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Article
Publication date: 4 April 2023

Sanjay Sharma and Sandeep Munjal

The hospitality industry is rapidly evolving; aspects like technology, digitisation, artificial intelligence, eco-friendly, best practices, green hotels and sustainability are…

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Abstract

Purpose

The hospitality industry is rapidly evolving; aspects like technology, digitisation, artificial intelligence, eco-friendly, best practices, green hotels and sustainability are significantly impacting change. It is evident that the hospitality industry is trying its best to embrace change but do hospitality graduates have sufficient exposure to the importance of embracing these changes? Further, are academics updating their curriculum in line with industry requirements? This also prompts the question: How often do industry and academia come together to discuss the future? Is it the sole responsibility of academic institutions to consider the changes needed or should industry take a lead and guide academia? This theme issue explores these questions and concerns and considers the way forward.

Design/methodology/approach

This viewpoint article explains why the theme issue question is important and outlines the approach taken with reference to the hospitality industry and hospitality education. The authors explore our theme issue question with particular reference to developments in Asia.

Findings

The hospitality industry impacts the environment in numerous ways and it is important for the industry to learn and train employees for a sustainable future and it is equally important to understand the challenges faced by the industry in adopting sustainable practices. The deployment of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation is increasingly impacting global standards and operating procedures and clearly technology has a key role to play in sustainable development. The authors also consider ways in which hospitality education could be better synced with industry and how it could evolve in response to future requirements.

Originality/value

This theme issue on hospitality education and sustainability was conceived with the aim of addressing concerns like the challenges faced by academics in upgrading the curriculum/programme structure so that it is better aligned with industry norms. It further examines sustainable practices adopted by hotels in Asia as compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world and it explores the gaps between hospitality industry operations and the programme delivery of hospitality institutions.

Details

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4217

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 October 2019

Eduardo Vicente Rengel Jara, Jackson Wayne Babb and Timothy Marshall Flohr

Project management is an essential skill in the hospitality organization that is only becoming more important (Tereso et al., 2019). Bridging the gap between academia and industry

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Abstract

Purpose

Project management is an essential skill in the hospitality organization that is only becoming more important (Tereso et al., 2019). Bridging the gap between academia and industry is achievable by experiential learning or providing students with curriculum that gives them hands-on access to real-world industry research projects that attempt to solve real-world industry issues (Steed and Schwer, 2003). The purpose of this paper is to understand the scope of project management curriculum in universities’ hospitality programs, to understand the scope of project management skill requirements in hospitality firms and to narrow the disconnect between project management in academia and in hospitality firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a mixed method approach. On the side of academia, a quantitative collection method was used to gage which universities offered a project management course, how many universities offer these courses and how many project management courses each university had. On the side of industry, a survey was administered to industry professionals in senior management positions. It was a quantitative survey designed to gage the importance of having project management as part of university curriculum. The aim was to show what was expected to be a disconnect between the two sides – academia and industry. A total of 57 responses were collected. Out of them 49 were usable. The Human Subjects consisted solely of two populations: individuals who worked in the hospitality industry. This accounted for 12 of the responses; individuals who worked in academia – more specifically in higher education at schools that offer Hospitality Management curriculum. This accounted for 37 of the responses. The subjects were identified and recruited through the professional networking site LinkedIn (for subjects that were industry professionals) and through both LinkedIn and American Hotel Lodging and Educational Institute databases for the subjects in academia. There were no direct potential benefits to the subject. The potential societal benefits of the study were the advancement of knowledge within the disciplines of both Hospitality Management and Project Management. The authors used the University of Memphis’ Qualtrics system and changed settings to anonymize responses so IP addresses would not be collected. The Qualtrics’ default is to collect IP addresses and GPS coordinates of those who responded. By setting the survey to anonymized responses the investigators were not able to collect this identifiable information. This information was included in the confidentiality, methods/procedures and in any other necessary sections/documents noting that the investigators would set Qualtrics to anonymize responses.

