Julia Christensen Hughes

Talent management: A strategy for improving employee recruitment, retention and engagement within hospitality organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to clarify what is meant by talent management and why it is important (particularly with respect to its affect on employee recruitment, retention and engagement), as well as to identify factors that are critical to its effective implementation. Design/methodology/approach – This article is based on a review of the academic and popular talent management literatures. Findings – Talent management is an espoused and enacted commitment to implementing an integrated, strategic and technology enabled approach to human resource management (HRM). This commitment stems in part from the widely shared belief that human resources are the organizations primary source of competitive advantage; an essential asset that is becoming in increasingly short supply. The benefits of an effectively implemented talent management strategy include improved employee recruitment and retention rates, and enhanced employee engagement. These outcomes in turn have been associated with improved operational and financial performance. The external and internal drivers and restraints for talent management are many. Of particular importance is senior management understanding and commitment. Practical implications – Hospitality organizations interested in implementing a talent management strategy would be well advised to: define what is meant by talent management; ensure CEO commitment; align talent management with the strategic goals of the organization; establish talent assessment, data management and analysis systems; ensure clear line management accountability; and conduct an audit of all HRM practices in relation to evidence‐based best practices. Originality/value – This article will be of value to anyone seeking to better understand talent management or to improve employee recruitment, retention and engagement.

HRM and universalism: is there one best way?

This paper presents a framework for understanding HRM: traditional HRM; integrative HRM; strategic HRM; and universal HRM. It suggests that empirical support for universal HRM is growing. It also presents a case study of one hospitality organization’s “universal” approach to human resource management – Intrawest in British Columbia, Canada. “Best practices” include establishing a service‐oriented culture, building a strong capital base, motivating employees, and providing employees with the opportunity to contribute. However, issues related to the level of employee commitment and organizational life cycle are raised. The paper argues that future research should focus on the applicability of universal HRM for the hospitality industry as well as processes and measures for helping managers demonstrate the impact of their HR practices.

Research: Sociological Paradigms and the Use of Ethnography in Hospitality Research:

If hospitality is to mature as a field of inquiry, it is important that the understanding of the philosophical debates underlying methodological choices be enhanced. Through this understanding interest in alternative methodologies among hospitality researchers should grow. Historically, the hospitality literature has reflected a positivist epistemology and a sociology of regulation. As such, it has failed to adequately challenge the many norms taken for granted and assumptions deeply embedded within the industry. Researchers are encouraged to acknowledge the subjectivity of “truth” and adopt a sociology of radical change. Ethnography is an example of one qualitative research approach that holds promise for researchers interested in doing so. Key methodological issues for ethnographic research include site and sample selection, the management of the researchers role, data collection strategies and data analysis techniques.

Corporate philanthropy and channel impact in food security

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss how corporate philanthropy influences channel behaviour in the context of food security. Design/methodology/approach – The authors chose an exploratory case-study design to guide the investigation, based on Yin’s (1994) argument that case studies are the preferred strategy when “how” or “why” questions are being posed, and when the focus is on a modern phenomenon within a real-life context. A survey study was focused on formal interviews onsite where product development and marketing occurred. Findings – It is known that the concepts of power and dependency are central to channel relationships. In food distribution, it has been argued that food distributors hold more power than food processors due to end-user proximity (Ruyter et al., 1996). For corporate altruism acts to have an impact when generated by functions other than distribution and retailing, one can only argue that channel members would require a significant number of antecedents to be successfu...