QUALITATIVE ASSIGNMENT

In Compliance with International Operations: A

perception about environmental practices of leading
four and five star hotels in Karachi

AYESHA HAMEED
TABINDA QURESHI
TEHREEM FATIMA
 INTRODUCTION

The concern for environment has increased in the recent decades and climatic changes are a popular subject
around the globe. People have become aware of the environmental issues taking place all over the world
and the damage caused by it (Laroche, bergeron, & guido-barbero, 2001). The issue of sustainability has
risen in all industries including hotels (Marin & and Jafari, 2002).

In Zimbabwe and South Africa very first time the investigation has been done on environmentally friendly practice
graded 3, 4 and 5 stars hotels. Hotel play the vital part of accommodating the public travelling, in contrast in South
Africa and Zimbabwe, the hotel industry is encountering the overload of mismanagement of solid waste an increased
use of water and energy. The study revealed of dealing the with the bottom line issues hotels are participated in the
environmentally friendly practice initiatives, Green management has now introduced in hotels ranging from saving
of energy, usage of solar energy, implementing policy like no print (paperless environment), water saving and before
laundering use it once, make use of waste management and soap bottles. The solid rationale of introducing the
implementation of green management in hotel industry is to attain the customer retention and competitive
advantage, resources saving cost reduction and prevent the environment for long term sustainability. (Mbasera,
Plessis, Saayman, & Kruger, 2016)

In Europe and Us Managemnt of hotel indutry will only give attention to the solid waste mangement and
apprpriate methods of energy saving if they minimize the other expenditure.

One of the study showed the prevaling situation in the hotel industry like turkey the case study of Ankara
hotel first and formost the managers seems reluctant the seriousness of the cause of the implementation of
environmental friendly practices and protection policies secondly, as per Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) Turkey should prepare the EIA report especially the hotels who have more than 50 guest rooms but
later found that only 20% have prepared the EIA report. Only out of which 1 four star and 1 three star has
prepared a written EIA report Environmental protection policy, 3 out of 7 graded five star, 11 out of four-
star and 11 out of 16 three star hotels has no any EIA report Environmental policy program. (Erdogan &
Baris, 2007).

Dawn news reported A four graded Regent Plaza fire and safety system, located in Shah-rah-Faisal
karachi. Civil defense officials had not come up with any written updated documents with regards
to fire-fighting equipment at hotels. Furthermore the police reported that CCTV camera operator
present in the control room had no information about fire and safety. The facility of installation of
smoke-detection system was only served at the mezzanine and first floors of the hotel. (Tanoli,
2017)

According to the other report in Regent Plaza hotel 12 people have lost their lives due to huge
suffocations through fire eruption in hotels and 75 people were undergo serious injuries (Ali &
Gaffar, 2016)

Keeping in view, the global fear of environmental disturbance, customers seek accommodation in
hotels that are environment friendly in India (Manaktola & Jauhari, 2007).

There has been an in-depth investigation in the context of impact of climatic changes on industries
in relation to factors like competitive advantage (Hart, 1995), firm performance (Claver-Corts,
Molina-Azorn, Pereira-Moliner, & Lpez-Gamero, 2007), best hotel practices (Enz & Siguaw,
1999), innovation as an organizational strategy in hotel industry leads to organizational success
(Hjalager, 2010), cost minimization (Christmann, 2000) but in the context of Pakistan, very little
has been studied in comparison to international practices for environmental management.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

This research is being conducted with a view to identify 4 and 5 star hotels in Karachi.
These hotels will be investigated for the environmental security practices that are being implemented in the
premises. The practices of these hotels will be analyzed against the international standards and practices.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study will seek answers to the following questions:

How many 4 and 5 star hotels are operating in Karachi?

What is their understanding of environmental practices?

To what extent global environmental concern is being addressed in the hotels?

What are the international standards for ensuring sustainable hotels and the environmental
practices implemented across the border?

LITERATURE REVIEW

TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENT

When it comes to environmental concerns, there are some standard words attached
with it these words will be viewed separately to have clear picture what they actually mean.

Sustainability

Meeting the current needs by extending efforts without harming the capability of future
processes to meet the current needs is known as sustainability according to World Commission for
Economic Development (WCED, 1987) . Sustainability is intended to balance the economic development
interests, appropriate arrangement and installation of resources provided by the environment and the
social well being (Elkington, 1998).

Green

The procedures and methods adopted by an origination in order to reduce, eradicate and
preferably secure environment from the negative effects (Cooper, 1998). The origination of green
consumers can be traced back in 1990s known as green decade and the movement dispersed in the West
Germany and West US (Kirkpatrick, 1990). The original idea to opt for green concept was based on the
obedience of regulations imposed by the government and save money by efficient energy usage and waste
reduction. Though, green management and green hotels have become customer demand which has more
areas of connection with the theme of service quality and employee morale (Enz & Siguaw, 1999).

