Search results

The research takes a comprehensive evaluation of hospitality students’ perceptions towards small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) employment and explores whether the current recession and labour market changes influence hospitality students career-related decisions. Such exploration would provide vital information as to how the new economic environment has modified the nature and context of hospitality students perceptions towards SMEs. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The research focuses on a constructionist philosophy in order to interpret how hospitality students construct of career choice. The qualitative methodology adopts semi-structured interviews in order to explore the socially constructed views of hospitality students’ perception of SMEs employment.

In spite of recessional challenges which particularly affect the graduate labour market, the research confirms the original academic arguments that socially constructed barriers and influencing factors do not highlight SMEs as an attractive first employment destination.

This research recognises the need to reconsider the curriculum for hospitality students to embed the notion of SMEs as a possible career choice.

Socially SMEs have not either historically or in the present day been seen as providing adequate resources for graduates entering the world of work. Such an implication has a considerably impact upon the supply and demand side of SMEs graduate labour market.

The economic downturn now poses a real challenge for new graduates as it is difficult to predict and discuss future labour market issues and trends. The research allows key stakeholders in graduate employment to understand the effects of the economic environment to graduate SMEs perceptions and take measures in improving SMEs-graduate employment in hospitality.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the top management team (TMT) intangible assets (demographical and managerial experience) diversity which influences firm performance in a diverse industrial context.

The paper analyses 159 whole TMTs from Latin American and European enterprises. The study focuses on three indicators (sales, return on assets and return on sales) as proxies of firm performance. The hypotheses formulated were tested using panel data and applying a random-effects model.

The paper reveals a large degree of volatility in the findings depending on the type of firm performance indicator. This provides insights regarding the controversy surrounding the black box Upper Echelon Theory and for entrepreneurial purposes concerning the relationship between TMT composition and the achievement of a high level performance.

This study could be extended by analysing other important variables, such as top mangers’ physiological traits and cultural differences within the TMTs. The analysis could also be applied to a wider geographical area.

This paper may help enterprises to reach a better understanding of their TMT’s internal complex diversity by providing appropriate insights for a better decision-making process required to achieve an accurate firm outcome.

The paper is an extension on prior studies not only by focusing on a different geographical area different from the traditional USA context but also applying a longitudinal study scarcely applied in the demographic literature. In addition, attributes for all the TMT’s members (not only CEOs), three different proxies of performance and a highly diverse industry context from Latin American and European companies have been considered.

El propósito de este artículo es determinar la diversidad de los activos intangibles del equipo de alta dirección (características demográficas y experiencia directiva) que influyen en el rendimiento empresarial en un contexto industrial diverso.

El artículo analiza 159 equipos de alta dirección completos procedentes de empresas Latino-Americanas y Europeas. El estudio se centra en tres indicadores como proxies del rendimiento empresarial (ventas, rotación de los activos y la rotación de las ventas). Las hipótesis fueron testadas utilizando datos de panel y aplicando un modelo de efectos aleatorios.

El artículo pone de manifiesto una gran volatilidad en los resultados dependiendo del tipo de indicador de rendimiento utilizado. Este resultado proporciona luz a la controversia existente en torno a la “caja negra” de la Upper Echelon Theory y para propósitos empresariales concernientes a la relación entre la composición del equipo de alta dirección y el logro de altos niveles de rendimiento.

Este estudio podría ser ampliado a partir del análisis de otras variables importantes como los rasgos psicológicos de los altos directivos y las diferencias culturales existentes dentro del equipo de alta dirección. El análisis puede ser también aplicado a una más amplia área geográfica.

Este artículo puede ayudar a las empresas a alcanzar una mayor comprensión de la de la complejidad de la diversidad interna de su equipo de alta dirección proporcionando necesario para adoptar el mejor proceso de toma de decisiones para alcanzar y asegurar los objetivos empresariales.

El artículo es una extensión de estudios anteriores que no solo se centran en un área geográfica diferente al contexto tradicional norteamericano sino que también es una aplicación de una estudio longitudinal escasamente aplicado en la literatura demográfica. Además, se han considerado atributos de la totalidad de los miembros del equipo de alta dirección (no solo aquellos referentes a los CEOs), tres diferentes proxies del rendimiento y todo ello aplicado en un contexto industrial altamente diverso integrado por empresas Latino-Americanas y Europeas.

This paper aims to investigate place marketing and branding at the micro-place scale through the case study of St Christopher’s Place in London (UK). This study illustrates the distinctive differences of micro-place marketing, in comparison to city and country levels.

An exploratory case study was conducted through a sequential mixed methods approach involving direct observation, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and social media analysis. Analysis of data was performed by using thematic analysis and triangulation of quantitative measures collected through the questionnaire and social media analysis.

Analysis of data illustrated noticeable differences of place management at the micro-place level compared to city or country scale of place marketing and branding. The function of emotional marketing leading to value co-creation is more effective at this level, establishing close and personal ties between occupiers and customers. Yet, measurement of micro-place marketing and branding value creation is difficult to achieve.

This study draws attention to the unique value and benefits of place branding at smaller spatial scales. Findings contribute to the place micro-brand concept by adding knowledge of micro-places through place management activities comparing them with city and country scales, and emotional marketing value co-creation practices, including challenges relating to measurement.