Description

The application of standardization practices ensures quality, consistency and safety in the production and procurement of products and services in order to make people’s lives safer, easier and better.
However, areas of enquiry on the impact of standardization have emerged, which have prompted the need for research to provide confirmation of the impact of its implementation. Studies in this area have increased over the last sixteen years, and focus on the macro and microeconomic impact of standards. These were mainly based on the traditional areas of standardization, like manufacturing and processing, where standards have been used for a long time. Research describing the impact of standardization on the emerging, dynamic Services sector received little attention internationally, with no research completed nationally.
Considering this gap in the available literature, this study described the economic, social and environmental impact of standardization on the Formal Service and Guest Accommodation industry, which includes hotels, boutique hotels, lodges, guest houses, county houses and bed-and-breakfasts (B&Bs), in South Africa.
The accommodation sector is part of the tourism industry, which is globally and nationally, one of the fastest growing industries. Understanding the industry-level impact of standards that are aligned to the National Development Plan (NDP) and the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) was essential in order to contribute to a body of knowledge that is used to communicate the strategic significance of standardization. Furthermore, this research contributed to the South African Bureau of Standards’ (SABS’s) knowledge hub and created a focused promotion of the value of standardization to socio-economic development challenges, as it describes the uptake of standards and their impact within the industry.
Using a quantitative methodology, the views provided by respondents on the implementation of standardization were analysed using 36 impact indicators. These were used to determine the economic, social and environmental impact of the implementation of standards in the accommodation establishments.
The data provided by the 643 usable responses were converted into numerical data for statistical analysis. The results indicated that the implementation of standards in the accommodation establishments was perceived to have a ‘strong’ to ‘highest’ impact. Overall, the top three highest perceived impacts were on ‘improved service quality’, followed by ‘increased customer satisfaction’ and thereafter ‘improved ability to meet health and safety requirements’. These indicators have a positive effect on the establishments’ risk management, reputation, employees, customer service, working conditions, health and safety, environmental management, legislation, and training and development.
Although all indicators rated highly, the lowest perceived impact of the implementation of standards was on employee Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and disease management programmes. The indicator affects the economic, social and environmental impact areas as it influences the establishment’s risk management, employees, the working conditions, health and safety management, training and development and ultimately the local economy.
Rating systems and certification schemes were found to be very popular in the industry, with the Star Grading System being the most popular rating system applied. An unexpected, but pleasantly surprising finding was the high percentage of implementation of South
African National Standards and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Management System Standards, thus indicating that the accommodation industry is not only partial to industry standards.
However, participation levels in both industry and national/international standards development was found to be low.
The study proved worthwhile, revealing a wealth of information on the implementation of standardization at the industry level. The outcomes can be used to further strengthen the relationship between the SABS and the accommodation industry. Additionally the study can be used as a starting point for several related future studies in the tourism and other sectors.