{"id":8172,"date":"2026-10-21T23:31:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T23:31:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/global-travel-news\/weaving-technology-into-green-practice\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T23:31:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T23:31:32","slug":"weaving-technology-into-green-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/global-travel-news\/weaving-technology-into-green-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Weaving Technology into Green Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/div>\n

\"Weaving<\/a>Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, October 22, 2026 \/ TRAVELINDEX \/ Hotels play an indispensable role in environmental stewardship. Yet how new technologies can actually translate into green hotel management is not straightforward. Taking their cue from sociological approaches, the SHTM\u2019s Ms Sherry D.B. Mi, Professor Dan Wang and Professor Qu Xiao shine new light on this question in recently published research. Their real-world observations offer practical guidance for hotel governance, in light of growing calls for the industry to prioritise environmental management (EM).<\/p>\n

Advances in environmental technology (ET) are the driving force for the spread of EM practices in hospitality. As the authors point out, technology in one form or another is now used to support EM in over 50% of hotel properties worldwide, a trend led by major chains. \u201cHilton uses water management systems for usage monitoring\u201d, they note, \u201cand the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has installed smart mirrors in bathrooms to showcase sustainability initiatives to guests\u201d.<\/p>\n

ET as a set of technical capabilities is separate from EM as a managerial practice, and researchers need to bear this difference in mind. \u201cWhile hotel EM and ET are foundational to sustainability\u201d, the researchers argue, \u201cthey operate as distinct entities. Their integration can generate dynamic interactions that transform both ET usage patterns and hotel EM practices\u201d. How the material features of ET shape trends in EM, and how EM philosophies drive ET\u2019s implementation, were the key unknowns motivating their study.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s climate, both literal and political, the importance of ecological sustainability is in little doubt. The public, firms and shareholders generally agree that ET and EM should <\/em>be adopted. The time has thus come for a more sophisticated examination of how this happens in practice, which the authors aimed to provide. \u201cMoving beyond the traditional adoption perspective\u201d, they explain, \u201cthis study shifts the focus from what <\/em>factors influence adoption to how <\/em>affordances and constraints shape ET implementation and its impact on hotel green performance\u201d.<\/p>\n

The concepts of affordances and constraints stem from the researchers\u2019 chosen theoretical lens: technology affordances and constraints theory (TACT). In this view, affordances<\/em> are processes by which users perceive the potential of technologies and deploy them to achieve practical effects. \u201cAffordances and constraints emerge not from technological features alone, but from the interaction between technology and users, creating action possibilities\u201d, the researchers explain. In management, however, barriers are rife: firms \u201coften struggle to recognise technological affordances or face constraints during implementation due to complex organisational factors\u201d.<\/p>\n

Guided by TACT, the authors emphasised the interaction between ET affordances and organisations in shaping practical EM outcomes. \u201cWe conceptualise ET implementation as a dynamic, relational process\u201d, they explain, \u201cexamining how hotels navigate ET\u2019s affordances and negotiate constraints throughout implementation\u201d. To conceptualise these affordance\u2013constraint interactions, they adopted a vivid metaphor from sociology research: imbrications<\/em>, or \u201cthe interweaving of human and material agencies and how this interlock shapes human actions\u201d.<\/p>\n

The team\u2019s synergy of TACT and the imbrication lens was further informed by an analytical toolkit derived from the technology\u2013organisation\u2013environment (TOE) framework. \u201cRooted in the contextual realities of hotels in emerging markets\u201d, they write, \u201cthe TOE framework supports our analysis by systematising how technological, organisational and environmental contexts shape ET\u2019s affordances and constraints\u201d. This well-founded theoretical basis was crucial for interpreting their empirical data as fruitfully and rigorously as possible.<\/p>\n

The team initially conducted a two-stage, phenomenon-driven investigation of affordance\u2013constraint imbrications in hotels across China and Hong Kong. \u201cThe first round comprised 36 in-depth semi-structured interviews with hotel senior managers\u201d, they note. \u201cThe second research phase involved on-site visits to two hotels in Hong Kong that demonstrated exemplary ET practices\u201d. In particular, \u201cinformal interviews with managers and operational staff provided valuable insights into the daily routines and practical aspects of ET implementation\u201d.<\/p>\n

Based on these findings, the team next proposed \u201ca TACT-Imbrication framework that delineates the key phases and imbrications in hotel ET implementation\u201d. The framework, they explain, \u201celucidates ET implementation as a dynamic and relational process shaped by the interaction between ET\u2019s affordances\/constraints and hotel EM\u201d. This construct informed the second half of their study, a survey of over 350 hotel managers investigating how these imbrications influence hotels\u2019 green performance.<\/p>\n

