Relationship between green operations practices and operational performance of hotels in the coastal region, Kenya

Abstract

Over the past few years, environmental concerns have led organizations to wide-spread \ninterest in sustainable practices and their relationships to operational performance. This is \nreflected in a growing number of recent papers which explore the relationship between \nenvironmental operations and business performance. \nAlong with the rapid change in global \nmanagement scenario, environmental and social issue \ns are becoming more important in \nmanaging any business. Green operations relate to a \nll aspects related to product \nmanufacture/re-manufacture, usage, handling, logistics and waste management once the \ndesign has been finalized. The study sought to determine the extent to which green \noperations practices have been adopted by hotels in \nthe coastal region, Kenya and to establish \nthe relationship between green operations management practices and operational performance \nof hotels. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional census survey design. A survey design \ndescribes people responses to questions about a phenomenon or situation with aim of \nunderstanding respondent’s perceptions from which truism is constructed. A cross-sectional \nsurvey however collects data to make inferences about a population of interest at one point in \ntime. The population of the study comprised of hotels in the coastal region as at August, \n2014. They were 47 in number. It was therefore a census study of all hotels in coastal region. \nThe study used primary data. Primary data was collected by the use of a structured \nquestionnaire. The questionnaire was administered using ‘drop-and-pick’ later method. The \nrespondents were the top managers of the hotels because they are deemed to be well versed \nwith the green practices in the respective departments. Descriptive statistics such as mean, \nstandard deviation and frequency were used in the analysis. The study used the regression \nanalysis to establish the relationship between the \nindependent variable (Green operation \npractices) and the dependent variable (operational \nperformance). The study established that \nthe hotels adopt a variety of green practices in the areas of energy consumption, water \nconsumption, waste generation, reduction and recycling and employee training and awareness \ncreation. The study also established that there is \na strong positive correlation between green \noperations practices and operational performance. Hotels view the green operations practices \nas very important hence adoption of green operation \ns practices by hotels have a positive \neffect on operational performance. From the finding \ns of the study, the researcher \nrecommended that the hotels should adopt green operation practices in energy consumption, \nwater consumption, waste management and awareness creation among employees. The hotels \nshould adopt energy and water conservation programs \nwhich are cheaper to implement. \nThese practices include water harvesting during the \nrainy season and encouraging switching \noff electrical gadgets which will not be in use. It \nalso includes the use of solar energy for \nheating and cooling systems. Policies and guided frameworks on using fewer resources are \nalso recommended to the hotels. The researcher also \nrecommends that green operation \npractices and their implications on the costs should be frequently communicated to the \nemployee. Hotels on another note should do their be \nst to facilitate employees’ participation in \ngreen practices. Hotel managers should also embrace \nregular environmental audits where \nenvironmental performance is constantly monitored and recorded. This can be achieved by \ndeveloping organizational systems and control to facilitate environmental reporting.

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