Motivations for entrepreneurship in the tourism and hospitality sector: A social cognitive theory perspective

A critical examination of the literature suggests that further work is needed to understand the relationship between small tourism and hospitality businesses and their external social-economic environments. In particular, the nature of personal and environmental factors influencing tourism entrepreneurship remains unknown. Focusing on one type of small business, guest houses, this study aims to examine entrepreneurs’ motivations from a dynamic perspective and explore the nature of personal and environmental factors affecting motivations for entrepreneurship. Taking a qualitative approach, four patterns of change in (or maintenance of) motivation are identified. Guided by social cognitive theory, this study finds that, among the relevant personal factors are cognitive beliefs, intrinsic needs, and demographic factors, while the environmental facilitators include changes in the tourism market, changes within the industry, and changes in setting/location. Finally, a model of small business operators’ motivations for engaging in entrepreneurship in the tourism and hospitality sector is proposed.     

Change or perish: Examining the role of human capital and dynamic marketing capabilities in the hospitality sector

Many researchers have endeavored to explain which factors contribute to sustainable competitive advantage. Toward this end, this study contributes to the marketing and hospitality management literature by providing empirical evidence on how human capital, dynamic marketing capabilities, and market dynamism influence competitive advantage in the hotel sector. We collected cross-sectional survey data from marketing and sales managers in 165 hotels, along with in-depth interviews in three hotels, based in four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, namely, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The findings reveal that human capital directly, and indirectly through dynamic marketing capabilities, plays a critical role on developing competitive advantage. To contextualize this role, our research reveals that market dynamism moderates the mediated relationship between human capital and competitive advantage via market sensing capabilities. We discuss how the findings offer theoretical and managerial implications for the development of competitive advantage in the hotel sector.     

The entrepreneurship research in hospitality and tourism

The purpose of this study is to review entrepreneurship research in hospitality and tourism (H&T), draw a map of the evolving domain, and propose a framework for future research. The entrepreneurship literature is categorized by identifying the antecedents and consequences in the context of H&T. The study findings suggest that entrepreneurship research subjects in H&T are extended from developed countries to emerging economies. The research level begins at the meso level (firms) and gradually develops to the micro level (individual entrepreneurs) and macro level (environment). Entrepreneurship in H&T is currently rich in practice but poor in theoretical development. This study is one of the few to critically review entrepreneurship research in H&T. This paper identifies a range of research issues in H&T entrepreneurship.     

Wage differences in the hospitality sector

The article examines the origin of differences between wages in the hospitality sector and the rest of the private sector in Spain. The evidence obtained for the 2002–2010 period shows that the wage disadvantage of hospitality presents an increasing profile along the wage distribution so that it is particularly relevant for those earning comparatively higher salaries. In contrast with other low-wage sectors, lower wages in hospitality are explained almost entirely by the specific characteristics of its workers and jobs (particularly their lower educational qualifications and their higher presence in low-skilled occupations), and not by the existence of lower rewards to those characteristics. Highly qualified individuals are however an exception since they suffer a wage penalty for working in the sector. Furthermore the analysis shows that pay inequality is substantially lower in the hospitality sector and that it is not due to the relative characteristics of its workers and jobs.     

Experiences of mentoring in the UK hospitality sector

The challenges of developing and managing the future generation of hospitality employees and managers has highlighted the value of using mentoring to effectively socialize, support, and nurture human resources. This study examines the experiences of mentors and mentees in the UK hospitality industry using interviews and focus groups. Findings expose the beneficial outcomes of mentoring as well as the forms it can take but also the issues which may arise from this developmental intervention. The value of mentoring is highlighted, in an industry facing significant human resource dilemmas, due to its capacity to enhance the industry's image alongside its typical career development and psychosocial functions.     

Employee responsibility and basic human values in the hospitality sector

This study attempts to investigate the connection between the personal value profile of different groups of hospitality employees (i.e., restaurant managers, chefs/cooks, waiters/bartenders, and kitchen helpers) and the magnitude of authority and responsibility in their positions using the analytical aspect of Schwartz’s (1992) theory in basic human values as the basis. A set of logistic regression models are created to provide support for the hypotheses related to such jobs with self-transcendence, self enhancement axis, and openness to change-conservation axis of Schwartz’s theory of basic human values and to achieve the objectives of the study. Our findings generally supported the hypothesized relationships between personal values and professional status of hospitality employees. Distinct relationships are manifested in jobs with higher professional status such as restaurant managers and chefs/cooks. The study aims to expand on the existing literature by exploring the human values in the hospitality sector.     

Gender wage inequality and labour mobility in the hospitality sector

The main aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly we analyse the effects of educational mismatch on workers’ occupational mobility and secondly, we quantify the contribution of educational mismatch and labour mobility on gender wage inequality. The decomposition of the gender wage gap was controlled by different types of gender segregation. We use matched employer-employee data from 302 hotels in Andalusia. The evidence suggests that not only is external mobility far higher than internal mobility in this sector, but also that it is the main cause of wage inequality. The reason for this is the existence of labour discrimination against women, which manifests as a lack of access to labour improvements under the same conditions as men. Educational mismatch has a limited effect on internal and external mobility. Finally, gender discrimination is the overall cause of gender wage inequality and is mainly due to horizontal segregation and external mobility.     

