FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ORIENTATION AND HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINT SYSTEM UPTAKE BY HOTELS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is an important food safety management system that most food production entities across the world endeavor to implement. In spite of this, a review of extant literature on food safety management reveals that the successful adoption of the HACCP system faces a number of challenges regarding its management and implementation. The barriers to effective execution of HACCP system vary from country to country and from one hospitality sector to another. The general objective of this study was to establish the influence of food safety management systems orientation on HACCP system uptake in star rated hotels in Nairobi City County given the moderating effect of a set of contextual factors namely food safety regulations, market forces, size of the hotel, management commitment and funding level. The specific objectives of the study were to assess the following aspects within the four and five star-rated hotels in Nairobi City County: i) the influence of employee behaviors towards HACCP system on HACCP system uptake; ii) the influence of employee attitudes towards HACCP system on HACCP system uptake; iii) the influence of employee knowledge of HACCP system on HACCP system uptake; iv) the moderating effect of contextual factors on the relationship between employee food safety management systems orientation and HACCP system uptake and lastly v) the effect of the contextual factors on HACCP system uptake in the four and five star rated hotels in Nairobi City County. Corresponding null hypotheses were also set for empirical assessment. The study was guided by the logical positivism philosophy of research and adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. Quantitative data was successfully collected from a total of 33 executive chefs and 255 chefs who constituted the study units/respondents of the study from 16 out of the targeted 22 four and five star rated hotels in Nairobi City County. In addition, qualitative data was collected from a total of 16 Food and Beverage Managers through an interview schedule with one manager being interviewed from each of the 16 hotels. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statics, regression analysis and partial correlations while content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study results established a significantly positive relationship between employee behaviors and attitudes towards HACCP system and the star rated hotels’ HACCP system uptake. The study further found that that contextual factors direct influence on the hotels’ HACCP system uptake was significantly positive for size of the hotel, management commitment and adequacy of HACCP system funding while market forces effect on HACCP system uptake was found to be significantly negative. When the moderating effect of the contextual factors on the relationship between food safety orientation and HACCP system uptake by the star rated hotels in Nairobi City County was assessed, it was established that food safety regulations, market forces, size of the hotel and management commitment had a significantly negative influence on this relationship. Although the study had certain limitations, it nonetheless offers opportunities for future research. In addition, the study provides important recommendations to hotel managers and other food production industry practitioners on requisite considerations when implementing HACCP system in addition to advancing the frontiers of knowledge on the concept of food safety management in general and HACCP system in particular.