Factors Affecting the Adoption of Quality Management Systems in Zimbabwean Hotels

This paper aims at highlighting factors contributing to late adoption of quality management systems (QMS) in the Zimbabwe hotel industry. The research answered questions on: What are the internal factors affecting adoption of QMS in hotels; What are the external factors affecting adoption of QMS in the hotels. Hotel managers and key stakeholders in the hotel industry were interviewed to get data. Focus group discussions was used to get data from hotel staff members. Directed content analysis was used to analyse data. Some of the internal factors affecting adoption of QMS in the hotel industry in Zimbabwe identified are high staff and management turnover, absence of specialised quality function, poor remuneration of hotel employees and lack of financial resources. While some of the external factors identified are high taxes and licensing fees, industry over regulation, hyperinflation, and poor industry supporting infrastructure. The study recommended for creation of hotel industry stakeholder platform to enhance adoption of QMS in the hotel industry looking at how best to ease the identified factors. There is need for a review of hotel industry operating environment from regulator perspective so as to ease the operating environment which can improve the hotels sustainability.