The impact of information technology application on the hotel performance – A conceptual perspective
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM TP HỒ CHÍ MINH
HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
KHOA HỌC XÃ HỘI VÀ NHÂN VĂN
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
Vol. 16, No. 5 (2019): 80-93
ISSN:
1859-3100
THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION
ON THE HOTEL PERFORMANCE
– A CONCEPTUAL PERSPECTIVE
Tran Thi Huyen Trang*, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, National Economics University
* Corresponding author: Tran Thi Huyen Trang – Email: tranhuyentrang.neu@gmail.com
Received: 20/3/2019; Revised: 10/4/2019; Accepted: 10/5/2019
ABSTRACT
Information Technology (IT) has been widely recognized in the hospitality industry as one of
the most effective ways to communicate with guests and enhanced services delivery to guests. To
cope with these complex and energetic business environments, both small and large enterprises
require continuous adoption and innovation in the deployment of emerging technologies. However,
studies in a developing country context are limited in number, especially in Vietnam. The purpose
of this study is to investigate the impact of IT application on the hotel performance by proposing a
research model.
Keywords: hotel performance, information technology.
1.
Introduction
Theoretical aspect
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said that the change in social life along with
the technological revolution was an important factor in the rapid development of the
tourism industry in recent years. The dramatic increase in the number of guests and young
people using the services of online travel agents has dramatically changed the tourist
market. Information technology plays a very important role in the growth, socio-economic
development and competitiveness of enterprises. IT applications in hotel business not only
help improve the management capacity of hotels but also help create the image and brand
reputation of the hotel for customers. Many researchers have speculated that the
application of information technology in the hotel industry has increased productivity,
reduced operation costs, enhanced customer satisfaction, increased market share, and long-
term profitability (Law and Jogaratnam, 2005).
Information technology (IT) has become an important strategic asset for the
hospitality business. IT is applied with the aim of improving business efficiency and
enhancing the strategic competitiveness of enterprises. Investing in IT plays a critical role
in managing hotels strategically.
80
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
Investing in IT will increase the efficiency of the hotel performance, reduce their costs
and at the same time add value to the products and services offered to their customers.
Therefore, investments in IT applications in hotels have increased over the past decades.
There is a need for extensive research studies that thoroughly examine how investments in
IT applications can lead to creating the sustainable competitive advantage for hotel
companies (Ham, et al., 2005; Piccoli, 2008).
Law and Jogaratnam, 2005; Piccoli, 2008 demonstrated that “efficient and timely
deployment of new IT applications will provide more opportunities for enhanced customer
services to better meet increasing customer expectations and improve cost control, more
effective marketing strategies, and expand opportunities for hotels”. In fact, the usage of IT
in the hotel industry has changed dramatically and brought more experience to customers,
such as accommodation facilities as well as dining, entertainment, shopping…IT
application has brought many opportunities for the business of the hotel, namely: better
communication, improved communication and allow management of transactions as well.
Customer relations are more favourable and efficient (Siguaw, et al., 2000). Thanks to IT,
customers can access the hotel websites for the purpose of using electronic reservation
systems, travel company websites to plan trips. However, according to Sigala (2003), the
use of technology will not produce the optimal efficiency when hotels focus on the
functions of technology without regard to the ability of technology integration. This study
was designed to evaluate the impact of IT application on the hotel performance and
propose the best solutions to improve the service quality, satisfy customer satisfaction and
enhance the competitiveness of the hotel.
Practical aspect
The advancement and development in information technology such as Internet,
Computer reservations systems (CRS), Global distribution systems (GDS) and other
electronic systems have changed the business development strategy of the hotel industry as
well as the competitive strategies of each business. Investing in IT not only enhances the
capacity of the hotel but also achieves specific results such as lower costs for customers as
well as for hotels, improves the value and service rates for customers, renovates the
information technology in the hotel and enhances service quality and competitiveness of
the hotel. However, hotels also need to be aware that IT application not only brings the
competitive advantage for these businesses but that hotels need to offer ways to implement,
deploy and integrate IT with areas and other parts of the hotel. Because, the slow grasp of
information or technology can be the main reason behind the hotel lagging behind its
competitors and resulting in declining profits (Law et al, 2009).
