CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Presented below are several items functioning as a whole to introduce the

research. The background to the study, for example, provides complete information

about the rationale of the research, the fore-grounding of the problem can also be

found in this Chapter. Most importantly, the research questions were developed on

the basis of the background to come up with the problems that must be resolved in a

accordance with the objectives of the study to comply with the significance of the

research. This chapter ends with an outline of the research organization.

1.1 Background to the study

In our daily life, we need a comfortable place to stay, like home. When we are

travelling or far from home, a hotel can be a perfect shelter to stay. The Hotel

Proprietors Ordinance Chapter 158 provides a clear definition of hotel, “Hotel”

namely an establishment held out by proprietor as offering sleeping accommodation

to any person presenting himself who appears able and willing to pay a reasonable

sum for services and facilities provided and who is a fit state to be received. A hotel

has rooms in which people can stay and they also provide food, lodging, and other

service for paying guest. Some people love to stay hotels because they are pampered

by the staff, and also hotel facilities make them feel like royalty. As we know, when
we stay at the hotel, we are greeted and welcomed by friendly staff. The first thing to

do is that we need to go to the front desk (reception) to do check-in process.

‘Check-in’ is an activity that the guest should do when they stay at the hotel.

The guest should do registration to fulfill the regulation of the hotel. At the front desk

we will be greeted by a receptionist who will help us with our check in process. As

we know, each hotel has different Standard Operational Procedure in check in

process. In the Standard Operational Procedure, they have certain order and structure

which regulate the check in process. The receptionist must do the check in process

according to Standard Operational Procedure.

In addition to the check-in process, the thing we need to do is the check-out

process. Check-out is a process in which we have to do before we leave the hotel. In

the check-out process, we are also helped by the receptionist. As check-in, check-out

process must also comply with the standard operational procedure. The receptionist

will help us with both processes.

A receptionist is one of the employees who has a big influence for the hotel

quality. They reflect the hotel service. A receptionist you should have a good attitude,

good communication skills. How the receptionist speaks to the guest influences the

impressions of the guests, Especially when the receptionist welcome them. The

ability to speak well and convey information clearly is vital. Nowadays, we often see

a receptionist who has a good ability to speak and definitely understands how to do

good communication in check in and check out properly.

 Those are the reasons why the writer eventually chose the conversation of

check in and check out process in Novotel Semarang as her topic of the final project.

In this research paper, the writer used theory of genre proposed by Swales to analyze

the generic structure of conversation of check in and check out process. It can be used

as one of the examples of how to do appropriate check in and check out process since

that is one important thing in hospitality especially for reception.

Meanwhile, Novotel Semarang was selected as the object of the study due to

the following rationales:

1) It is one of the best 4 star hotel located in Semarang which, according to the

hotel manager, Mr.Stephane FAGEZ is “the right choice for business and

leisure travelers looking to stay in the heart of Semarang and to indulge in the

capital of Central Java. Are you ready to enjoy the friendliness of the Javanese

peope? Welcome to Novotel Semarang!”

(https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-5506-novotel-semarang/index.shtml)

2) The writer is the marketing staff of Novotel Semarang, which really facilitates

the process of the research, ranging from the absence of complicated research

permission to the ease of data collection.

1.2 Research Questions

Based on the background of the study, the problem of the current research

could be stated as follows:

1) What are the normal stages (generic structure) of the check-in process ?
 2) What are the normal stages (generic structure) of the check-out process ?

3) What are the communicative purposes of each line in check-in process?

4) What are the communicative purposes of each line in check-out process?

Each research question has to be systematically approached and responded to

obtain the core findings of the current study. Research question 1 reviews and

stipulates the check-in process for the receptionist to abide by. This knowledge is

accompanied by the answer to Research Question 2 in line with the linguistic

performances pinpointed in both Research Question 3 and Research Question 4 in

order to achieve desired communicative purposes with the final goal of providing the

best hospitality services of Novotel Semarang as the object of this study

1.3 Objective of the Study

According to the statement of the problems (research questions), the

objectives of the study could be formulated as follows:

1) To find out the normal stages (generic structure) of the check-in process

2) To find out the normal stages (generic structure) of the check-in process

3) To describe the communicative purposes of each line in check-in process

4) To describe the communicative purposes of each line in check-out process

1.4 Scope of the Study

This research paper is entitled The Generic Structure of Conversation in

Check-in and Check-out Process at Novotel Semarang. The writer focused on the

generic structure of conversation by the receptionist and the guest during the check-in
and check-out process. A analytical model in Swales’s theory of conversation

analysis was used in the data analysis.

Normally, the stages occur when the receptionist is handling the guest. They

applied the stages to deliver the communicative purposes so that they can accomplish

the standard of operational procedures.

1.5 Significance of the Study

It is expected that the current study would give both theoretical and practical

contributions to the students of FBIB Unisbank who are interested in the knowledge

of the generic structure of check-in and check-out process in a hotel. The

contributions include the following issues:

1) Giving theoritical information to the readers about the generic structure of a

conversation that takes place during check-in and check-out process in a

hotel

2) Describing the communicative purposes of each conversational line during

check-in and check-out process in a hotel

3) Enhancing future researches of similar topics.

1.6 Research Paper Organization

This research paper is entitled "The Generic Structure of English

Conversation in Check-in and Check-out Process at Novotel Semarang", it is devided

into 5 chapters with the systemic organization as follows:

 Chapter I, The introduction which consists the background of the study,

statements of the problem, objectives of the study, scope of the study, significance of

the study and research paper organization. Chapter II reviews related Literature that

consists of definition of check-in and check-out in the hotel and in detail as

supported by theory of genre study. Described in Chapter III is Research Method

which consists of research design, unit of analysis, source of data, technique of data

gathering and technique of data analysis. Chapter IV presents the findings and

discussion. Finally, Chapter V, is the Conclusion and Recommendation, which

describes the conclusion of the research paper and recommendations for further

research.