Environmental protection
 In the context of environmental protection, the term characterizes the concept with the
resources in the outside environment. These resources are not materials that are based on capital or
objects. They rather refer to the facilities that facilitate in the recreation and make the planet a healthy
place to survive. Similarly, the firm operates in the social environment where it executes activities. However,
the environmental resources are not related to the economic systems (Aguilera, 1994).

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN IN HOTELS

As hotels belong to the Hospitality and tourism, the concerns are growing towards technological
advancement and becoming energy efficient, since 1992 (Kalisch, 2002). Consumers are becoming
increasingly aware of the hazards imposed by the environment on the surroundings and damages specially
caused by the human activities. Hotel operations lead to carbon emissions in the air, excessive use
of water and energy along with consumption of non-durable goods (Manaktola & Jauhari, 2007).
Therefore, they seek hotels that bind eco-friendly practices. According to (Stipanuk, 1996) hotels
consider waste control and energy conservation to be critical in the environmental
administration. Same has been confirmed by the survey conducted by the (AH&MA) American
Hotel and Motel Association which disclosed that the managers of the hotel marked energy
efficiency practices and waste control program to be their prime focus.

The hotel industry is apprehensive in protecting environment by procedures of recycling

the waste, non-pollutant air and water, energy preservation and water storage, permits of
construction, fulfillment of rules and laws and environmental education (Mensah, 2006).

The environmental program has been explained by The International Hotels

Environment Initiative (1996) which states a policy that delivers clear features of the
environmental policy: developing a team associated with the environmental management,
formulating a plan that should be implemented in order cut the consumption of unnecessary
energy and water along with goods, decreasing the level of emissions, constructing awareness
programs for customers and staff elevating environmental awareness, ask collaborative
partnerships from the stakeholders for using materials that are environment friendly, active
participation in the activities taking place in community like joining environmental associations
for carrying out research, look for published materials on environmental issues and solve them by
integrating into services.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES IN HOTELS

Connecting environmental concern with the social responsibility, green hotel association in
U.S designed a program for securing water, conserving energy and minimizing wastage (Green
hotels Association, 2005). A guideline was provided to the U.S hotels in order to cater to the dynamics of
environment, International Hotels Environmental Initiative (IHEI) (W. & and Lam, 2001).

With the advent of 21st century, the problem of environmental weakening is considered as
an economic dilemma around the globe as the industries extend all over the world along with the
rise in population of the world (Daz, 1996). Corporations are inclined towards the culture of social
and environmental management which is imposing threat to those who are not adopting environmental
practices. Firms are encouraged to adopt the policy of environmental security due to the increased
importance and customer preferences (Ludevid, 2000).

The firms efforts of engaging in the environmental management practices have elevated
a contest of profitability in terms of adoption of social-environmental policies. In this concern
(Walley & Whitehead, 1994) has proposed that these efforts are not favorable in terms of profit for the
organization while (Porter & Van der Linde, 1995) put forward that these practices have positive impact
on the firms profitability.

HOTELS IN PAKISTAN

With the survey of literature, it was identified that Pakistan Hotel Association regard 4
And 5 star hotels in Karachi in compliance with the standard criteria of the hotels that fall under
4 and 5 star category:

Movenpick, Marriot Hotel, Regent Plaza, PC, Avari Hotel and Ramada Plaza Hotel (Pakistan
Hotel Association). However, more information will be extracted via written mails and interviews from
their data bank of PHA.

Methodology

Study Design A qualitative review will be conducted on the basis of literature review of
worldwide environmental practices in hotels. After deep understanding on targeted operational
practices, respective questionnaires will be designed to extract findings and conclusion.

Setting: Majority of the interviews will be conducted in corporate office and face-to-face.
Occasionally, casual venues can be used and communication is also expected to be done through
calls and E-mails

Participants: Stakeholders, Senior Managers, Managers, industry employees and corporate

customers will be interviewed

Sample Size: 15 to 18 participants will be interviewed

Recruitment: Participants will be selected from the hotels and frequent corporate
users/guests of the industry, within city.
Consent: Participants will be informed in advance about the research and its objective. A
formal consent will be taken before the interview on their understanding, terms and conditions
to participate in the study.

Data sources: Unstructured interviews will be conducted and the questionnaires will be
designed with open-ended questions. Both primary and secondary sources including periodicals,
journals and libraries will be searched for data gathering.

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