81
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
Many hotels in developed countries are leveraging IT to achieve high business
efficiency and provide competitive advantage (Li, 2012). For example, CRS can increase
cost efficiencies, enabling communication messages to be conveyed between businesses
and customers faster. Information exchange and data management will be effective for
businesses. The hotel's CRS can be linked to the airline's CRS to form a global booking
system that allows tour operators, travel agents, and potential customers to book direct
flights. IT has been transforming the hospitality industry globally through the development
of a full suite of software applications to achieve operational productivity in hotel revenue,
in room occupancy rate, in-seat turnover rate, thus reducing operating costs, improving
customer satisfaction, and increasing customer experience (Sirirak et al., 2011).
According to the Vietnam Tourism Association, the hotel system, especially high-
end hotels, as well as international brands hotels and airlines applying IT in business
operations quite successful. The application of modern technologies in advertising and
business activities not only help businesses improve competitiveness but also promote the
establishment of accommodation business access to IT in various ways to enhance the
brand and increase sales. For example, by lively ads that provide full information on
interactive TVs, smart TVs or on mobile devices, hotels save on printing costs, hotel
information boards, menus, and advertising brochures, thereby helping to save on hotel
management costs. Or the use of integrated interactive TV and software systems will help
the management, maintenance, receptionist update information, report work, contact with
customers right on television, which will save operating costs (Tran Thi Huyen Trang and
Tran Van Hung, 2016). Moreover, the application of IT in hotel business not only helps to
connect customers before, during and after the holiday but also helps the hotel interact and
keep in touch with customers at all times and everywhere. At the same time, thanks to
state-of-the-art technology, customers will experience enjoyable and enhanced customer
satisfaction on holiday stays, thereby encouraging customers to return to the hotel and
introduce this to their friends, and relatives.
However, studies related to the application of information technology in the
performance of the hotel are limited in number, especially in the context of the hotel
business in Vietnam. Therefore, research related to the application of IT in hotel
performance will meet the needs of theoretical and practical. For the above reasons, the
author has selected the topic "The impact of information technology application on the
hotel performance – a conceptual perspective" to study to help hotel managers and
policymakers have the best solutions that contribute to improving the service quality for
the customer and enhancing the competitiveness of the hotel.
82
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
2.
The impact of Information Technology application on the Hotel Performance
Hotel industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and it has
contributed greatly to the economic development of the country. Every year, the hospitality
industry generates a lot of jobs and brings great revenue to hotel corporations as well as
global hospitality businesses. This is evidenced by the increase in international tourist
arrivals over the past two decades, more than doubling from 525 million visitors in 1995 to
1186 million arrivals by 2015, Travel from destinations has tripled from $ 415 billion in
1995 to $ 1260 billion by 2015 (UNWTO 2016). An important part of this success is
mainly due to the application of IT in the design of products and services and the
substantial improvement of hotel operations each year (Sirirak et al., 2011). For example,
the Sheraton Hotel has introduced a customer satisfaction rating system that improves
customer service and helps increase customer returns.
Applying IT in hotel businesses is an important factor in improving the efficiency of
the hotel business through internal measures such as increased productivity, improved
market share, as well as enhanced customer satisfaction (Sirirak et al., 2011). This research
holds that IT has become a source of sustainable competitive advantage and a strategic
plan for businesses because it is seen as a strategic resource that provides business value,
increases the hotel’s core competence and enhances the hotel’s competitiveness in the
market. In addition, Aziz, Bakhtiar, Syaquif, Kamaruddin, & Ahmad, 2012 also
demonstrated that thanks to the application of IT, hotels have reduced costs, increased
labor productivity, improved quality of service and customer satisfaction.
Due to the fierce competition in the market along with the increasing expectations of
customers for the quality of service of hotels has led many hotels to discover the most
innovative ways to gain competitive advantage (Sirirak et al., 2011). As a result, some
hotels have responded that they have invested a considerable amount of money into the
latest technologies in room reservation, procurement and inventory systems, revenue
management and Wireless internet, telecommunications, email, electronic transactions,
hotel websites, and customer experiences (Sirirak et al., 2011; Aziz et al., 2012).