Findings

H1 was supported. The findings showed that most colleges and universities did not require project management classes for degree completion. Preliminary research showed that of 68 of the top hospitality programs in the world that were researched, only 7.5 percent required taking project management centric courses in order to graduate (College Choice, 2019; The Best Schools, 2019; Top Universities, 2018). In total, 43.2 percent of respondents answered “yes” when asked if their school offers courses in project management based on this definition of project management: “A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore the defined scope and resources. And a project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a specific set of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal. A project team often includes people who do not usually work together – sometimes from different organizations and across multiple geographies. Project management, then, is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirement” (Project Management Institute) (See Table A1). Of 43.2 percent that answered yes, 64.3 percent said that the courses were required for graduation (See Table AII). Meaning, only 27.8 percent of schools surveyed offered and required completing project management courses for graduation. It should be noted that this number may be lower as bias may have played a factor. It is evident that hospitality programs understand the importance of project management because 85.7 percent of the colleges and universities surveyed are teaching project management concepts in courses that are not project management centric, like Meeting and Event Planning (See Table AIII). H2 was supported. Only 9.1 percent of respondents believed that project management skills are not at all important to line level employees. Most, 54.6 percent, believed that project management skills are important to some extent for line level employees. In total, 9.1 percent believed that project management skills are not at all important for supervisory level employees; 27.3 percent believed they are needed to some extent and 36.4 percent believed they are needed to a moderate extent. As for management level employees, it was found that 63.6 percent believed project management skills were needed to a great extent. For director level employees, 63.6 percent believed project management skills are necessary. Finally, 72.7 percent of respondents believed project management skills are necessary for both VP level employees and executive leadership (See Table AIV). It should be noted that one person did not believe themselves qualified to answer questions regarding project management within their organization. More than half of respondents said that project management skills are used to a great extent within their organization. H3 was not supported. Both hospitality schools and hospitality companies agreed that project management skills have some level of importance in academia and in industry – most believed the skills were very important at both junctions (See Tables AV and AVI). However, in the preliminary research the authors found that 55 percent of the top 111 hospitality companies had project management positions, meaning that there was a potential need for project management courses in colleges and universities (Ranker, 2019). As stated earlier, only 7.5 percent of the top 68 colleges and universities required project management courses to be completed upon graduation. So, the discrepancy lies within the vastly different percentages between project management positions within companies and project management courses within schools.

Research limitations/implications

The data provided strong evidence that supported the idea that project management is not required in hospitality programs upon completion. This opens new avenues to research the reasons behind schools not offering project management courses or making it a requirement for degree completion. On the other hand, project management skills are considered to be needed by hospitality managers. This provides valuable information for future studies that look to close the gap between academia and industry. The results indicated that project management is important for hospitality companies and schools, but the lack of project management education in colleges and universities is evident. The results of this study provided good news to students that aim to work in hospitality companies, since they can improve their project management skills and encourage their programs to stay updated with the industry needs so that they can succeed in their professional lives. Though this was an exploratory study of the project management discipline within the hospitality industry – with a limited sample size – the data clearly justified that there is room for additional data collection and research in this area of study.

Practical implications

The results show that there is a disconnect between project management curriculum in schools and project management skill demand in the hospitality industry. The research should encourage schools to invest appropriate resources into required project management curriculum. The hospitality industry is vast in the types of businesses that fall under it. Project management is one skill set that can be useful across most of the different businesses in the hospitality industry. From a practical standpoint, providing students with a solid background in the project management discipline provides them an advantage in the highly competitive hospitality industry. It accomplishes this by providing the students with in-demand knowledge and competencies that are both universally accepted and highly regarded by hospitality management companies as a skill set that is widely used in the industry.

Social implications

There were limitations to this study. Some pieces may be improved in future research. The Qualtrics survey could have been reduced in number and order of questions for a better interaction and results. The use of the Qualtrics database might be helpful to reach a bigger population. Potential steps could be taken to reduce bias that may play a factor in the responses. For example, some respondents may have claimed that their schools offer project management curriculum when in fact they do not, or they do not know to what extent.

Originality/value

Project management is an essential skill in the hospitality organization that is only becoming more important (Tereso et al., 2019). Bridging the gap between academia and industry is achievable through experiential learning or providing students with curriculum that gives them hands-on access to real-world industry research projects that attempt to solve real-world industry issues (Steed and Schwer, 2003). Most graduate level curriculum at universities was found to hone skills like written and oral communications, problem solving and decision making, organization, time management and cost control (Steed and Schwer, 2003). It has been suggested that universities add project management curriculum and experiential learning to their programs for a more streamlined transition from academia to industry (Steed and Schwer, 2003). Existing research on this subject is a bit dated, so the objectives were: to understand the scope of project management curriculum in universities’ hospitality programs; to understand the scope of project management skill requirements in hospitality firms; to narrow the disconnect between project management in academia and in hospitality firms.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2001

Andrew Kevin Jenkins

The aim of this research is to establish students’ perceptions of the international hospitality industry and, specifically, to establish the likelihood of the student seeking…

