Alleah Crawford

An Exploratory Study Identifying Soft Skill Competencies in Entry-Level Managers

The identification of competencies needed by hospitality managers has been investigated since the 1980s. In all of the competency research related to hospitality management, essential competencies include skills that can be classified as soft skills, yet a comprehensive list of these soft skills has not been identified. The purpose of this project is to have industry professionals rate the importance of soft skill competencies found in literature, and then reduce this list of competencies by completing a factor analysis. This study serves as the beginning for a comprehensive study of soft skills needed in entry-level hospitality management positions.

Workplace Spirituality and Employee Attitudes within the Lodging Environment

This research examined the workplace spirituality concept and its relationship with employee variables, including intrinsic work satisfaction, job involvement, intention to quit, organizational based self-esteem, and organizational commitment, within the lodging setting. Workplace spirituality is a growing trend not only in the research community, but also in the corporate environment. Researchers sampled employees from two hotel management groups, one that actively promoted workplace spirituality within its organization and one that did not. The results of this study found a significant relationship between the presence of workplace spirituality and the employee variables being examined. There was also a significant difference examined between the two organizations as related to the presence of workplace spirituality.

An Exploratory Analysis of Soft Skill Competencies Needed for the Hospitality Industry

The identification of competencies needed by hospitality managers has been investigated since the 1980s. In all of the competency research related to management, essential competencies include skills that can be classified as soft skills. The purpose of this project was to have human resource professionals rate the importance of soft skill competencies found in literature and to determine the relative importance of the seven categories of soft skill competencies. The study combined new data with existing data to complete an exploratory factor analysis. This exploratory study found a five-component tool that had similarities to other models found in the literature review but also had unique differences to the prior research.

Hospitality operators' understanding of service: a qualitative approach

Purpose – The purpose of this research was to begin to answer the question “Can a person as an employee, an individual or a leader be pre‐disposed to deliver service?”.Design/methodology/approach – To answer this question the research began exploring service from the providers perspective to better understand how it is understood and how the need to serve is developed. This study used an interpretive phenomenological approach and collected data through semi‐structured interviews. Purposeful sampling produced hospitality management operators as participants. The focus of the interviews was their understanding of service, and how one develops a need to serve others. An editing style of data analysis was conducted.Findings – Findings included an understanding of how hospitality operators view service, including necessary external and internal attributes. Additionally, a basic understanding of how the need to serve develops in service providers was garnered from the data collected.Practical implications – Sp...

The Impact of Work-Related Goals on Hospitality Industry Employee Variables:

Goals have been shown to affect performance of employees within the service sector. The purpose of this study was to assess differences that might exist between employees with work-related goals as compared to employees without work-related goals. Employee outcomes, including organisational commitment, intention to quit, intrinsic work satisfaction, job involvement, and organisation-based self-esteem, were assessed and the groups of hospitality employees were compared on each outcome. The findings revealed that employees with work-related goals experienced greater organisational commitment, greater organisation-based self-esteem, while being less likely to leave the organisation, and more involved with the job.

