Research Report: Cleanliness in Meriton Service Apartments

This research report investigates the issue of customer complaints regarding cleanliness in Meriton Service Apartments, with a specific focus on the performance of room attendants. The study aims to identify the primary causes of below-standard cleanliness levels and recommend strategies for improvement. The research explores the socio-psychological aspects of room attendant performance, considering factors such as emotional labor and the impact of the work environment. The methodology involves a mixed approach, combining qualitative interviews with the housekeeping manager and quantitative surveys with employees. The research employs a positivism philosophy and a deductive approach, utilizing exploratory research design and purposive sampling techniques. The literature review covers relevant topics such as room attending performance, socialist feminist theory, and the challenges faced by room attendants. The report provides an overview of the research problem, research aim, research questions, methodology, and literature review, offering valuable insights into improving cleanliness and employee satisfaction within the Meriton Service Apartment.

Running Head: INDUSTRY RESEARCH
INDUSTRY RESEARCH

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Research problem
Meriton Service Apartment is facing the number of customer complaints on social
networking sites regarding the cleanliness of the rooms. The key concerned areas of
cleanliness are related to ‘Bathroom and Toilets’ and the least area is related to ‘Exterior’.
Housekeeping area is essential for hotel operation within the hotel and is associated with
cleaning of bedrooms and washrooms which are being not taken care off at Meriton Service
Apartment. As ‘cleanliness’ of Meriton service apartment is directly associated with the HR
department hence, the researcher will focus on issues and recommendation that would be
used to provide higher satisfaction and motivation to its employees. It is essential for the
facility manager to comprehend the key factor that may impact on the customer selection for
buying the room in Meriton Service Apartment. Several investigations have conducted that
shows the factor of cleanliness is an influential part for attracting potential customers.
Research aim
The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the factors affecting the performance of room
attendants and causing below standard cleanliness level in Meriton Service Apartment. The
objectives of the study relating to room attendant’s performance and the cleanliness of the
room in Meriton Service Apartment
 To find out the primary causes of the below standard performance of the Room
Attendants
 To recommended strategies for overcoming the problems of cleanliness in Meriton
Service Apartment
Research question(s)

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 What is the recent scenario of cleanliness in Meriton Service Apartment?
 What are the causes of Room Attendants to perform below standard?
 How can you overcome the problems of cleanliness in Meriton Service Apartment?
Literature review
Room attending performance
The socio psychological process of attending rooms and completing each task while
interacting with other guests or residents is the performance related to room attending. The
range of work starts to clean and dusting of the room, setting the room up as per the interest
of the resident, to help the residents with the daily chores and sometimes room attending may
also end up babysitting (Kensbock et al. 2016). Room attending needs a lot of physical labour
for the employees attending the rooms.
Room attendant
This is mainly considered to be the work of females which involves a lot of physical
as well as physiological hard work, earning minimal pay and also sustaining a very low
status. Despite the hard work room attendants are hardly recognized. As the image of the
attendants are based on the type of job they do this they are always undervalued and unseen.
According to Knox et al. (2015), a term known as emotional labour has become a feature of
their work. They are the ones for whom the apartments are cleaned and the residents can live
in peace but their hard work is not appreciated and they are always expected to work better.
They are suppressed by society, as a result, they do not have any voice to speak on their own
behalf. In modern residential apartments or in the hotels the room attendants are the ones who

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prepare the room for the residents or guests and assists them to set up the place (Kensbock et
al. 2016). But their work always remains unseen and unappreciated. After a certain point, it
becomes very difficult for the room attendants to continue with the work. It needs a great deal
to psychologically preparing oneself to combat with the monotonous job and encouraging
themselves to give the best efforts in satisfying a resident or guest.
Socialist feminist theory
The task of cleaning and setting up the room has been designated to the women and
this has been going on for generations. The concept of room attendants came from the long
back concept of having house maids. There is a theory known as the socialist, feminine
critical theory which helps in understanding the work of the room attendants (Kensbock et al.
2016). It states that the performance of the room attendants is based on the type of service
they are providing, the nature of their job and also their manners also play a crucial part in
satisfying guests.
Methodology
This section is going to define the most appropriate approach or methods that can be
undertaken to complete the research study. With the help of the research onion tool, the
present research is going to be completed. The tools required for gaining the most accurate
results for the research objectives are discussed as follows.
Research philosophy

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Within the current research context, positivism research philosophy has been chosen
to analyse the topic. According to Cameron (2009), it will help in analysing the hidden facts,
information and data required for improving the cleanliness performance in Meriton Service
Apartment.
Research approach
The deductive approach is been chosen for this particular research study. It is a top to
a bottom approach which starts through theory and secondary sources and then relies on the
observation of the primary data to gain the most accurate results (Ellis and Levy, 2009). The
selection of the deductive approach is going to help in understanding the importance of
cleanliness and how it can be improved within the Meriton Service Apartment.
Research design
The researcher has tried to eliminate the descriptive and explanatory tools of research
design and adopted the exploratory research design to meet with the research objectives (Tuli,
2010). The exploratory design of research will be acknowledging various factors affecting the
cleanliness of Meriton Service Apartment and also help in producing ideas and thoughts that
can be recommended to improve the housekeeping service.
Data collection and sampling technique
The research study will be completed by adopting a mixed approach of qualitative and
quantitative analysis technique. For the purpose of the study primary data will be collected in
the form of survey questionnaire and interview will be taking place with the housekeeping
manager of Meriton Service Apartment. The interview question will be analysed through
qualitative technique and the questionnaire data will be analysed in quantitative technique
(Ellis and Levy, 2009).

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Purposive sampling technique will be used for selecting the sample population of the
study (Cameron, 2009). The manager and employees of the hotel responsible for
housekeeping and cleanliness are going to be selected. Further, the 10 set of survey
questionnaire will be produced to 8 employees and 2 set of interview questions will be
produced to the managers. The process of research will take place in accordance with the
standards of ethical consideration for research methods.

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References
Cameron, C.J., Lind, E., Wennhage, P. and Göransson, P., 2009. Proposal of a Methodology
for Multidisciplinary Design of Multifunctional Vehicle Structures including an Acoustic
Sensitivity Study. International Journal of Vehicle Structures & Systems (IJVSS), 1.
Ellis, T.J. and Levy, Y., 2009. Towards a Guide for Novice Researchers on Research
Methodology: Review and Proposed Methods. Issues in Informing Science & Information
Technology, 6.
Kensbock, S, Jennings, G, Bailey, J. and Patiar, A 2016, ‘Performing: Hotel room attendants’
employment experiences’, Annals of Tourism Research, no.56, pp.112-127.
Knox A, Warhurst C, Nickson D, and Dutton E 2015, ‘More than a feeling: using hotel room
attendants to improve understanding of job quality’, The International Journal of Human
Resource Management, no.26, vol.12, pp.1547-1567.
Tuli, F., 2010. The basis of distinction between qualitative and quantitative research in social
science: Reflection on ontological, epistemological and methodological
perspectives. Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences, 6(1).