6839

Abstract

The aim of this research is to establish students’ perceptions of the international hospitality industry and, specifically, to establish the likelihood of the student seeking employment in the industry after graduating, the region/country where the student intends seeking employment, the functional area/sector which is most attractive to the student and the position which the student expects to hold five and ten years after graduating. The research is based on a questionnaire administered at two universities offering hospitality management degrees, one in the UK, the other in The Netherlands. The main findings are that students have a distinct preference for certain hotel departments, hotel chains and sectors of the industry. Most expect to be general manager/corporate manager ten years after graduating. As the degree progresses, the students’ perception of the industry deteriorates. The paper concludes by examining issues relating to the image of the industry and the development of hospitality curricula.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2016

Ogechi Adeola

The purpose of this paper is to identify weaknesses in human capital development (HCD) in the hospitality industry in Nigeria and to find implementable solutions.

1388

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify weaknesses in human capital development (HCD) in the hospitality industry in Nigeria and to find implementable solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The author draws on the literature on HCD and the hospitality industry, as well as her experience working with practitioners to enlighten the discussion.

Findings

Deficiencies in HCD in the Nigerian hospitality industry are the result of a lack of sound and forward-thinking educational development, lack of a supportive environment for the meaningful employment of graduates of the educational system and social bias against vocational education, as well as inadequate hospitality skills of employees, insufficient empowerment or support from the government and hospitality industry participants.

Practical Implications

This paper summarises the key issues in HCD in the hospitality industry in Nigeria and the implementable solutions. The roles of the government, society and the hospitality industry are highlighted to demonstrate that HCD in the industry is a collective responsibility.

Originality/value

HCD has increasingly been a prominent goal of research policy in Nigeria and elsewhere but has not yet engendered much discussion in the hospitality literature.

Details

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, vol. 8 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4217

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 December 2023

Pratim Chatterjee and Rita Karmakar

This chapter aims to list the literature that document the role of hospitality industry achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to summarize those contributions…

Abstract

Purpose

This chapter aims to list the literature that document the role of hospitality industry achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to summarize those contributions, related to the literature. Extensive literature review was also conducted to explore a critical analysis of sustainable digitalization of the hospitality industry.

Design/Methodology/Approach

The article has undertaken a systematic literature review of all the significant research area of almost last two decades. Keyword searches were performed in Google Scholar search engine, where timeframe of “2001–2023” was used to filter the desired article. Total 141 research articles were primarily identified after the initial search. After screening the articles for relevance or duplicates, finally 107 articles were considered for this study.

Findings

This study figures out those environment-related SDGs which is considered essential for the hospitality industry. This study found the importance of adopting digitalization in hospitality sector to build inclusive environment and providing seamless experience to customers while focusing on both positive and negative aspects associated with digital transformation.

Originality/Value

Hospitality industry of numerous countries around the world are now exploring by implementing SDGs and Digitalization in their business practices. This study will provide insight to policymakers as development and usage of digital technologies and implementing SDGs in their practices are crucial for the sustainable transformation of hospitality industry. Sustainable transformation of hospitality sector not only improves services and helps us to make wiser choices when planning for a trip but also positively impact both physical and psychological well-being.

Details

Fostering Sustainable Businesses in Emerging Economies
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-640-5

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 15 September 2016

Marlena A. Bednarska and Marcin Olszewski

There is an essential link between the success of hospitality organizations and the availability of appropriate labor resources, making employee attraction a critical concern for…

Abstract

There is an essential link between the success of hospitality organizations and the availability of appropriate labor resources, making employee attraction a critical concern for the industry. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate the role of work experience, both inside and outside the hospitality industry, in shaping students’ attitudes toward hospitality careers. The study was conducted on the group of 338 undergraduates and graduates enrolled in tourism and hospitality studies in Poznan, Poland. The findings suggest that work experience displays a stronger relationship with preferred than with perceived job and organization attributes. It is also related to perceptions of hospitality career attractiveness both in the long and in the short run as well as to intentions to apply for a job after graduation. The results underline the importance of providing students with quality work experience by the hospitality industry stakeholders as it can influence future career decisions.

Details

Tourism and Hospitality Management
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-714-4

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 November 2020

Vicky Teeuwisse and David W. Brannon

Notwithstanding the emergence of hospitality education around the world, the hospitality industry itself has struggled to establish a talent pipeline of young ambitious managers…

Abstract

Notwithstanding the emergence of hospitality education around the world, the hospitality industry itself has struggled to establish a talent pipeline of young ambitious managers. Typically, only 30% of hospitality students are predicted to develop their careers within the hospitality industry, while the remainder will relocate to other industries such as retail, banking and consulting. Although this manifestation has been globally documented, most studies have simply adopted a quantitative approach in defining this phenomenon; hence, despite its scale being appreciated, less attention has been paid to defining the underlying causes which drive this concern. This study contributes to this issue by interviewing 18 students at three key stages of their practical placements, namely, pre-, during and post their placement, drawing on the ‘Principles of a Sustainable HRM ROC framework’. This chapter concludes with significant findings from which some recommendations have been formulated.

