Piotr Zientara

International hotel chains and environmental protection: an analysis of Hilton's we care! programme (Europe, 2006–2008)

Using the case study method, this paper evaluates and analyses Hiltons we care! programme for improving the environmental performance of the 70 Hilton Worldwide hotels in operation in Continental Europe in 2006–2008. It explores the practical dimension of “greening” hotel operations in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and demonstrates the close links between CSR and human resource management (HRM) in hotels. It deepens the understanding of corporate environmentalism and seeks to disseminate best practice among hospitality managers. The programmes distinctive and innovative character as well as its weaknesses and strengths are highlighted. Barriers to behavioural change in hotel operation are discussed. The programme involved over 16,000 employees, created hotel-specific action teams linking all employee levels and reduced energy use per square metre by 15%, water use and CO2 emissions per guest night by 8% each over three years. Avoided utility costs totalled US

Hotel companies' contribution to improving the quality of life of local communities and the well-being of their employees.

16 million, of which US

Corporate Social Responsibility in Hospitality: Issues and Implications. A Case Study of Scandic

9.6 million can be attributed to changes in human behaviour. The paper makes a case for a holistic approach that combines the introduction of IT-based measurement and performance-assessing tools with genuine employee empowerment and green awareness raising. The study concludes with future managerial policy recommendations that simultaneously bear upon corporate environmentalism and HRM.

Corporate social responsibility and employee attitudes: evidence from a study of Polish hotel employees

The aim of this paper is to discuss the question of how hotel companies contribute to improving the quality of life in host communities and the well-being of their employees. A number of research techniques were employed, which allowed to see what the hospitality sector has done to further the aforesaid end. The findings are placed into the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and it is argued that, in recent years, hotel companies have gone to great lengths to improve the quality of life in local communities and the well-being of their employees. Critically, by presenting concrete initiatives and highlighting their rationale, it is shown that a growing number of hotels have embedded the idea of CSR into their business models. The paper concludes by asserting that international hotel companies can play an important role in the development of host communities.

International Migration: A Case Against Building Ever‐Higher Fences

Corporate social responsibility (CSR), which takes as its premise that firms ought to justify their existence in terms of service to assorted stakeholders rather than mere profit, has been a subject of much debate. Yet, notwithstanding certain critical voices, more and more businesses, including hospitality companies, are embracing CSR. Some – like Scandic – even embedded it into their business models, which means that CSR underpins their organizational modus operandi. Thus this paper, built around an analysis of Scandics Omtanke programme, aims to conceptualize CSR in the context of the hospitality sector. Great stress is laid, therefore, on the implications of CSR for hotel‐based human resource management, local community support and promotion of environmental sustainability. Drawing on interviews with Scandic managers and internal documents, we examine the rationale and effects of various CSR initiatives carried out in Scandic hotels in recent years. Building on these insights, the paper concludes by making some recommendations of practical character and highlighting future research directions.

Green organizational climates and employee pro-environmental behaviour in the hotel industry

This study, based on data collected from low-ranking employees working in Polish hotels, tests a research model that investigates whether there are links between corporate social responsibility (CSR), operationalized as “self-related” CSR experiences and “others-related” CSR experiences, and job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and between both attitudes and work engagement. Structural equation modelling was used to assess these relationships, using a 20 point questionnaire answered by 412 respondents. The results indicate that “others-related” CSR experiences are positively associated with satisfaction and commitment, while “self-related” CSR experiences with the latter variable. Likewise, organizational commitment, unlike job satisfaction, was linked to work engagement. However, contrary to our a priori assumptions and prior research, it turned out that job satisfaction was not a predictor of commitment. The paper discusses theoretical and practical implications of the findings. The studys most important practical implication is that Polish hotel employees attach weight to responsible behaviour: the hotel industry should perceive CSR in terms of strategic significance. Companies that want a committed and engaged workforce – and, by extension, to enhance their competitiveness – should embrace CSR. The paper concludes by highlighting its limitations and suggesting future research avenues.

Employees Desire to Join or Leave a Union: Evidence from Poland

International migration, seen as a powerful force of truly global character that is shaping todays socio-economic reality, is a highly controversial and politicised issue. This paper explores its ramifications in the context of a growing backlash against immigration across the rich world. Specifically, it argues that the free flow of people - like the free movement of goods and capital - is beneficial to developed and developing economies alike and, in doing so, shows how migration produces win-win outcomes. Thus the study, while admitting that inflows of foreign-born workers pose challenges and entail trade-offs, makes a case for the liberalisation of immigration policies. The paper deepens our understanding of the issues at hand and constitutes a voice in favour of liberal-policy choices.

EMPLOYMENT OF OLDER WORKERS IN POLAND: ISSUES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS1

ABSTRACT This paper adopts a multilevel approach and uses hierarchical-level modelling, to explore the mechanisms that underlie organizational citizenship behaviour for the environment (OCBE) in four- and five-star hotels in Poland. It contributes both to organizational climate research and the organizational greening literature. More specifically, it examines the direct effects of green organizational climate (GOC) on OCBE, as well as its moderating effects on the relationships between individual factors and OCBE. The results indicate that GOC had a direct impact on OCBE and that it had a significant moderating effect on the relationships between personal environmental values and OCBE, and between affective organizational commitment and OCBE. It also emerged that employee values and commitment were positively related to OCBE, and that employees’ engagement in extra-role green activities was equally explained by individual- and hotel-level factors. However, we found that in most hotels, there were weak GOC, which implies lack of organizational emphasis on green practices. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings, and make the case for the adoption of the multilevel approach for exploring employee involvement in organizational pro-environmental action. A series of key managerial implications are listed, explained and justified.

Chapter 5 The hospitality sector

This research note provides an empirical analysis of the factors related to Polish employees desire to join and leave a union. Our regression analysis, based on a sample of 298 unionized and 338 nonunionized employees, shows that the desire to join a union is positively associated with career prospects and negatively with company commitment, while the desire to leave a union is positively associated with ones intention to leave the company.

Development of tourism in Poland: policy implications

The aim of this paper is to discuss barriers to the employment of older workers in Poland, where, due to various structural weaknesses and institutional arrangements, this problem has taken on a particularly acute seriousness. After analysing the causes of inactivity amongst older workers, the paper concludes by making policy recommendations.