HUMAN FACTORS AND OPERATIONS COST REDUCTION IN HOTELS IN UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE: A CONCEPTUAL REVIEW

Abstract

This conceptual paper examines the influence of human factors (specifically pilfering and wastage) on operations cost reduction in hotels in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Situated within Nigeria's growing hospitality sector, the study draws attention to the persistent but understudied problem of internal resource attrition caused by employee pilfering and food and material wastage, both of which silently erode hotel profitability while complicating cost management efforts. Anchored on James Reason's Swiss Cheese Model (1990) and the Dirty Dozen framework, the paper argues that pilfering and wastage are not isolated behavioural aberrations but systemic manifestations of latent organisational weaknesses, including inadequate supervision, poor inventory control, weak ethical culture, and insufficient staff training, that collectively impede operations cost reduction. A conceptual framework linking pilfering and wastage to hotel operations cost reduction is proposed, and propositions are developed to guide future empirical inquiry. The paper concludes that hotel operators in Uyo must adopt integrated, systems-oriented human factors management strategies to curtail these cost drivers effectively. Recommendations are offered for hotel management, policymakers, and future researchers.