These studies also suggest that the application of IT in the hotel industry brings many
benefits to the business such as reducing operating costs, improving customer satisfaction,
increasing market share and improving staff performance (Sirirak et al., 2011). The hotel
has applied IT in the areas of hotel operations, such as reception, room department,
restaurant department, technical department...(Sigala, 2003). In addition, Sigala, (2003)
defines factors that measure the level of IT adoption in the hotel business including
availability of IT elements; integration of IT elements and intensity of IT usage.
Most studies investigating the relationship between the application of IT and the
performance of a hotel business are built in the context of developed countries and some
83
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
researchers have pointed out that investing in IT will increase employee productivity and
improve the efficiency of the hotel business (Sigala, 2003; Sirirak et al., 2011; Aziz et al.,
2012). Therefore, these studies will provide a more comprehensive and insight into the
issue. In addition, research in the context of a developing country is still limited in
quantity, and studies in this context will be very useful for hotel management, especially in
the countries in Asia.
The study by Tran Thi Huyen Trang and Tran Van Hung, 2016 analyzes the impact
of IT on the hotel business, evaluates the usage of IT in the business areas of the hotel.
This study also makes predictions about changing trends of technologies in the near future
and provides ways to respond to them. It would help hotel executives and researchers in
assessing the impact of IT on the business of the hotel. However, this study has not
provided a complete theoretical model to assess the impact of IT application to the hotel
performance.
Research by Luong Thanh Nam, 2016 offers the best options for hotels with the
desire to increase the competitiveness in the market is the application of modern
technology. Interestingly, IT can create the guest experience, enhance guest satisfaction
and increase hotel productivity or performance. For example, some hotels choose smart
technology systems that will bring convenience to guests during their stay at the hotel such
as finding information about hotel amenities and services, tourist information center,
weather forecasting... In addition, thanks to the application of smart technology, the hotel
has additional revenue from fees for watching movie services bridge, internet TV,
advertising fees on the television from the hotel partners; In addition, live advertising and
online shopping add-ons on your TV or mobile device will increase your hotel's sales,
other services (revenue). However, this study has only stopped at assessing some current
trends of hotel corporations that make subjective judgments about the application of
modern technology to bring about the experience. This helps to improve customer
satisfaction, thereby increasing the efficiency of the hotel's operations such as increasing
sales, operating costs and management costs.
Through the overview of national and foreign scientific research, in order to further
expand the research context, especially in developing countries including Vietnam, the
author has based on the study of Sirirak et al., (2011) and defined the factors influencing
the application of IT in hotel performance, (in terms of the availability of IT, integration of
IT and intensity of IT usage).
3.
Information Technology Application in Hotel Divisions and Departments
There is a great deal of research in the hospitality industry that focuses on the usage
of IT in functional areas of the hotel, such as finance and accounting, human resources
management, sales, and marketing. Hotels not only apply IT to the front-office but also to
84
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
the back-office. In addition, IT can be applied for customers, managers, and staff in
specific departments in the hotels such as reservation management, room management, and
revenue management. The deployment of IT in the departments not only brings valuable
experience and quality to the customer but also promotes employee performance in the
department, resulting in achieving higher efficiency.
According to the study of Ham et al. (2005), the hotel information system is divided
into four main categories, including (i) Front-Office systems; (ii) Back-Office systems; (iii)
Room division systems; and (iv) In-room systems. Whereas, the research of Sirirak et al.
(2011) has identified three basic components of an IT system, namely: (i) the availability
of IT components; (ii) the integration of IT components; and (iii) the intensity of IT
component usage.
However, in the context of developing countries, the author has divided the IT
systems for the hotel industry into two main categories: room division systems, and food
and beverage systems.
3.1. Room division systems
Room division is the focal point of the hotel as this department generates the most
receipts in the hotel. Room division consists of front-office, housekeeping, maintenance,
and security. The main focus of the hotel is a revenue goal in which the majority of
revenue comes from the selling rooms.
* Front-office department
Front-office operation is one of the most effective parts of applying IT in managing
and networking computer reservation systems. This system allows customers to book
hotels through the Internet anywhere, at any time. This is one of the most effective
applications that bring satisfaction to customers. Law et al. (2005) conducted a study to
determine the number of hotel reservations online on the websites of different travel
agencies across the region. This study considered the effective website of travel companies
will affect the number of online reservations.
