Perceptions of management difficulty factors by expatriate hotel professionals in China

Successful overseas hotel operations depend on technically competent and culturally adaptable expatriate managers. This study reveals that expatriate hotel professionals from many different countries are now working in China. It examines and analyses the perceptions of six management difficulty factors by the expatriate hotel professionals. Staff attitude and lack of competence of the local managers are identified as the most difficult management factors, followed by language barriers, cultural differences and lack of local management support. Government policy change is perceived as the least difficult factor. The empirical findings of this study can be used by the Chinese tourism authority to improve the business environment for foreign investment and management; and by multinational hotel corporations to strengthen training programs in preparing expatriate managers for management assignments in China.