Managerial Qualities That Make a Successful Hotel and Hospitality Industry - Coursework Example

Research Topic: To Determine the Managerial Qualities That Make a Successful Hotel and Hospitality Industry Name Student ID Course Instructor Date Research Topic: To Determine The Managerial Qualities That Make A Successful Hotel And Hospitality Industry Introduction The hospitality diligence and in particular the higher segment hotels and restaurants provides the finest hospitality, an enjoyment of fine quality foods and beverages. These services are regarded as very special culture that governs the hospitality industry. The culture highly esteems and values hospitableness as a major central theme. Telfer, a renowned philosopher, explains hospitableness as a virtue that depends greatly on one’s devotion and generous spirit than on proficiency. While great rewards, moderate satisfaction and great opportunities hang on the manager’s personal education and experiences, tremendous growth and optimum satisfaction for both customers and managers can only be achieved through substantive inherent values (Gehrels 2007: 37). Thus, the major concerns in the hospitality industry revolve around the managerial qualities that account for successful hotel and hospitality industry. In responding to this concern, this research material will explore various websites, books and journals that provide information regarding the management of hospitality industry. The research method will rely entirely on questionnaires from managers, staff, and customers from a wide range of tourism companies, as well as market research. Literature Review Starting a hotel is not so much a difficult task as compared to finding the right and efficient resources to keep the business up and running. In fact, an experienced manager oversees assets functionalities that range from guests’ absolute satisfaction to budget formulation, execution and monitoring to ensure the hotel prevails against stiff competitors. Subsequently, an average hotel manager must be involved in running the hotel operations, coordinating departments, attending to guests and ascertaining sufficient revenues as well as sales that afloat the business. Hiring inexperienced and non-proficient staff exposes the business to hefty threats. It is therefore vital that a manager is capable of relating well with the guests and other staff members (Pathak 2014). Robert Rauch suggests that a manager with sturdy service leadership dexterities will easily allow the integration of the hotel’s success plans to every management unit. If, supposedly, the most important items articulated on the list are to craft a vision, a well defined objectives and the right mindset. It then follows that such goals should be articulated particularly in writing for the whole staff and appropriate accountability for achieving every goal must be kept in place. Equally important, when the manager exhibits positive approaches towards the achievement of every goal, success becomes more imminent (2014). An average general manager must be a people-oriented person exhibiting strong interpersonal and adequate skills in communication while maintaining a warming and patient attitude towards other employees and guests. They must possess leadership traits and an aptitude for understanding and resolving issues. Other important traits include; multi-tasking abilities, interpersonal skills, talents and financial proficiencies (Pathak 2014). Although studies on hospitality management are sparse and limited, a few researches on other several branches of the hospitality industry present some important views. In one of her writings on hospitality management, Kalargyrou identifies three essential traits that any successful manager should posses; innovation, inner values and stewardship. She further adds that in order for any industry to prevail against any antagonistic force during market shifts, a manager in the hospitality industry must be able to accurately interpret the changes aroundthem and have the ability to effectively respond to these changes by executing the right and most profitable response. Such capabilities are essential in fostering trust and confidence between subordinates and guests while creating an all-inclusive work environment (Kalargyrou 2009: 29). Hinkin asserts that if a manager is to be any successful in a hotel industry, they should first understand their organization. A manager learning about their organization must understand or view it as a system. A manager should view the organization as the human body having organs that serve as functional elements, the skeleton taking the structural aspect while both the nervous and circulatory systems providing proper synchronization and communication. Suppose one section of the system functions improperly, the entire system will definitely be faltered. Therefore, another crucial hospitality quality of a manager that ascertains success is a sturdy sense of interdependence among the organization departmental units (Hinkin 2011: 7). Since hotels and hospitality industries deal categorically with food, they are thus regarded as emotive businesses. In this case, great hotels rely heavily on great chefs and friendly employers. As Sheppardson and Gibson observe, great chefs can never be manufactured. Their magnificent cooking relies on their skills. What accounts for great hotel and hospitality managers is how good they leave their customer feeling through the services delivered. Although this requires much training, a manager should exhibit such traits in the hospitality industry. Inherent traits such as subtlety and empathy become crucial for any chance of success (2011). A common says goes that “people don’t leave their jobs, they leave their managers.” Certain indeed it is that faithful, hard working and competent employees leave their hospitality managers in their hordes. It is paramount that a manager works well with subordinates (Cutler 2010). According to a recent study, the most successful hotels were those with manager who adopted a democratic style of management. It means that subordinates inputs are freely listened to and considered when making critical decisions regarding various projects in the organization. A manager who emphasizes in building a team to work along with proves to be an added asset for the organization. Through such management board, the industry can be assured of a constant supply of quality services in every department in the hotel (Ackril et al 2010: 216). The hotel and hospitality industry is one that is acutely affected and shaped by changes within and without. The theory of innovation stipulates the agility to introduce “new ways of doing normal things” and better still a unique combination of production factors and categorizes them as entrepreneurial core work. A manager that is creative and innovative safeguards the organization’s future. In this case, innovation must be perceived and implemented as opportunities that spring from the creation of new or diversified services or products. Such quality character is essential especially with regards to competitiveness in the hotel industry. A new