Using Delphi Panels to Assess Soft Skill Competencies in Entry Level Managers

The identification of competencies needed by hospitality managers has been investigated since the 1980’s. In all of the competency research relating to hospitality management, essential competencies include skills that can be classified as soft skills, yet a comprehensive list of these soft skills has not been identified. The purpose of this project is to have industry professionals in human resources and educators who teach human resources, to rate the importance of soft skill competencies found in the literature. This study serves as the beginning of a comprehensive study of soft skills needed in entry-level hospitality management positions. 1 Weber et al.: Using Delphi Panels to Assess Soft Skill Competencies in Entry Le Published by ScholarWorks@GVSU, 2010 Journal of Tourism Insight s Vol. 1 No. 1 99 1994). The method has proved to be especially appropriate when the subject matter lends itself to conducting subjective (qualitative) rather than quantitative analysis (Linstone & Turoff, 1975). The central aim of the Delphi method is to eliminate any direct confrontation among the experts and to allow judgment to be reached by consensus based upon increasing amounts of information becoming available (Prendergast & Marr, 1994). A Delphi study involves a number of considerations, including: (a) the selection of panelists, (b) the design of the questionnaire, (c) the provision of feedback, and (d) a decision on the number of rounds to be conducted (Yong, Keng, & Leng, 1988). This research used a roundless form of the Delphi panel. The roundless method involves the use of continuously updated, on-line questionnaires to communicate with the expert panel members. This method was preferred as a way to decrease the amount of time required to administer the series of questionnaires (versus the more traditional paper and pencil format). Gordon (2007) reported the use of a global Delphi panel of experts who predicted energy forecasts using the roundless method for collecting panel responses. Brill, Bishop, and Walker (2006) used a similar approach when they determined the competencies of a project manager. The web-based method was evaluated as a very efficient method for conducting Delphi panel research (Brill, Bishop, & Walker, 2006). Soft Skills in the Workplace In 1974, Katz placed the skills required by effective managers into three categories, technical, human, and conceptual. Technical skills are detail oriented skills that are required for entry-level managers. An example is calculating food cost in a restaurant. Human skills are those interpersonal skills needed in order to manage a group of people or interact in a one-on-one format. Team building and communication skills are examples of human skills. Conceptual skills are the planning and visioning skills needed by managers. Decision making and forecasting are examples of conceptual skills (Katz, 1974). Sandwith (1993) identified five competency domains for management training: (a) conceptual/creative, (b) leadership, (c) interpersonal, (d) administrative, and (e) technical. These domains are similar to the categories identified by Katz (1974). The conceptual/creative domain corresponds to the conceptual skills category, the technical and administrative domains correspond to the technical skills category, and the leadership and interpersonal domains correspond to the human skills category. The terms hard skills and soft skills are based on these categories and domains. Hard skills correspond to the skills in the technical and administrative categories and soft skills correspond to the skills in the human, conceptual, leadership, and interpersonal categories. Rainsbury, Hodges, Burchell, and Lay (2002) classified the competencies of superior managers identified by Spencer and Spencer (1993) as hard skills or soft skills. Only three of the twenty competencies were classified as hard skills with the remaining seventeen classified as soft skills. The categories of the soft skills included: (a) achievement and action, (b) impact and influence, (c) managerial (team management and developing others), and (d) personal effectiveness (Rainsbury, Hodges, Burchell, & Lay, 2002). Management Competencies In continuing the search for competencies, Boyatzis (1982) was among the first to study the topic of managerial competencies. His goal was to complete a comprehensive list of competencies that relate to performance effectiveness in managers, regardless of the organization. Boyatzis found his list of competencies did distinguish superior, average, and poor managers. His set of competencies account for 27% of the variance in the performance effectiveness of the managers, or approximately one-quarter of the variance in performance could be attributed to his list of competencies. Boyatzis also found evidence for 6 clusters of competencies; they included: (a) goal and action management, (b) leadership, (c) human resource management, (d) directing subordinates, (e) focus on others, and (f) specialized knowledge. These clusters can be found in the basic functions of management tasks, including planning, organizing, controlling, motivating, and coordinating (Boyatzis, 1982). Taking a different approach to managerial competencies, Bray and Howard (1983) were interested in studying personality via the assessment center method. They reported the importance of two motives/traits, the need for advancement and inner work standards. The need for advancement was the motivation to be promoted faster and further than one’s peers. Inner work standards equated to having high standards of work performance even though a lower standard may be sufficient to satisfy the manager’s superior (Bray & Howard, 1983). 2 Journal of Tourism Insights, Vol. 1, Iss. 1 [2010], Art. 12 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/jti/vol1/iss1/12 DOI: 10.9707/2328-0824.1011 Journal of Tourism Insight s Vol. 1 No. 1 100 Similar to managerial competencies, Stevens and Campion (1994, 1999) suggested a taxonomy of individual competencies in teamwork. They wanted to develop a measure of knowledge, skills, and abilities for staffing teams within the organization. Their taxonomy defined 5 dimensions of competencies: (a) conflict resolution (managing effectively and resolving conflict), (b) collaborative problem solving (recognizing opportunities and involving all teams), (c) communication (including establishing communication networks, verbal, and nonverbal), (d) goal setting and performance management (establishing specific, challenging, and realistic goals, then monitoring feedback on performance), (e) planning and task coordination (coordinating tasks and information to establish role expectations). Their results from a variety of employment tests (verbal, quantitative, perceptual speed, and mechanical ability) showed criterion-related validity of teamwork performance, task performance, and overall job performance. An unexpected finding was a high correlation with employment aptitude tests. This suggests that KSA’s associated with working with others (a soft skill competency) relates to performance effectiveness (Stevens & Champion, 1994, 1999). Chen, Donahue, and Klimoski (2004) built upon the work of Stevens and Champion (1999) by studying different types of skills within a team environment. Their subjects were college students. Using the same teamwork tests as Stevens and Champion, they found that after taking a course designed to improve teamwork skills, knowledge and skills significantly increased. Using the studies by Boyzatis (1982) and Stevens and Campion (1994), four categories for soft skills can be identified: 1. Leadership/people/relationship skills These skills are those needed to negotiate with others, to participate in a team environment, to provide service to clients/customers/peers, and to resolve conflict. This is important because it will aid in helping individuals and organizations accomplish goals (Kantrowitz, 2005). 2. Communication – These skills are associated with listening, presenting, verbalizing, and nonverbal communications. Riggio (1986) used the Social Skills Indicator (SSI) to assess social and communication skills. He found that higher scores on the SSI related to better job performance. Also, Riggio, Riggio, Salinas, and Cole (2003) found that groups chose leaders who had higher levels of communication skills (as measured by the SSI). 3. Management/organization – These skills include articulating goals, organizing people and resources, monitoring progress, and resolving problems (Kantrowitz, 2005). Mintzberg (1975) sought to determine how managers spend their time. He used structured observation methods. The roles he developed were categorized as decisional roles (resource allocation, resolving conflict, negotiation, and entrepreneurs), information roles (monitoring, disseminating, and speaking), and interpersonal roles (leader, figurehead, and liaison). 4. Cognitive skills and knowledge – These skills relate to creative thinking, making sound decisions, and solving problems within the workplace (Conrad, 1999). Kesselman, Lopez, and Lopez (1982) found that problem solving, decision making, and planning scores (as assessed by an in-basket exercise) were positively related to overall job performance. Spector, Schneider, Vance, and Hezlett (2000) also found that inbasket performance significantly and positively correlated with management potential scores. Soft Skills in Hospitality Management These management competencies are also used in the area of hospitality management. The identification of competencies needed by hospitality managers has been investigated since the 1980’s. Tas (1988) reported a list of 36 competencies required for management trainees. These competencies were divided into essential, considerable importance, and moderate importance. The six competencies in the essential category were soft skills needed to develop good working relationships with customers and employees. In 1994, foo