The front-office department of the hotel plays an important role in supporting the
customer's smooth transactions and services from guest arrival until the guest leaves the
hotel. The front-office department is conducting customer management through electronic
systems. The front-office systems not only provides information for employees in the
hotels and supports a fast and secure transaction time with the intention of reducing time
spent on the system and increasing time spent on customer service (Aziz et al., 2012).
IT is being increasingly used in the front-office department, as it facilitates the work
of the receptionists more quickly and easily.
85
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
IT is used in a front-office operation of hotels to create invoices and bills, to check-in
and check-out guests, to monitor bookings and reservations, to record guest expenditure and
share information within and across the hotel. By using IT, customers can communicate with
the front-office staff via the Internet or telephone to make and confirm reservations while
staying at the comfort of their private places and homes (Ansah et al., 2012).
In addition, customers can make payment for their booking online to conveniently
facilitate their reservation without having to spend time queuing at the front office.
Therefore, using debit and credit card payments through appropriate hardware and
software has become a fundamental part of front-office operation.
* Housekeeping department
Housekeeping department has a critical and indispensable role in the hotel as it
contributes to 60% of the hotel revenue. This department not only ensures the quality of
each room in the hotel but also helps maintain and develop the quality of room service,
thereby helping to bring satisfaction to customers. In order to ensure work activity is being
performed correctly, each position in the housekeeping department must be coordinated
with each other in a smooth and accurate manner. The room is the main concern of both
the front-office department and the housekeeping department. The major implication of IT
for the housekeeping department is to continuous exchange information on room status.
Sigala, 2003 demonstrated that the purpose of a room status system is to connect the front-
office department of reservations, reception and cashier with the housekeeping department
so that all concerned know whether rooms are occupied or not.
In particular, the front office must provide lists for expected arrivals and departures for
the day in advance, and notify housekeeping of actual arrivals and departures as and when
they occur. Moreover, the front office is not allowed to assign guestrooms until the rooms
have been cleaned, inspected and released by the housekeeping department. Housekeeping
ensures that these rooms are given top priority in servicing, so that clean rooms are available
for sale. To ensure efficient rooming of guests, both housekeeping and front-office must
inform each other of changes in a room’s status (Sigala, 2003).
The computerized system allows the housekeeping department to update directly
room status into the central memory so that reception is made aware of room availability,
which enables the reception staff to know exactly which rooms are prepared for the
arriving guests (Sigala, 2003). The housekeeping department can print off lists of arrivals
and departures in order to schedule staff along the most effective lines, whilst coping with
sudden changes and requests. Overall, the housekeeping package eliminates tedious maid
scheduling and allows for more efficient scheduling of housekeeping services. The
productivity implication of this technology is that hotels would enjoy a more efficient, cost
efficient use of their staff’s time, while hotel’s relationships with customers can also
enhance as guests would be protected from being disturbed by hotel staff.
86
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
* In-room systems
Hotels are more likely to adopt modern technologies in order to provide rooms
services to bring comfort, convenience, and safety to their guests. The technologies that
hotels apply to in-room services include electronic keys and safes, alarm clocks,
entertainment systems, temperature control systems, fire annunciator, security systems, and
minibars. The hotels have invested some money in guestroom technologies with the goal of
increasing sales for the hotel and enhancing the guest services, thereby improving the
business efficiency of the hotel (Sirirak et al., 2011). As the in-room technologies will help
increase the value-added services provided to customers and meet the customers’
expectations, thus enhancing customer experiences. In particular, the authors found that in-
room technologies had positive impacts on customer satisfaction, such as voice over
internet protocol, telephone services, pay-per-view movies, voicemail/messaging, game
systems and universal battery chargers.
The type and size of the hotel may have influenced the different rates of in-room
technologies. Hotel companies have intentionally deployed different types of technology
based on their financial and human resources and customer expectations.
The hotel sector, type of accommodation and size of the property influenced the
number and type of technologies adopted. Hotels in high value-added sectors such as upscale
and luxury are likely to embark on technological improvements to increase the quality of
service delivered to the guest. On the other hand, hotels in low value-added segments, such
as the economy and midscale, are likely to implement technologies to increase hotel
productivity (Siguaw et al., 2000).