Enhancing customer-based brand equity through CSR in the hospitality sector

ABSTRACT

Corporate social responsibility is considered an important element in the development of brand equity. Extant research in this context is mainly focused on the relationship between this corporate philosophy and financial performance, overlooking its potential to develop competitive advantages through brand equity dimensions. The aim of this research is to explore the impact of socially responsible aspects on hotel brand equity. To test the proposed model personal surveys of hotel customers were conducted. A structural equation model was developed to test the research hypotheses. The findings show that corporate social responsibility has positive effects on brand image, perceived quality, brand awareness, and brand loyalty.     

A review of entrepreneurship research published in the hospitality and tourism management journals

This research evaluates the entrepreneurship research in field of the Hospitality and Tourism Management to obtain a better understanding of its progress and potential. The study examines entrepreneurship articles published in seven leading hospitality and tourism management journals from 1986 to 2006. Findings indicate that Tourism Management, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management are the top three journals that publish entrepreneurship research. However, the amount of entrepreneurship research in the leading hospitality and tourism management journals appears less than expected. Publication of empirical work has not increased over time over the past 21 years, and theoretical work remains at a consistently low level. Even for empirical studies, there is a lack of methodological sophistication of analytical and statistical tools. The results suggest a concern that entrepreneurship research remains under studied; therefore, more theoretical work is needed to map a course of study and to develop a framework unique to the entrepreneurship domain of hospitality and tourism research. The good news is that there are abundant opportunities for scholars in hospitality and tourism management to explore the field of entrepreneurship as a viable research paradigm.     

Subconscious influences on perceived cleanliness in hospitality settings

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now and for years to come, guests at hospitality venues will have heightened awareness with regard to formulating their perceptions of cleanliness. While perceived cleanliness has received attention in our existing body of literature, this conceptual paper integrates potential subconscious influencers on cleanliness perceptions into our understanding. Specifically, findings contained in various streams of research suggest that a number of factors can have subconscious influences on individuals’ perceptions of cleanliness in service environments. Such factors include the degree of lighting, the presence of plants / greenery, the shininess of surfaces, the use of ambient scents, the use of white bedding, and the presence of cleaning staff. Evidently, the sooner hospitality venues (particularly airlines, lodging operations, restaurants, and cruise ships) are perceived as clean and safe, the faster they will recover from the pandemic. As such, this paper is rich with both practical and research implications.     

Employment experiences of Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality sector

The research explores the experiences of Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality sector. It reports quantitative and qualitative empirical data on the migrants’ reasons for entering the hospitality workforce and their subsequent employment experiences. The findings reveal the main motive for entering employment in hospitality is for self development as migrants wish to use and learn foreign languages, gain work experience and receive other benefits that the sector provides. These self development opportunities are viewed as a means to improve career prospects in the UK or upon return to Poland. Once in the sector, positive experiences associated with hospitality employment include opportunities to meet people and work in a lively environment. Negative aspects relate to working conditions, low pay, physically demanding jobs, discrimination and management behaviour. The research suggests that certain practices and working conditions in the sector pose an obstacle to the long-term commitment of migrant workers. Suggestions for the management of migrant human resources are outlined.     

The impact of quality management on productivity in the hospitality sector

This paper attempts to determine the relationship between quality and productivity in the hospitality sector. Although both variables are crucial to the competitive and value creation processes in hotels, few empirical studies have explicitly analyzed the relationship between them. Thus, we estimated a production function for a hotel sample that shows how a set of determinants influences labour productivity. Among these determinants we included different quality variables, defined from the point of view of total quality. The estimation results show a direct and significant effect of quality on labour productivity. This suggests that the implementation of total quality management (TQM) systems, or the adoption of the TQM principles, have a positive impact on hotel labour productivity.     

Excess capacity,production technology and technical inefficiency in hospitality sector

This article examines the effects of excess capacity on the production cost and technical inefficiency of hotels and restaurants in Norway. The dataset includes a daily unbalanced panel of 94 hotels and restaurants from 2003 to 2014. To accommodate inefficiency, we use an input distance function (IDF). Inefficiency in the IDF means that if inputs are overused by k% then production cost is also increased by k%. We also allow inefficiency to differ across locations and regions by using them as determinants. The results indicate that excess capacity considerably affects the cost and increases inefficiency. The marginal effect on cost increases with excess capacity, but the effect on inefficiency sets in when it exceeds 50 percent. Furthermore, we find less overuse of inputs by firms in small metro towns and the Northern region causing them to be more efficient [except for the Southern and Western regions] than their counterparts.     

