Search results

The purpose of this paper is to explore, from the vantage point of an expatriate manager, some of the issues that surround human capital development (HCD) in the tourism and hospitality industry in Africa.

An informal interview was carried out via email. Marco Cecchi has 33 years experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry in Europe and now in Africa. He was recently appointed General Manager at Hotel Bon Voyage in Lagos under the African Management Service Company (AMSCO), an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the International Finance Corporation to help build human capital for sustainable African enterprises.

The interview offers valuable insights for researchers and practitioners who are seeking to understand cross-cultural differences related to human resources.

The transcript provides a much needed context for understanding the issues facing HCD in the African continent.

At the end of the case, a successful learner will be able to:▪ develop sound criteria to guide investors entering into hotel management agreements (HMAs);▪ reconcile principal and agent disputes through the lens of an agency framework; and▪ evaluate the impact of the work environment on employee and organisational outcomes.

Muyiwa, Chairman of Fara Ltd., signed a HMA with Aytello Hotel Group to operate his hotel in Nigeria, the Mélange Abuja. Aytello was an international hotel management company based in the USA. It was a renowned operator with several brands in its portfolio. The Mélange brand was contemporary, upscale and targeted young business guests with an appetite for adventure. It was the first Mélange to have opened in West Africa. A management agreement was signed in August 2016, which meant that Aytello was now responsible for operating the hotel on behalf of its Owner, Muyiwa. On his part, Muyiwa provided the funds needed to run the hotel profitably. However, soon after the opening, the operator and owner showed signs of conflict. Muyiwa began to distrust the operator and intervened directly in operations. The frequent clashes between Muyiwa and the operator soon led to an impasse that made productive dialogue difficult. As relationships soured, Muyiwa needed to make a decision soon. This case study is designed to teach agency relationships in organisational behaviour.

This case study is designed for business leaders on executive programmes and postgraduate students.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 12: Tourism and Hospitality.

The purpose of this paper is to offer an opportunity to reflect on government-led initiatives for addressing human capital development (HCD) in Cross River State (CRS), the widely acknowledged number one tourism destination in Nigeria.

A descriptive case study of the CRS government’s initiative to build and consolidate the human capital base for an emerging tourism destination is presented.

The findings show that HCD initiatives emerged as a result of a public–private collaboration between CRS and the Citizens Development Corps (CDC).

Using a real-life example, this paper demonstrates how the government in an emerging nation can initiate positive policies to advance HCD in tourism.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the dynamics that define, govern and shape the tourism and hospitality sector in Nigeria, in particular, the hotel industry with respect to its size, structure and salient issues that impact on it.

To explain the dynamics within the hotel sector, primary survey data from STR Global were used. In addition, content analysis of secondary data from government, education and industry sources were used to identify the issues within the industry.

The findings show positive indicators for employment and further expansion within the hotel sector in Nigeria. However, the lack of supporting institutions, legal frameworks and industry representation makes the management of human resources an area of concern.

The findings of this research are limited due to the sample size and to the lack of publicly available data from government, education and industry. However, the implications suggest the need for a research agenda for the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria. This will create the framework to understand and improve best practices particularly with institutional frameworks, employment and human capital development.

The gap in the literature concerning any systematic review of the hotel industry in Nigeria makes this research timely, as it synthesises widely different sources into a coherent whole. This will help to form a reference point for future research in the field.

The purpose of this paper is to review contributions made to the strategic question about human capital development issues in the hotel industry in Nigeria and how they can be addressed.

Based on the strategic question, a critical analysis of each contribution was carried out to identify the key themes, and then the issues, impacts and proposed solutions related to each theme.

The findings show eight key themes related to the human capital development question in the hotel industry in Nigeria.

The findings create a framework to kick-start a conversation by all stakeholders in the hotel industry in Nigeria. The lack of reliable data in many areas is a limitation in reaching empirically based quantitative conclusions. It would be useful to include a wider range of stakeholders in the conversation.

All ten articles have contributed different perspectives to the conversation; all confirm that an engagement of all industry stakeholders is critical if a sustainable resolution is to be achieved.

This paper aims to profile the Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes issue “What are the issues facing human capital development in the hotel industry in Nigeria and how might they be addressed?” with reference to the experiences of the theme editors, contributors from industry and academia and the theme issue outcomes.

This paper uses structured questions to enable the theme editors to reflect on the rationale for their theme issue question, the starting-point, the selection of the writing team and material and the editorial process.

Concerns have been raised about the absence of a strategic government policy for human capital development in Nigeria’s tourism sector, a task that individual businesses address in a fragmented and inefficient manner – and sometimes not at all. Likewise, a weak regulatory framework has given rise to imbalances in the employment relationship and business operations that do not create an enabling environment, a primary condition for developing knowledge, skills and attitude to acceptable service levels.

This paper reflects a sustained dialogue between leading Nigerian academics and senior industry practitioners about the barriers to workforce development and ways of unlocking the potential that exists for employment and professional development in hospitality and tourism.

This paper reports on the first comprehensive set of discussions between academics and practitioners about the human capital development challenges facing the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria. Specifically, the theme issue identifies key action steps needed to keep pace with industry development in Nigeria – the largest and fastest growing market in Africa.

The aim of this paper is to explore sustainable tourism initiatives, particularly by identifying the extent to which hospitality education has empowered Nigerian female graduates in their professional and economic circumstances.

The scope is limited to graduates from an all-female institution offering tertiary-level programmes in hospitality, using the survey method.

The paper shows significant relationships between level of educational attainment, type of employment engaged in, and the range of income of hospitality graduates.

A limitation to this study is the relatively small size of the sample (300) and subsequent number of respondents (80).

The implications follow through from the potential strategies identified in the study that may be adopted by the tourism industry for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the principles of the UN Global Compact particularly in the promotion of sustainable initiatives for women through hospitality education.

Gender and empowerment in tourism has been researched extensively from a commercial standpoint. However, this paper address the gap in the literature as it relates to specialised hospitality education as a contributory factor in the empowerment of women.

The agribusiness ecosystem in Africa is shaped by a myriad of complex and interwoven issues. Navigating these complexities and growing sustainable businesses with high social impact value is usually the outcome of a sustained effort to succeed. The knowledge of the African business context, the ability to identify opportunities and the willingness to learn from experience constitute a veritable means for any entrepreneur seeking to scale up an Indigenous agribusiness in Africa. This chapter presents JR Farms as a case study of one of such Indigenous agribusinesses that has successfully expanded within the African market. The case examines the trajectory of JR Farms from its beginnings in Nigeria to its definitive establishment in Rwanda and Zambia. Through the lens of a qualitative case study approach, we write a narrative of the vision, strategies and decisions that transformed JR Farms into a multi-million-dollar development partner for the communities where it operates. Finally, we reflect on these experiences in making recommendations for growing agribusinesses in Africa.