A Conceptual View of Knowledge Management Adoption in Hospitality Industry of Developing Economies

Existing research addresses and recognises the importance and benefits of knowledge management in the hospitality industry but especially in big hotels and in developed economies. Little or nothing has been researched in developing economies, yet the hospitality industry there is recognised in literature as a means of income redistribution and foreign currency earning. This chapter attempts to fill this gap by developing a theoretical model of KM adoption in the hospitality businesses of developing economies. The major constructs considered relevant are developmental factors, information technology, culture, and intention to adopt KM. Though at the moment a conceptual paper, the implications of the study are presented and they include the need for managers to collaboratively provide infrastructure, information technology, and training. They also have to use culture to their advantage in order to encourage KM use in their businesses.