Shifting Paradigms in Human Resource Management while Striving for Service Excellence in the Tourism Industry

Abstract

Globalization has led the tourism industry to undergo radical changes, with an ideological shift toward embracing the customer-centric approach and discarding the traditional focus on profits. Tourism organizations need to fulfill the demands and expectations of customers by training staff to maintain service excellence. A strategic approach must ensure employees are engaged, recognized, innovative, trustworthy, and loyal, exhibiting innovation and enhanced performance. This conceptual study explores the paradigm shifts in tourism human-resource management, and highlights a strategic approach of integrating operational and cultural elements for achieving service excellence. The proposed Operational Integration and Cultural Integration (OICI) elucidates effective management of human resources to achieve service excellence. It highlights that the customers power to choose has increased, as the quality of the overall experience is wholly based on perception and acts as a main differentiator in the competitive world. Hence there is a need for constantly innovative ways to enhance services effectiveness through efficient utilization of human resources (employees). To achieve high performance and service excellence, organizations must constantly encourage and inspire their employees, and acknowledge their contribution. The OICI model s implementation can achieve organizational goals and lead to satisfied, delighted, and loyal customers.