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2023

Lindsey Lee and Heyao Yu

This study aims to investigate socioeconomic diversity in the hospitality industry by examining the relationship between social class background, family expectations and career…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate socioeconomic diversity in the hospitality industry by examining the relationship between social class background, family expectations and career outcomes of Generation Z employees. The relationship was further tested by investigating job titles and perceived prestige.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies were developed to test the research questions – first, the social prestige of hospitality jobs compared to other industries with similar skill sets. Second, a between-subjects experimental design was used to examine the moderating effect of job title on the relationship between social class background, family expectations and career decisions.

Findings

The findings of the first study confirm the negative perceptions of the hospitality industry. Study 2 demonstrated a negative relationship between social class background and intentions to choose hospitality through family expectations among Generation Z. The negative effect was attenuated when a manager position was offered. However, college students majoring in hospitality reported positive intentions to accept a job in the hospitality industry for both frontline and managerial positions.

Research limitations/implications

The findings emphasize the importance of extending organizational diversity beyond traditional demographics like race, gender and age by examining socioeconomic factors that influence career decisions among Generation Z employees. By considering social class background as a dimension of organizational diversity, the hospitality industry can cultivate a more inclusive culture and enhance recruitment and attraction efforts.

Originality/value

Examining the relationship between social class background and career decisions through the lens of social cognitive career theory provides insight into the social cognitive process of career development among Generation Z. The unique contribution of this study extends beyond observable dimensions of diversity to challenge the socioeconomic composition of the hospitality industry.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 35 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 July 2023

Ashokkumar Manoharan, Christina Scott-Young and Anthony McDonnell

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the talent challenges faced by hospitality organisations. This paper aims to propose a new concept – industry talent branding – which, is argued…

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the talent challenges faced by hospitality organisations. This paper aims to propose a new concept – industry talent branding – which, is argued, offers industry stakeholders the opportunity to reduce such issues through working more collaboratively and strategically to magnify the pool in which individual organisations compete for talent.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes a conceptual framework of industry talent branding, based on brand equity theory, signalling theory and the employer branding literature.

Findings

Industry talent branding opens a potentially new stream of research on how talent attraction and retention issues may be addressed. The authors propose that there is merit in moving beyond the organisational-level phenomenon of employer branding to industry talent branding through articulating a broader collaborative and strategic agenda to increase and widen the talent pool available to organisations.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed framework offers the hospitality industry and its encompassing stakeholders a means to adopt a more proactive, collective and strategic approach to address long-standing talent challenges.

Originality/value

This paper combines brand equity and signalling theories to develop the concept of industry talent branding, defined as a strategically curated, yet realistic impression of the employee value proposition (i.e. the benefits and rewards received by employees in return for their work performance) available within the industry, that by design will sustainably attract new employees into the industry and retain existing talent.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 35 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 June 2022

Lindsey Lee, Sandra Sun-Ah Ponting, Ankita Ghosh and Hyounae (Kelly) Min

This study aims to provide important insights in advancing the hospitality workforce by exploring the dimensions of calling. By identifying significant calling dimensions among…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to provide important insights in advancing the hospitality workforce by exploring the dimensions of calling. By identifying significant calling dimensions among hospitality employees, the study is guided by work as calling theory by also examining the mediating role of employees’ professional identity on intention to leave the industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an exploratory mixed-methods approach. Study 1 included an online qualitative survey to explore the significant dimensions of calling among hospitality employees. Study 2 measured the significance of hospitality calling dimensions on intention to leave the industry, mediated by professional identity.

Findings

Study 1 identified transcendent summons, passion and purposeful life as significant dimensions of hospitality calling. Study 2 examined calling as a second-order construct with the aforementioned dimensions and proposed calling increases professional identity and decreases intention to leave the industry. However, professional identity did not significantly influence the intention to leave the industry.

Originality/value

This study brings value to the calling literature by exploring the calling dimensions unique to the hospitality workforce. Findings also highlight that subjective professional identity alone cannot lower employees’ intention to leave the industry. Organizational and industry support focusing on transcendent summons, passion and purposeful life are recommended.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 34 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

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