North Carolina human resource professionals' perceptions of soft skill competencies.

The identification of competencies needed by hospitality managers has been investigated since the 1980s. In all of the competency research related to management, essential competencies include skills that can be classified as soft skills. The purpose of the authors in this project is to have human resource professionals rate the importance of soft skill competencies found in literature, and to determine the relative importance of the seven categories of soft skill competencies. Of the 116 soft skill competencies assessed in this study, the majority of them were deemed important, with means greater than 4.0 (on a 5 point Likert-type scale). This is an on-going comprehensive study of soft skills in entry-level management positions.

Does Core Self-Evaluation Have a Place Among Restaurant Employees?

This study seeks to examine how applicable the core self evaluation concept is to employees within the food and beverage sector of the hospitality industry. Quick service restaurant employees made up the sample for this study. Participants completed a paper questionnaire that assessed core self evaluation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The results of this research support the previously supported relationship between core self evaluation and job satisfaction. This research also provided an extension of previous research regarding core self evaluation by supporting organizational commitment as sharing a direct relationship with core self evaluation. Implications of this study are discussed as are limitations and future research possibilities.

Providers’ perceptions of the online community marketplace for lodging accommodations:

With the increase in intermediaries in the online marketplace for lodging accommodations, such as Airbnb, Vacation Rental by Owner, Home Away, and Flip Key, opportunities for consumers to book lodging accommodations and for home owners to rent out their own homes, condominiums, and bedrooms are growing. While some research has investigated travelers’ motivations for using these services, little work has addressed the motivations and behaviors of owners. This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze data collected from interviews with current owners. Themes that emerged from the analysis, pertaining to the description of the providers, included identity, motivations, and drawbacks; while those related to the daily operations of the facility included advantages, features, and logistics. Ultimately, the study found that providers of alternative lodging are focused on respect between hosts and guests, developing meaningful relationships, and acquiring all the necessary resources to operate.

Network hospitality in the share economy: Understanding guest experiences and the impact of sharing on lodging

Purpose The purpose of this study was utilize the experience economy to assess the value of the network hospitality experience for the guest and to develop a better understanding of network hospitality as a unique alternative to traditional lodging. Design/methodology/approach This study used a mixed-methods approach, relying on content analysis and interpretive phenomenological analysis to answer the research questions. Guest reviews of hosts for a lodging-specific network hospitality website were used as the data source for this study. Findings The educational dimension of the experience economy was most represented during network hospitality experiences. Additionally, the factors that create value for network hospitality users include verbal communication, a sense of feeling at home, engagement in entertainment, food and beverage and the functional experience while the spirit of network hospitality, reciprocity and desire for continuation through future intention can have a great impact on the travel and tourism industry. Originality/value This research adds value to the current literature by providing a better understanding of the experience economy at work in network hospitality, primarily education and esthetics. Additionally a better understanding of what factors of the network hospitality experience create value for guests is developed. This work focuses on a fast-growing substitute for traditional lodging and therefore needs to be better understood.