Strategic responses of the Spanish hospitality sector to the financial crisis

The 2008 financial crisis weakened the hospitality sector severely, like other industries. This paper investigates the response of the Spanish hospitality sector to the crisis by analyzing a sample of almost 70% of Madrid hotels. In particular, this research focuses on the connection between the impacts of the crisis, the measures taken to alleviate the crisis and an individual hotel's performance. The study shows that hotels that focus on high quality, brand image and a loyal customer base are best equipped to handle the crisis. Increased spending on marketing also eases the impact of the crisis. Cost-cutting measures characterize the worst performers. Contrary to the results presented in the literature, the crisis had no immediately visible negative impact upon an individual hotel's performance. Therefore, hotels should focus on quality, branding, a reliance on loyal customers and increasing marketing to counteract the crisis.     

Understanding service experience and its impact on brand image in hospitality sector

This paper provides an understanding of customers’ common expectations and other important factors that enhance service experience during guest stay in the three selected four star rated hotels in Jammu, Chandigarh and Delhi, India. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from hotel managers and individual customers. Guest's attitudes, their expected and unexpected feedback in addition to analyzing the important information that helps in finding out particular areas critical to customer service quality are explored. Overall the results indicate that expectations of the guests and actual experiences are at disparity. Viable recommendations to the hotel owners in particular and the hospitality industry overall are made which are likely to improve customer's memorable experience.     

Knowledge agents as drivers of environmental sustainability and business performance in the hospitality sector

This study examines the role of knowledge agents as key enablers in the process of creating and updating the environmental knowledge base of a firm and, in doing so, having a positive effect on business performance. From the perspective of a hotel as the most important cog in the machinery of the hospitality sector, knowledge agents are those individuals who can provide information and knowledge that enables the firm to deal with environmental issues effectively. The paper describes an empirical, longitudinal study of 87 organisations in the Spanish hospitality industry. The results highlight the importance of the relationship between knowledge agents and environmental knowledge for business performance. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the role of knowledge agents is also relevant for the future management of the environmental knowledge base of a firm within the hospitality sector.     

Factors affecting undergraduates' commitment to career choice in the hospitality sector: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

Little is known about the factors underlying students’ commitment to career choices in the hospitality industry in non-western contexts. This research explores the drivers of commitment to career choice among undergraduates studying hospitality in Saudi Arabia. Employing the Social Cognitive Career Theory, this research examines commitment to hospitality career against personal and contextual variables, together with two control variables of (i.e., “year of study” and “industry experience”), expected to influence students’ career decisions. From a valid sample of 227 students, it was found that “self-interest,” “outcome expectations,” “the nature of working environment,” “the nature of working day,” “nepotism (wasta),” “industry experience,” and “year of study” were the best predictors of students’ commitment to career choice; in contrary, “social status” and localization (saudization) of workforce were not significant determinants. Implications of the findings and avenues for future research are also discussed.     

The influence of demographic characteristics of hospitality alumni on entrepreneurship factors in Egypt

The purpose of this article is to study the effect of demographic characteristics of hospitality alumni on entrepreneurship factors, and determine which factors are the most important for the alumni to become entrepreneurs. A questionnaire had been developed and distributed online using Google Forms. Data were collected from 314 hospitality alumni. All the hypotheses have been supported, proving that the investigated demographic characteristics have a significant effect on entrepreneurship factors, particularly motivation, innovation and personal skills. The study’s sample was limited to alumni of faculties of tourism and hotels in governmental universities only. Policy-makers implication, practical implication, and social implication are discussed based on the results of this study. This is one of the first studies in Egypt to study the effect of demographic characteristics of hospitality alumni on entrepreneurship. Moreover, it provides significant findings that can enhance the overall status of entrepreneurship in Egypt’s hospitality industry.     

The interface between hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship,integration and well-being: A study of refugee entrepreneurs

Previous hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship research has emphasized the economic and financial outcomes of entrepreneurship whilst paying less attention to social outcomes. Specifically, minimal academic attention, both in mainstream entrepreneurship research and hospitality and tourism scholarship, has been paid to entrepreneurship as a means to facilitate the integration of refugees and enhance their well-being. To address this gap, this study aims to showcase how entrepreneurial activities in the hospitality and tourism industry contribute to the integration and subjective well-being of entrepreneurs. Drawing on data collected through 38 semi-structured interviews with Syrian refugee entrepreneurs in Turkey and the UK, the findings reveal that several factors influence the contribution of entrepreneurial activities to the integration of entrepreneurs and their families within the host society. Entrepreneurial activities also appear to have positive spillover effects on subjective well-being. This paper offers new insights into the social outcomes of hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship by conceptualizing and empirically supporting the relationship between hospitality entrepreneurship, integration and well-being.     

A review of personnel management in the private sector of the British hospitality industry

In this paper the author sets out to review the range of publications, specifically textbooks and government-sponsored reports, published in Britain which are concerned with personnel management in the private sector of the hospitality industry. The author charts the history over the last twenty-five years of relevant publications, at the same time recording the important legislative and structural developments that have taken place. He concludes that the industry now has a comprehensive range of both research-based texts and practical guides. Without suggesting that this knowledge has yet penetrated into the practice of personnel management in the whole of the industry, he does suggest that the next steps may be concerned with sharing the decision-making process more broadly.