HOSPITALITY WORKFORCE COMPETENCY, DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, AND SERVICE QUALITY IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIAN HOTELS

Abstract

In Nigeria, not only is the hospitality sector booming but also excellent service standards can be
maintained by integrating workforce competencies with digitization. The research aims to
understand the interconnection between work competence, digital transformation, and service
quality among hotel establishments in Southwest Nigeria. A cross-sectional mixed-methods
research design was applied here. The interviewees (420 individuals; 300 workers, 60 managers,
60 visitors) across six provinces were randomly selected by using a multistage sample method,
Data were gathered using structured Likert-scale questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.
Quantitative data were analyzed based on descriptive statistics and multivariate statistical
procedures such as ANOVA, many regression, and hierarchical linear modeling, while with
qualitative data's content analysis was worked on. Results indicate that workplace technical and
people-based (interpersonal) competence were found to be fair to good (M = 3.18) and problemsolving ability was found to be relatively established (M = 3.02), but digital literacy (computer
literacy and internet literacy) (M = 2.94) is inadequate. Most of the hotels adopted using the
internet-based booking and payment system (M = 3.09), but proficiency notwithstanding of using
advanced means such as data analytics or artificial intelligence (AI) is weak (M = 2.73). ANOVA
results confirmed existence of grade-wise difference of service quality between grades of hotels
(F = 15.12, p < 0.01); however, upscale hotels were found to be better than budget hotels.
Regression analysis subsequently revealed that workforce competence, and notably people-based
(interpersonal) competence (β = 0.32) and digital literacy (β = 0.29) rather than mostly determine
service quality. Qualitative results of interview revealed inhibitors such as lack of training, poor
bandwidth, and misalignment of policies. The research indicates the imperative of the hotels
putting money into staff training and digital literacy and into policy frameworks which align
hospitality education to the industries' digital demands; they too hold the key here. Inclusive digital
transformation relies on policies addressing small and medium-sized business enterprises'
demands and further improvements to infrastructure.