Technology-enhanced activity spaces in the hotel Industry: An ethnographic study of intrinsic practice transformation and system implementation in Norway and Brazil

Abstract

Computer technologies now surround us at a daily basis, not only in work-related matters, but also other areas of our daily lives. The tools that we employ constitute to advanced interactive habitats, and one needs to study how users employ these resources in their everyday settings. Changing conditions with the introduction of new artifacts and practices constantly inflicts people, and this ethnopgraphic research aims to contribute to how this aspect might affect the day-to-day activities at two hotels located in Norway and Brazil respectively. It wil analyse empirical evidence obtained in an ethnographic study on how various actors take advantage of technologies in different activity spaces across durations of time. A system implementation process is evaluated by looking at its impact and on how employees employ solutions to problems that might arise. The study also wishes to investigate the value of intrinsic practice transformation by providing users with tools and elaborate upon their practices in order to transform and hopefully improve their work-related activities. One is related to converting a paper-based cleaning staff roster into a Google Doc, while the other explains the switch from a traditional fax machine to email as a technology for handling all types of communication with various suppliers. Ranges of factors are discussed that are affected due to these innovations being accomplished by the users themselves, such as how they impact the interactive ecologies. Finally, it will show how cultural differences may affect various criteria at the hotels, such as their willingness to address problems and the use of technology contra man labour.