3.2. Food and beverage systems
Hotels with restaurants can choose the restaurant management systems to provide for
these restaurants the complementary business operations. Aziz et al., (2012) posited that
“Restaurant Management Systems are particularly designed to facilitate the operations of
the restaurant and/or catering facilities by enabling the input, storage, and retrieval of data
about customer preferences. These systems may include kitchen display systems, kitchen
labour management systems and/or alarm systems for different incidents”. Besides,
restaurant management systems may conduct individually or they can be interconnected to
the property management systems for smooth information flow throughout departments.
“These systems can produce reports that support managerial decision-making, improving
service quality, reducing food delivering times, generating forecasts that help managers in
planning ordering, food production and scheduling labour (Aziz et al., 2012)”.
Hotels with Conference and/or Banqueting facilities can also adopt IT systems
particularly designed to support their daily operations. “Like restaurant management
systems, these conference and banqueting management systems can operate individually,
87
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
or they can be interconnected to the property management systems to let sales agents to
flawlessly book bedrooms that matched conference dates (Aziz et al., 2012)”. Furthermore,
these systems can store guest preferences and event information for subsequent direct
marketing opportunities.
4.
Research Framework
Framework refers to the chief structure that not only gives form and shape to the
whole system but also supports and holds together all the other components in a logical
configuration. In this research, the independent variables include the availability of IT
components; the integration of IT components; and the intensity of IT component usage
while the dependent variable is hotel performance.
Sirirak et al., (2011) indicated that “Availability of IT components was measured by
the number of items available in the hotel. Increased number of available IT components
should lead to higher level of hotel performance”. These components are grouped
according to the three hotel operational domains: hotel front-office division;ꢀFood and
Beverage division;ꢀandꢀ in-room (Siguaw et al., 2000; Ham et al., 2005; Law and
Jogaratnam, 2005).
“Integration of IT components was evaluated using the number of IT linkages
between a specific operational domain and other operational domains or to the main server
system (Sirirak et al., 2011)”. For example, room division IT integration was determined
by the IT linkages of room division to the food and beverage division, to the in-room
section and to the main server. Thus, in total, there are three possible linkages in each
operational domain.
Sirirak et al., (2011) said that “Intensity of IT component uses reflects how
frequently the hoteliers/customers use the available IT components. Thus, the intensity of
IT component usage was measured by the percentage of hotel operations carried out
through ITs”. For example, the intensity of web site system usage was measured by the
percentage of room reservations by customers occurring through web site channels.
Operational productivity is the most important performance indicator in the hotel
industry as it indicates the efficiency level of business operations. “Operational
productivity is defined as a function of the ratio of operational outputs to inputs over a
period of time where inputs include materials, equipment, and staff costs and outputs
include revenue, number of goods or services sold, and number of customers processed
(Sirirak et al., 2011)”. Operational output includes yearly hotel revenue; room occupancy
rate; and seat turnover rate for food and beverage.ꢀ
88
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
The proposed research model is based on the identification of factors that influence
the relationship between IT application and hotel performance. The author draws on
studies by Sirirak et al (2011); Chevers (2015). This research identified three key elements
of IT applications impacting on the hotel performance (in term of operational productivity)
consists of (1) availability of IT elements, (2) integration of IT elements, and (3) intensity
of IT usage.
Several studies of Sigala (2003); and Ham et al., (2005) have focused on analyzing
the impact of information technology on hotel productivity by using the approach of
collecting and analyzing data from the employee and management characteristic factors.
As a result, these studies have demonstrated that there was a significant relationship
between information technology adoption and hotel performance. When measuring hotel
performance, Sirirak et al., (2011) not only collected data from employee and management
characteristics but also expanded to customer satisfaction based on two criteria: the level of
customer satisfaction with the hotel products and services; and the intended level of the
customer to repurchase or recommend to others. The findings indicated that information
technology adoption influences operational productivity more than customer satisfaction
and information technology adoption does not have any significant relationship with
customer satisfaction. Due to the findings from these studies above and the limited
research conditions, the author merely focuses on employee and management
characteristics in room division systems, and food and beverage system in order to provide
valuable insight for IT components on operational productivity.
