| dc.description.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. | en_ZW |