Overall, the results showed that three key conditions shape ET implementation in hotels: digital transformation imperatives, organisational culture and regulatory requirements. While the pressure to go digital does not stem solely from green concerns, once digitalisation is underway, it naturally presents new technological affordances for EM. Similarly, organisational awareness of the requirement for technological renewal is an enabler of EM. The participating hotel managers \u201crecognised ET\u2019s potential to upgrade current infrastructure<\/em>, particularly for those hotels with aging buildings and operational systems\u201d.<\/p>\n

ET implementation, however, can be a significant financial commitment. \u201cThe major constraint of implementing ET\u201d, according to the on-site observations, \u201cis substantial capital investment<\/em>\u201d. In the words of one interviewee, \u201cwe would love to invest in the latest green technologies, but the upfront cost is really high\u201d. Such prohibitive cost factors may partly explain the researchers\u2019 finding that \u201clarge hotels and those incepted more recently demonstrated a stronger commitment to green performance improvements\u201d.<\/p>\n

How are the affordances and constraints interwoven? \u201cImbrication 1\u201d, according to the developed framework, \u201cidentifies green governance as a critical strategic affordance connecting the perception and preparation phases in ET implementation\u201d. Green governance<\/em> flows from a commitment to environmental protection at the top management level. \u201cIn the hotel context\u201d, the researchers specify, \u201cit manifests through strategic initiatives, priorities and resource allocation toward ET\u201d.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, imbrication 2 establishes employee training as essential for transforming perceived ET affordances into actual usage. \u201cSuccessful ET implementation requires governance and staff training\u201d, say the researchers. This has important managerial implications: \u201cTo stay ahead\u201d, the authors advise, \u201cmanagers could adopt a proactive stance toward ET advancements by piloting emerging ET tools and investing in staff training to bridge skill gaps, ensuring teams can adapt to technologies like AI-driven predictive maintenance\u201d.<\/p>\n

Further recommendations were drawn based on the TOE framework. \u201cAt the technological level, hotels could prioritise infrastructure modernisation to unlock ET\u2019s full affordances\u201d, the researchers suggest. At the environmental level, meanwhile, ET implementation could align with broader sustainability goals, going beyond mere compliance to drive market differentiation. For instance, the authors propose that \u201chotels can leverage ET-collected data to craft compelling narratives or integrate ET with ESG frameworks to attract eco-conscious stakeholders\u201d. Policymakers should play a pivotal role in enabling this transition by offering financial incentives.<\/p>\n

For hotels, translating technological possibilities into environmental practices is evidently a complex process, with interlocking pathways and numerous barriers. The researchers\u2019 novel perspective helps unravel these phenomena. \u201cET\u2019s affordances and constraints become imbricated during hotel implementation\u201d, they tell us, \u201cshaping green performance outcomes\u201d. Plotting a course towards a technology-supported green future might soon become easier, thanks to this in-depth SHTM study.<\/p>\n

Zhiming Deng, Sherry D.B. Mi, Dan Wang and Qu Xiao (2025).<\/strong> The Imbrications of Technology and Hotel Environmental Management: Implementation and Impact. International<\/em> Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management<\/em>, Vol. 37, No. 11, pp. 3657\u20133687.<\/p>\n

About PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management
\n<\/u><\/strong>For more than four decades, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Ranked No. 1 in the world for the tenth consecutive year in the \u201cHospitality and Tourism Management\u201d category in the 2026 ShanghaiRanking\u2019s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects; placed No. 1 globally for nine years in a row in the \u201cCommerce, Management, Tourism and Services\u201d category in the 2025\/2026 University Ranking by Academic Performance; rated No. 1 in the world in the \u201cHospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism\u201d subject area by the 2017 CWUR Rankings by Subject; and ranked No. 2 globally among comprehensive universities in the \u201cHospitality and Leisure Management\u201d subject area in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, the SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The SHTM is driven by its mission to shape the future of global hospitality and tourism through pioneering education and impactful research that advance industry excellence and societal well-being. With a strong international team of over 90 faculty members from 21 countries and regions around the world, the SHTM offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees. Through Hotel ICON, the School\u2019s groundbreaking teaching and research hotel and an integral part of its paradigm-shifting approach to hospitality and tourism education, the SHTM advances teaching, learning and research, inspiring a new generation of passionate and pioneering professionals to take their positions as leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, October 22, 2026 \/ TRAVELINDEX \/ Hotels play an indispensable role in environmental stewardship. Yet how new technologies can actually translate into green hotel management is not straightforward. Taking their cue from sociological approaches, the SHTM\u2019s Ms Sherry D.B. Mi, Professor Dan Wang and Professor Qu Xiao shine new light …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8173,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[2592,116,110,118],"class_list":["post-8172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-travel-news","tag-global-golf-news","tag-global-travel-news","tag-news","tag-travelindex"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8172\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.top25golfcourses.com\/indonesia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}