Hospitality Research: Sustainability at Langham Hotel, London

This report examines the critical role of sustainability in the hospitality industry, emphasizing its impact on business success and customer decision-making. The research focuses on the Langham Hotel in London, analyzing the significance of sustainability and eco-friendly practices within the hotel sector. The report investigates the impact of these practices on customer choices and brand image, highlighting the growing consumer concern for environmental responsibility. The research employs a positivism philosophy and deductive approach, utilizing a quantitative survey strategy for data collection and analysis. The study aims to identify appropriate sustainable initiatives for the Langham Hotel to enhance its brand image and attract more customers, considering cost, access, and ethical issues throughout the research process. The report concludes by discussing the research methodology, including data collection methods, sampling techniques, and data analysis methods, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the study's findings and implications.

Sustainability in Hospitality
Management
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Contents
TITLE: “Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry. A research project on Langham Hotel,
London.”..........................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Research Aim.........................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives...............................................................................................................3
Research Questions................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
Significance of concept of sustainability within the Hospitality Industry.............................4
Impact of adoption of sustainability and eco-friendly practices on customers’ decision making
while choosing a hotel............................................................................................................4
Appropriate sustainable and eco- friendly initiatives for Langham Hotel, London to improve
brand image and attracting larger number of customers........................................................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................5
Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................5
Research Approach.................................................................................................................5
Research Strategy...................................................................................................................6
Data Collection and Analysis Method....................................................................................6
Sampling.................................................................................................................................6
Cost, Access and Ethical Issues..............................................................................................6
Data Analysis Method............................................................................................................7
Research Timeline..................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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TITLE: “Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry. A research project on
Langham Hotel, London.”
INTRODUCTION
In current business environment, sustainability plays a significant role in growth and success
of a business organisation. In relation to hospitality industry, sustainability concept plays vital
role in leading it towards success (Jones, Hillier, and Comfort, 2016). People are getting more
concerned towards the environment and expect organisations to run their operations in
sustainable manner. This project intent to analyze the significance of concept of sustainability
within hospitality industry along with analyzing its impact on customers’ decision making while
choosing a hotel. The objectives of project give directions to investigator to reach the aim of
research.
Research Aim
The aim of this research project is “To analyze the significance of concept of sustainability
within hospitality industry along with analyzing its impact on customers’ decision making while
choosing a hotel. A research project on Langham Hotel, London.”
Research Objectives
The objectives in relation to this specific research study are as follows:
1. To analyses about the significance and importance associated with the concept of
sustainability within the Hospitality Industry.
2. To review about the impact of adoption of sustainability and eco-friendly practices on
customers’ decision making while choosing a hotel.
3. To recommended some more appropriate sustainable and eco- friendly initiatives for
Langham Hotel, London to have improvement in its brand image for attracting larger
number of customers.
Research Questions
The research questions associated with this specific study are provided below:
1. What is the significance and importance associated with the concept of sustainability
within the Hospitality Industry?
2. What is the impact of adoption of sustainability and eco-friendly practices on customers’
decision making while choosing a hotel?
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3. Which can be the appropriate sustainable and eco- friendly initiatives for Langham Hotel,
London to have improvement in its brand image for attracting larger number of
customers?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Significance of concept of sustainability within the Hospitality Industry
As per the opinion of Ozturkoglu, Sari, and Saygili, (2019), in 21st century, sustainability
is the key to successful business. Social responsibility or sustainability is becoming the primary
concern for private and public sector alike as well as the hotel sector is no exception.
Sustainability, in simple terms, means that natural ecosystem can constantly to support life as
well as render resources to mitigate the needs of present and the future generations. The
increased pressure of government, increasing cost and actions of competitors have motivated
hoteliers to adopt sustainability and make it a crucial part of corporate agenda. Sustainability is
very important for the organizations operating in hospitality industry. Adopting sustainability can
help in providing business with advantages in terms of attracting customers and improving brand
image. Sustainability initiatives help in improving the experience of guests and provide
competitive advantage in market.
Impact of adoption of sustainability and eco-friendly practices on customers’ decision making
while choosing a hotel
As per the opinion presented by Wiek, and Lang, (2016), adoption of eco-friendly and
sustainability practices impacts positively on decision making of customers while selecting the
hotel to stay. Today, people want to travel sustainably and want to feel good regarding the
accommodation they are staying in. In hospitality industry, the hotels are taking eco-friendly
initiatives in order to make their business practices more sustainable. People prefer to visit those
hotels which are environmentally and socially responsible. The practices associated with
corporate social responsibility and green buildings are the initiatives which impact positively on
the decisions of people and encourage them to visit the hotel. The environmental friendly
practices of organisation can attract more number of customers and impacts their decisions
associated with choosing a particular hotel to stay.
