PHD-Department of Hospitality Management

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Browsing PHD-Department of Hospitality Management by Author "Khayiya, Rosemarie Ayuma"

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    Choice of Hotel Facilities by Guests with Physical Disabilities in Nairobi, Kenya
    (2014-03-06) Murungi, Charles Muthamia; Khayiya, Rosemarie Ayuma; Ondigi, Alice N.
    As effort is made to boost tourism in the country, hotels and tourism planners must identify areas with growth potential or identify niche markets as a potential new source of tourists both locally and internationally. Persons with disabilities comprise one such market. This study sought to find out priority considerations in the choice or preference of hotel facilities by PWPDs in Nairobi and in the process identify the unfulfilled gaps in product and service delivery so as to make hotels friendlier and more sensitive to guests with disabilities. The study had seven objectives namely; to determine experiences of guests with physical disabilities when using hotel products and services; to establish attitudes and perceptions held by guests with physical disabilities towards hotels, their products and services; to find out whether persons with physical disabilities experience any discrimination in Kenyan hotels and responses to discrimination by persons with physical disabilities; to determine credibility of sources of information as perceived by persons with physical disabilities while sourcing for hotel products and services; to categorize challenges faced by persons with physical disabilities while using hotel products and services; to find out social motivations of persons with physical disabilities while using hotel products and services and lastly to determine best predictor variables for choice or preference of hotel facilities by PWPDs. A cross sectional survey design was adopted for this survey which was conducted in the County of Nairobi; Kenya. The population under study covered persons with physical disabilities. A total of 356 usable participant surveys out of the targeted 361 were analyzed yielding a response rate of 98.6%. The study utilized semi-structured questionnaires and personal interviews to obtain data. Data analysis involved quantitative techniques for data analysis which was a combination of various descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to measure the strength of linear dependence between each variable used in the study and the choice or preference of hotel. Multiple Regression was used to determine predictor variables influencing choice or preference of hotel facilities by persons with physical disabilities in Nairobi. It was found that majority of the survey respondents had positive experiences while visiting hotels in the country and that many of them did not feel discriminated against by hotels (p-value <0.001); it was also found that persons with physical disabilities in Kenyan hotels were still not in a position to fully participate in leisure activities when visiting hotels due to lack of upgraded sports equipment (p-value <0.00l). Findings also revealed that persons with physical disabilities found Kenyan hotels to be ignorant in terms of arrangements needed for and knowledge of persons with disabilities (p-value <0.001). Findings also indicated that previous experience was the most credible source of information closely followed by recommendations from friends with similar disabilities. Findings also revealed attitudes of managers and staff to be the most difficult challenge for persons with physical disabilities while using hotel products and services and that visiting family and friends were the most important social motivator. Three (3) factors namely information sources, challenges faced by persons with disabilities and interventions by the Government and hoteliers pertaining matters with a bearing on PWDs (all at a p-value <0.001) were the best predictor variables that influenced the choice or preference of hotel facilities by persons with physical disabilities.
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    Hotel General Managers Perception of Factors Related to Women Career Progression in the Hospitality Industry at the Coast Region of Kenya.
    (2014-03-06) Nzioka, Alice Mueni; Ondigi, Alice N.; Khayiya, Rosemarie Ayuma
    This study was a descriptive survey and the research methods employed included both quantitative and qualitative. The study was conducted in the coastal region of Kenya. Records held by the Kenya Association of Hotel keepers and Caterers indicate that out of sixty six (66) hotel general managers for classified hotels at the coast region of Kenya only (3) 4% of women are in top management positions. The study sought to determine the factors that affect women career progression in the hospitality industry and the hotel's general managers' perceptions of such factors then determine whether the perception of the hotel general managers affects women career progression in the hospitality industry in Kenya. The literature outlined the theories that relate to women's career progression, discussed the role of women managers in the hospitality industry and reviewed previous studies on the factors that affect women's career progression. The population for this study comprised hotel general managers, departmental heads and supervisors from classified hotels at the coast and classified hotel owners operating hotel businesses at the coast region of Kenya. The study employed stratified random sampling technique and the respondents were purposively selected. The sample size for this study was thirty seven men and three women general managers, forty three female hotel departmental managers and supervisors and three chain hotel owners. To establish validity and reliability of the instruments a pretest was conducted and the coefficient of internal consistency-the split-half reliability method was used. The study used questionnaire; Focus Group Discussions and Personal Interview methods to collect data. Descriptive statistics, Content analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple regressions were used for data analysis. This study identified Job related characteristics, Socio-cultural and organizational factors, work and family conflicts and gender discrimination as the factors that affect women's career progression in the hospitality industry in the coast region of Kenya. Job related characteristics had significant positive relationship with work and gender discrimination r = 0.991, p
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    Mass customisation as a business strategy for five star hotels in Nairobi, Kenya
    (2011-08-24) Khayiya, Rosemarie Ayuma
    Mass production as a paradigm of marketing management has dominated the world industrial production. Competition and changing consumer tastes and preferences show that, mass production is not enough to keep businesses going. Companies are shifting from the paradigm of mass production to mass customisation. The purpose of the study, therefore, was to establish the suitability of mass customisation as a business strategy for five star hotels in Nairobi, Kenya. To achieve this, the study sought to: find out the level of awareness of the mass customisation concept among five star hotels; establish customers' attitudes on the utilisation of mass customisation; identify factors which enhance or retard the application of mass customisation and determine factors that influence the length of stay and reasons for visiting the five star hotels. The study used a descriptive survey design. The target population were all the fourteen five star hotels in Kenya. The study limited itself to Nairobi. Three questionnaires and interview schedule were used to collect the data. Socio-demographic data was analysed by use of percentages and frequencies. Relationships between independent and dependent variables were analysed using cross tabulations and Chi-square tests. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the best predictor variables for length of stay and reasons for visiting the surveyed five star hotels. This study established that there was a difference in the levels of awareness of the concept of mass customisation among the surveyed five star hotels, with some hotels being more aware of the concept than others. Findings of the study also revealed that mass customisation aspects varied on the degree to which they influenced the length of stay and reason for visiting the five star hotels. Though all the variables considered did contribute to length of stay and reasons for visiting the five star hotels, not all were significant on Chi-square analysis. Some of those factors which were insignificant under Chi-square tests were found to be significant in the multiple regression models. Additionally, controlling specific variables not only made tea/coffee making facilities and healthy eating options critical predictors of the reason for visiting the hotels, but they also made significant contributions to the model. This research also established that hotels were not flexible enough to accommodate customer requests not normally provided for. Finally, findings showed the awareness levels of mass customisation varied across hotels and customers were not allowed to input in the design of products, implying that hotels were insensitive to customer requirements. Mass customisation is also not yet fully conceptualised by most of the five star hotels, and most hotels have not internalised the basic tenets. Based on findings, it was recommended that: hotels involve customers in the design of products to ensure tailoring of products to customer needs; due to the fact that customers are diverse in their needs, it is practically impossible to have all the necessary facilities and expertise to meet these needs, which then calls for outsourcing and/or consultancy; the hotels need to be flexible and dynamic to adapt to an ever changing environment.