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Improving Business Processes of Jamaican Agritourism Enterprises: Using ICT to Increase Collaboration and Information Sharing

Anglin, Patrick Alexander

[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2015.

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Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been used in several sectors and industries and have generated positive results especially in respect of increasing productivity and collaboration. While the discipline of social informatics has studied the use of ICT in agriculture and in tourism as separate fields, little work has been done to look at ICT use in agritourism – the intersection of agriculture and tourism. Even less (or no) work has been done on ICT use in agritourism in small island developing states, the Caribbean, or Jamaica.This thesis presents the first look at the variables to be considered in applying ICT to agritourism in the Jamaican context. A holistic view of the Jamaican agritourism sub-sector, in the form of the newly crafted Jamaican Agritourism Innovation System (JATIS) model, is presented showing the interactions among the various actors (sectors) required for successful ICT implementation. The JATIS model is an extension of previous Agriculture Innovation Systems (AIS) models and is specifically applied to the Jamaican context. However, as opposed to previous models, the JATIS highlights the critical role of purveyors, or middlemen, operating in Jamaican agritourism. The model formulates a mechanism, different from the current Jamaican agritourism structure, to include all industry players in the supply/demand interaction. The inclusion of all players is done through a series of farm and purveyor groups, enabled and facilitated by ICT. In addition, the model highlights the improved quality of information exchange among the players as a result of the modified interaction proposed. It might be possible to apply the model to other Small Island Developing States, particularly those in the Anglophone Caribbean, where the socio-cultural variables and economies are similar to Jamaica’s. However, further research will have to be conducted to verify, fine-tune, or customize the model for external application.