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Appropriate sustainable and eco- friendly initiatives for Langham Hotel, London to improve
brand image and attracting larger number of customers
As per the opinion presented by Rob Hard, (2019), there are various eco-friendly and
sustainability initiatives that can be adopt by Langham Hotel, London in order to attract large
number of customers and improve brand image (The Most Common Eco-Friendly Hotel
Initiatives, 2019). Local products, seasonal and fresh produce as well as other ingredients are
emerging as significant emphasis of food and beverage program of Hotel. A shift to sustainably
sourced as well as healthy cuisine provide travellers with unique opportunities to feel or
experience greater connection to the hotel they visit. So, food preparation is one of eco-friendly
initiative or strategy which can be used by hotel. Apart from this, reducing, reusing and recycling
waste can be the another strategy or way which can make an impact on reducing waste. Use of
refillable toiletry bottles in the bathroom can help in reducing waste. This also reduce the use of
plastic in the hotel.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Philosophy
The different research philosophies include realism, positivism, interpretivism,
functionalist, pragmatism and subjectivism among which the most commonly used philosophy
are interpretivism and positivism. Verifiable data is used in positivism philosophy whereas, the
interpretivism philosophy is rely on the principle according to which the investigator perform
significant role in observing social world (Kumar, 2018). In this study, researcher will make use
of positivism philosophy as this philosophy is based on testing the theories. The main advantage
of using this philosophy is that it based on quantitative data. However, the philosophy is
inflexible to use.
Research Approach
The two commonly used approaches in the research includes inductive and deductive
research approach. In relation to inductive approach, it is good for developing own theory.
Whereas, negative approach is associated with development of hypothesis based on existing
theory. This study will use deductive research approach as this help in defining the
interrelationship between two variables in effective way. Apart from this, it generalizes the
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finding to a certain extent, however, the researcher may not be able to understand the concept
(Mackey, and Gass, 2015).
Research Strategy
The research strategy can be defined as the step by step action plan that provides direction
to efforts and thoughts of researcher and enable to perform research systematically. The different
strategies of research include case study, quantitative survey, qualitative interviews, action
oriented research, systematic literature review etc. In this study, researcher will use quantitative
survey strategy as this is used widely for collecting data. The advantage of using this method is
that it will provide researcher with more accurate information on the study area. However, the
results of data are limited as it provides numerical descriptions (Habib, Pathik, and Maryam,
2014).
Data Collection and Analysis Method
In research study, data can be collected by using primary as well as secondary methods. In
primary method, first hand data is collected which is fresh and completely new. On the other
hand, in secondary method of data collection, second hand data is collected. In this particular
study, researcher will make use of both types of data collection methods, i.e., primary and
secondary method. The primary data will gather through questionnaire and online articles and
journals are used for secondary data (Murshed, and Zhang, 2016). The main reason of using both
methods is that it enables researcher to collect ample amount of information so that valid
outcomes of research can be drawn.
Sampling
Sampling is the method through which sample is selected by investigator from large
population. Probability and nonprobability sampling method are mainly used by researchers in
the study. In this particular investigation, researcher will use probability sampling in which the
type of sampling used will be simple random sampling. The reason of using this method is that it
provides equal opportunities of getting selected to individuals and help in reducing biasness
(King, and Mackey, 2016).
Cost, Access and Ethical Issues
In the research study, cost is one of the significant aspect that researcher needs to consider.
In performing this study, the estimated cost will be 500 pounds. The date of the study can be
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accessible only by the researcher and team members. Moreover, some ethical issues are taken
into consideration including maintaining privacy and confidentiality of data, taking informed
consent from the participant, selecting the sample size without any biasness etc. All these ethical
issues require to be considered by researcher at the time of performing research (Wiek, and
Lang, 2016).
Data Analysis Method
Data analysis can be defined as a process of applying statistical techniques systematically
to describe, condense and evaluate data. Data can be analysed by using quantitative and
qualitative analysis method. In this study, quantitative data analysis method will be used to
analyse the data through the entire stage of data collection (Ozturkoglu, Sari, and Saygili, 2019).
Research Timeline
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ozturkoglu, Y., Sari, F.O. and Saygili, E., 2019. A new holistic conceptual framework for
sustainability oriented hospitality innovation with triple bottom line perspective. Journal
of Hospitality and Tourism Technology.
Kumar, R., 2018. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage.
Wiek, A. and Lang, D.J., 2016. Transformational sustainability research methodology. In
Sustainability science (pp. 31-41). Springer, Dordrecht.
Murshed, F. and Zhang, Y., 2016. Thinking orientation and preference for research
methodology. Journal of Consumer Marketing.
King, K.A. and Mackey, A., 2016. Research methodology in second language studies: Trends,
concerns, and new directions. The Modern Language Journal, 100(S1), pp.209-227.
Jones, P., Hillier, D. and Comfort, D., 2016. Sustainability in the hospitality
industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Habib, M.M., Pathik, B.B. and Maryam, H., 2014. Research methodology-contemporary
practices: guidelines for academic researchers. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Online
The Most Common Eco-Friendly Hotel Initiatives, 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.thebalancesmb.com/sustainability-and-eco-friendly-hotel-initiatives-
1223545>
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