service is likely to attract new customers and provide optimum satisfaction to existing guests. Another crucial character that is usually keenly observed is the manager’s attitude and emotional state with respect to the job. If a manager expresses dissatisfaction and negative attitude toward their respective job, it consequently affects everything they do at work. In defining job satisfaction, Al-Ababneh purports that it as a positive emotional and pleasurable state that comes from one’s job or experiences. A successful and influential manager is one that expresses remarkable attitudes and feelings towards their subordinates and job. If people like their jobs, they will channel all their energy towards their works and focus more on the organization’s success. Most importantly, since hospitality industry involves interacting with guests and other people, positive attitude and a love for the job will do well in providing comfort for the guests (Al-Ababneh 2013: 94). The overall well-being of an organization and the well-being construct of the employees encompass objective and subjective facets and a multi-dimensional characteristic that are either negative or positive. A successful manager is able to pull out resources that ensure that the working environment is healthy and fit for their respective employees. On the other hand, a manager’s behavior directly affects the well-being of their subordinates. Positive management provided by a considerate manager will have positive impacts on subordinate’s well-being while negative management will leave adverse impacts on individual well-being. For instance, a manager’s positive supervisory character will impact their subordinates’ well-being beyond the effects of lifestyle, age, social support amongst themselves. Aims and Objectives The aim of this proposal is to assist managers in the hotel and hospitality industry craft their own future so as to improve overall efficiency of the industry. The objectives include: to involve the community, to increase the profits of the hotel and hospitality industry with 10%, and to increase employment opportunities in the tourism industry by 15%. Methodology On-site and postal questionnaires from 130 managers, 71 peers, and 100 employees will be collected and assessed to establish a pragmatic model of the managerial qualities that make a successful hotel and hospitality industry. The study will involve carrying out field research so as to understand customers’ expectations and needs. Both oral and written interviews will be conducted for the field research, consisting of a total of 20 questions. All the participants will be given free will as whether to participate in the study. The participants will include both male and females and the identity of the participants will remain hidden. There will be no specific criteria for selecting the participants. Invitations for participation will be sent through electronic mail. Various systems for managerial attributes and operation efficiency for the hospitality industry will be used in this study. Questionnaires will be advantageous because they are practical and data is quantified. The limitations include that the use of questionnaires is that it is not possible to understand emotions and behavior, people may read and understand various aspects from different perspectives, and there is no way of assessing how truthful is the information offered by the participants. Time Plan The study will take a time span of 6 months and will cost an estimate of USD 67500. The project will be funded by the National Tourism Agency (USD 50000) and private donors (USD 15500). Bibliography: Ackrill, R. et al. (2010). General Considerations On Leadership In The Hospitality Industry.Conceptual Analysis And Practical Studies. Timisoara Journal of Economics, 3(4), p.216. Al-Ababneh, M. (2013). Leadership Style of Managers in Five-Star Hotels and its Relationship with Employee’s Job Satisfaction. International Journal of Management & Business Studies, 3(2), p.94. Gehrels, S. (2007). How Hospitality Industry Managers’ Characteristics Could Influence Hospitality Management Curricula. The Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 15(2), p.37. Hinkin, T. (2011).Becoming a Leader in the Hospitality Industry.Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Jami, H. A., Ahanchian, M., Mahram, B., & Pakmehr, H. (2012). System of educational and qualification-based management: a meta-analysis about management models on the basis of competency. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 4751-4755. Kalargyrou, V. (2009). Leadership Skills and Challenges in Hospitality Management Education. Ph.D. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Kim, Y., Kim, S. S., Seo, J., & Hyun, J. (2011). Hotel Employees' Competencies and Qualifications Required According to Hotel Divisions. Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Cul-inary Arts, (3). Martínez-Ros, E., & Orfila-Sintes, F. (2012). Training plans, manager's characteristics and innovation in the accommodation industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(3), 686-694. Pathak, M. (2014). What Qualities Should a Hotel’s General Manager Possess? - Hotel Property Management System Software. [online] Hotel Property Management System Software. Available at: http://www.hotelogix.com/blog/2014/10/29/what-qualities-shloud-a-hotels-general-manager-possess/ [Accessed 15 Apr. 2015]. Sheppardson, C. and Gibson, H. (2011).Leadership and entrepreneurship in the hospitality industry. Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers. Tracey, J. and Hinkin, T. (1994).Transformational Leaders in the Hospitality Industry.Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 35(2), p.18. Vogel, M., Papathanassis, A., & Wolber, B. (Eds.). (2012). The business and management of ocean cruises. Cambridge, MA: CABI. Appendix Alyson, J. (2015). Qualifications Required for Hotel Management. [online] Work -Chron.com. Available at: http://work.chron.com/qualifications-required-hotel-management-13163.html [Accessed 15 Apr. 2015]. BABAITA, C., SIPOS, G., ISPAS, A. and NAGY, A. (n.d.). Leadership style and culture for innovation in hotel industry. In: 5th WSEAS International Conference on Economy and Management Transformation. [online] Timisoara, Romania: West University of Timisoara, pp.526-527. Available at: http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2010/TimisoaraW/EMT/EMT2-16.pdf [Accessed 15 Apr. 2015]. Newman, D., Moncarz, E. S., & Kay, C. L. (2014). Factors Affecting Lodging Career Success: An Analysis of Management Philosophies. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 15(1), 1-18. Rauch, R. (March 7, 2014). Hospitality Industry Service Leadership. - Friday, 7th March 2014 at 4Hoteliers. [online] 4hoteliers.com. Available at: http://www.4hoteliers.com/features/article/8207 [Accessed 15 Apr. 2015] Tarí, J. J., Molina-Azorín, J. F., Pereira-Moliner, J., López-Gamero, M. D., & Pertusa-Ortega, E. M. (2014). Quality Management and Performance in the Hotel Industry: A Literature Review. In Action-Based Quality Management (pp. 1-12). Springer International Publishing. Read More