Title: Crisis management within the social system theory retrospective and prospective analysis of COVID-19 crisis in tourism and hospitality

Authors: Ali Ben Yahia; Fatma Choura; Sihem Ben Saad

Addresses: Higher Institute of Management, University of Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory LIGUE, University of La Manouba, Tunisia ' Higher Institute of Computer Science, University of Tunis El Manar, 2080, Ariana, Tunisia; Laboratory LIGUE, University of La Manouba, 2010, Tunisia ' Business Department, Carthage Business School, University of Tunis Carthage, Tunisia

Abstract: This paper aims to understand the impact of the health crisis on the tourism and hospitality sector and to investigate the strategic and operational management of this crisis. The role of new technologies is particularly examined, and the study is positioned within the social system theory (SST) framework. To achieve this objective, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted, employing in-depth interviews with hotel managers. The results of the study highlight the impact of the crisis on the operational and strategic management of hotels, given the significant changes in demand and consumer needs. Consistent with the social system theory (SST), the findings demonstrate the interdependence among the various communities involved in the hospitality system. As a contribution, this study proposes an integrative model of crisis management within the theoretical framework of SST. Due to the novel, exceptional, and unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies on crisis management model in this context are very limited. As a result, decisions were primarily improvised, driven by the need for quick action, focused on operational aspects.

Keywords: COVID-19; crisis management; social system theory; SST; tourism; hospitality; digitalisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKMTH.2024.136328

International Journal of Knowledge Management in Tourism and Hospitality, 2024 Vol.3 No.3, pp.201 - 219

Received: 06 Jun 2023
Accepted: 13 Jun 2023
Published online: 30 Jan 2024 *

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