Availability of IT
- Hotel revenue
components
- Room occupancy
H1
rate
- Seat turnover rate
Hotel
H2
Integration of IT
components
Performance
- Hotel expenses
- Total number of
guest rooms
H3
- Seating capacity of
restaurant
Intensity of IT
component usage
Figure 1.1. Research framework
89
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
Source: Adapted from Chevers, 2015
Hypothesis
Contents
H1
H2
H3
Availability of IT components positively affects the operational productivity in
hotel performance
Integration of IT components positively affects the operational productivity in
hotel performance
Intensity of IT component usage positively affects the operational productivity
in hotel performance
There are many benefits of IT application in hotel industry, which influence hotels to
adopt IT in their organization. The level of IT application in hotel industry is determined
by three dimensions: the availability of IT components, the integration of IT components
and the intensity of IT component usage (Sigala, 2003). The availability of IT application
in a hotel is measured in terms of IT components that hotels were presently using. These IT
components offered the hotel various possibilities for increasing employee productivity,
enhancing revenue and improving guest service (Siguaw et al., 2000; Ham et al., 2005).
The integration of IT components is measured from the number of the integration of IT
applications with property management systems and amongst each other (Sigala, 2003).
The intensity of IT usage is measured by the percentage of the operational activity carried
out by using IT. For example, the IT utilization in reservation process can be measured
from percentage of the transaction done through hotel website reservation system (Sahadev
and Islam, 2005). Vietnam is a developing country and the factors affecting the IT
application on the hotel performance are different from those that drive application in
developed world. This research seeks to fill this knowledge gap through investigating the
factors influencing application of information technology in performance of hotels.
5.
Conclusion
The advancement and development in information technology have changed the
business as well as the business development strategy of the hotel industry. Information
technology such as the Internet, central reservations systems and other electronic
distribution systems can be seen as a relatively new competitive resource for increasing the
business development strategy of the hotel industry. Investing in IT not only enhances the
capacity of the hotel but also achieves specific results such as increased productivity,
reduced operation costs, enhanced customer satisfaction, increase market share, improved
service quality and long-term profitability (Law and Jogaratnam, 2005; Piccoli, 2008,
Siguaw, et al., 2000; Sirirak et al., 2011). However, hotels also need to be aware that in
order to enhance the competitive advantage for these businesses and improve hotels
performance, hotels need to offer ways to implement, deploy and integrate IT with areas
90
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
and other parts of the hotel like room division, food and beverage division, back office, in-
room and so on. The main reason why the hotel lags behind its competitors is that the hotel
does not identify information technology as a critical success factor for attaining
performance.
According to some authors, “not many studies have researched the relationship of
competitiveness factors, including IT and performance, in the hotel industry and there is a
need for more studies investigating the impact of IT on hotel performance in general, and
in developing countries in particular (Sirirak et al, 2011)”. The main purpose of this paper
is to provide a theoretical framework to help hotel executives and researchers in assessing
the impact of IT on hotel performance. It also attempts to contribute to the understanding
of how IT can support the competitiveness of hotel firms in developed countries through
some researchers. In particular, IT application can achieve operational productivity in hotel
revenue, in room occupancy rate, in seat turnover rate, thus reducing operating costs,
improving customer satisfaction, and increasing customer experience. The limitation of
this study is that the author only focuses on the impact of IT application on hotel
performance in term of operational productivity measure except for customer service
measure.
The finding of this research has significant management implications. Based on
literature review from studies, the author realized that applying information technology in
the front-office division, food and beverage division and in-room division will help hotels
make profits and benefits like reducing operation costs, enhancing greater productivity,
improving service quality and increasing market share. In order to improve operational
productivity, managers in hotels need to increase the number of IT elements in room
division, enhance the integration and the intensity of IT usage of front-office division, food
and beverage division and in-room division.
In order to compete in today's business environment, hotel managers need to
understand the advantages and potential of using information technology in the hotel
businesses, and to spend more time and effort to be able to take advantage of new
technologies. To achieve this goal, hotel managers should maintain good relationships with
existing customers by using appropriate information technology, integrating information
technology into their development strategies. It also improves staff knowledge as well as
the ability to utilize and master new information technologies and regularly updates future
IT trends that affect hotel performance (Law et al., 2009).
Conflict of Interest: Authors have no conflict of interest to declare.
91
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tập 16, Số 5 (2019): 80-93
REFERENCES
Ansah, A.K., Blankson, V.S. and Kontoh, M. (2012). The use of Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) in front office operations of chain hotels in Ghana. International Journal
of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 3(3), 72- 77.
