Food sharing apps in the hospitality industry: Strategies to mitigate risks and enhance benefits for increased adoption

Abstract

This study seeks to develop a broad-based understanding of the non-adoption of food sharing apps (FSAs) by hospitality businesses. This study answers three research questions: First, what are the perceived risks of FSAs that prevent their adoption by hospitality organizations; second, what are the perceived benefits of FSAs that are likely to encourage their adoption by hospitality organizations; and third, what strategies can be adopted by FSAs to mitigate the perceived risks and enhance the perceived benefits of adoption of FSAs by hospitality businesses. A multistage qualitative study involving three stages of data collection was undertaken. The findings revealed that perceived risks included business issues, management issues, regulatory concerns, business conditions, and issues with app companies. Perceived benefits included enhanced reputation, business gains, customer benefits, and doing good. Strategies to mitigate perceived risks and enhance perceived benefits emphasized closer communication and collaboration between FSAs and businesses.