Prospects of the fourth industrial revolution for the hospitality industry: a literature review

Abstract

Purpose

The economy of today has moved toward the fourth industrial revolution (FIR), which is characterized by the adoption of technologies such as cyber-physical systems, internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence and robotics. Globally, there is a lot of awareness created on the influence of the FIR on all industries, including hospitality and tourism. A plethora of studies on FIR have been conducted in the setting of manufacturing industries. Nonetheless, there seems to be in-exhaustive and non-consensual agreement among researchers as to the development and prospects of the FIR for service industries. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to comprehensively review the prospects of the FIR for the hospitality and tourism industry.

Design/methodology/approach

As a result of the novelty and gaps associated with the FIR in the hospitality literature, the authors explored the concept of FIR using a comprehensive literature review approach. Specifically, this paper reviews existing literature from diverse academic backgrounds, and annotates issues with regard to the evolution and prospects of the FIR for the hospitality industry.

Findings

Emphatically, the development and principles of FIR were expatiated. Additionally, an exegesis was carried out on the prospects (positives and challenges) of FIR for the hospitality industry. Finally, practical and social implications were also discussed.

Originality/value

It still remains a discourse among scholars and industry stakeholders as to the prospects of the FIR. This paper clarifies the confusion among researchers and bridges the literature gaps. Moreover, this review serves as a theoretical foundation for future research on the impact of FIR on the hospitality industry.

论酒店业的第四次工业革命之前景：文献综述

研究目的

今日经济已经迈入第四次工业革命（FIR）阶段; 其特点包括科技运用, 如网络-实体系统、物联网、大数据、人工智能、和机器人。全球人已经达成共识: FIR整个产业包括酒店和旅游业有着重大影响。目前有很多FIT研究在生产工业背景中。然而, 研究者们似乎对FIR在服务产业中的发展和前景未达成太多的共识。

研究涉及/方法/途径

由于FIR在酒店文献中的新奇和欠缺, 本论文借助全面文献综述法, 来专注于研究FIR的概念。具体来说, 本论文审视了多个科研背景下的现有文献; 以及指出FIR对酒店产业的革命和前景的相关问题。

研究结果

研究结果展示了FIR的发展和原则。此外, 本论文还指出了FIR对酒店产业的前景分析。最后, 本论文还讨论了基于本论文结果而衍生的实际启示和社会启示。

研究原创性/价值

目前在学者和产业相关者之间, 对于FIR的前景讨论存在分歧。本论文解释了研究人员之间的疑惑以及弥补文献缺口。此外, 本论文还对未来关于FIR在酒店产业影响的研究奠定了理论基础。

Citation

Osei, B.A., Ragavan, N.A. and Mensah, H.K. (2020), "Prospects of the fourth industrial revolution for the hospitality industry: a literature review", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 479-494. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-08-2019-0107