Aziz, A.A., Bakhtiar, M., Syaquif, M., Kamaruddin, Y. and Ahmad, N. (2012). Information and
communication technology application’s usage in hotel industry. Journal of Tourism,
Hospitality, and Culinary Arts, 4(2), 34-48.
Chevers, D.A. (2015). Evaluating the impact of ICT usage on the performance of Jamaican hotels:
a conceptual perspective. Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management, 3(1-2), 22-31.
Ham, S., Kim, W.G. and Jeong, S. (2005). Effect of information technology on performance in
upscale hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 24(2), 281-294.
Law, R. and Jogaratnam, G. (2005). A Study of Hotel Information Technology Applications.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 17(2), 170-180.
Law, R., Leung, R. and Buhalis, D. (2009). Information technology applications in hospitality and
tourism: A review of publications from 2005 to 2007. Journal of Travel and Tourism
Marketing, 26(5-6), 599-623.
Li, Y. (2012). ICT, the single greatest force affecting change in the hospitality industry. Available
Lương Thanh Nam (16/09/2016). Ứng dụng công nghệ trong ngành công nghiệp khách sạn, Tạp
nghiep-khach-san.html
Piccoli, G. (2008). Information technology in hotel management: A framework for evaluating the
sustainability of IT-dependent competitive advantage. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 49(3),
282-296.
Sahadev, S. and Islam, N., (2005). Why hotels adopt ICTs: A study on the ICT adoption propensity
of hotels in Thailand. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,
17(5), 391-401.
Sigala, M. (2003). The information and communication technologies productivity impact on the
UK hotel sector. International Journal of Operation and Production Management, 23(10),
1224-1245.
Siguaw, J.A., Enz, C.A. and Namasivayam, K. (2000). Adoption of information technology in U.S.
hotels: Strategically driven objectives. Journal of Travel Research, 39(2), 192-201.
Sirirak, S., Islam, N. and Khang, D.B. (2011). Does ICT adoption enhance hotel performance?.
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 2(1), 34-49.
Tran Thi Huyen Trang and Tran Van Hung (2016). Application of information and communication
technology in hotel management. National Conference on Training, Researching and Using
Information technology in socio-economic development, 211-224.
World Tourism Organization (2016). UNWTO Tourism highlights. 2016 Edition, 1-16.
92
TẠP CHÍ KHOA HỌC - Trường ĐHSP TPHCM
Tran Thi Huyen Trang et al.
ẢNH HƯỞNG CỦA CÔNG NGHỆ THÔNG TIN
ĐẾN HIỆU QUẢ HOẠT ĐỘNG KINH DOANH KHÁCH SẠN
– ĐỀ XUẤT MÔ HÌNH NGHIÊN CỨU
Trần Thị Huyền Trang*, Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo
Khoa Du lịch và Khách sạn – Trường Đại học Kinh tế Quốc dân
* Tác giả liên hệ: Tran Thi Huyen Trang – Email: tranhuyentrang.neu@gmail.com
Ngày nhận bài: 20-3-2019; ngày nhận bài sửa: 10-4-2019; ngày duyệt đăng: 10-5-2019
TÓM TẮT
Công nghệ thông tin (CNTT) được chấp nhận rộng rãi như một trong những cách thức mới
giúp các khách sạn kết nối với khách hàng đồng thời gia tăng chất lượng dịch vụ cung ứng cho
khách hàng. Để đối phó với môi trường kinh doanh phức tạp và năng động hiện nay, các doanh
nghiệp cần có sự chấp nhận và đổi mới liên tục trong việc triển khai các công nghệ mới. Tuy nhiên,
vẫn còn thiếu các nghiên cứu trong bối cảnh của các nước đang phát triển, đặc biệt là ở Việt Nam.
Vì vậy, bài viết này nhằm đánh giá tác động của áp dụng CNTT đến hiệu quả hoạt động kinh
doanh khách sạn thông qua việc đề xuất mô hình nghiên cứu.
Từ khóa: hiệu quả hoạt động kinh doanh khách sạn, công nghệ thông tin.
93
14 trang
08/01/2024
1060
Bạn đang xem tài liệu "The impact of information technology application on the hotel performance – A conceptual perspective", để tải tài liệu gốc về máy hãy click vào nút Download ở trên
File đính kèm:
- the_impact_of_information_technology_application_on_the_hote.pdf
