Perceptions of technology uses in hospitality [abstract]
Abstract
The hospitality industry, as well as many service industries, is becoming more dependent on technology for operating efficiency. This reality presents a dilemma to hospitality operators to keep their operations and employees current with technology demands. Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) programs have traditionally embraced the idea of technology and made it a part of their curriculum. However, because of the accelerated rate of technology development, and the fact that faculty have many varied responsibilities, this curriculum is not always current with recent developments and demands. The purpose of this research was to identify technology knowledge that students need to possess upon graduation from a HRM program. A survey was sent to a sample of hospitality professionals to obtain their perceptions of these technology needs. Specifically, perceptions were requested as to; the importance of software knowledge from graduating students, types of software knowledge needed by students, and types of software used by hospitality businesses. Results will show the importance of technology knowledge for a career in hospitality, and how best to prepare students with this knowledge. The importance of this research is in helping HRM programs and the hospitality industry better understand the preparation for students to pursue.