Adoption in Hotels Sofia Reinoa

Carlos Lamsfus b

Hugo Salas b

Ortzi Torices b

Aurkene Alzua-Sorzabal b

a University of Bedfordshire, UKb Cooperative Research Centre in Tourism,

b CICtourGUNE, Spain

ENTER 2014 Research Track Slide Number 2

Introduction• Technology adoption in hospitality remains low but we don´t

know the reasons behind yet.

• Previous work follows a positivist approach and fails to explore the topic in detail.

75.6%

24.4%

74%

26%

Italian Hotels with Online Booking Facilities

Spanish Hotels & Travel Agencies with Online Booking Facilities

Source: Fundetec, 2012 Source: ISTAT, 2012

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Previous Work • Mainly about outputs, not much about reasons.

– David, Grabski, & Kasavana (1996)– Baker, Sussmann, & Meisters (1999)

• Mainly focused on the adopters´limitations.

– Cobanoglu, Dede, & Poorani (2006) and Leung & Law (2012)

– Hashim, Olaru, Scaglione, & Murphy (2006)

• Those considering other factors address only a few (Siguaw et al,

2000).

• ICT staff´s views when getting an insight (0´Connor, 2008).

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Aim, Methodology and Methods• Aim: to explore ICT adopters´ views on issues affecting

technology adoption in hotels, including:

– Potential problems that hotels may experience.

– Drivers and barriers of ICT adoption.

– Their ICT priorities. • Methodology: Phenomenological approach. • Methods: focus groups & interviews with hotel

management.

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Data Collection

• Interviews with management in 3 hotels, and one

focus group with CEOs of 3 hotels and the director

of hotel trading association.

• Use of business processes as a framework.

• Representation of different star rating, location and

affiliation.

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Results Problems with Technology

• Problems of speed.• Flaws related to the design of processes.• Communication problems: developers do not

listen to hoteliers´ needs. • Limited customer support by providers in

terms of:– training and/or– feedback collection system.

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Results Barriers and Drivers

• Drivers: – Market structure. Some technological aspects are

used to lock up markets.

• Barriers: – Small size and lack of affiliation of establishments. – Establishments with uncommon characteristics

(e.g. selling a mix of bedrooms and apartments).

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Results ICT Priorities• PMS• ICT facilitating communication with consumers:

– collection of feedbacbak– customer service (e.g. use of whatsapp)– supporting upselling

• ICT for added value to consumers (e.g. intranet). • CRM connected to PMS.• Guidelines and systems to manage Social Media.

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Conclusions• Limited research examining the views of hotel

managers on ICT.

• Highlights the importance of technology

characteristics as a driver or barrier of adoption.

• The need to speak the “language” of hoteliers.

• Adoption of a “hotel-centered” approach.

• Claims further qualitative research.