UNDERSTANDING INNOVATION IN HOSPITALITY THROUGH THE WORDS OF INNOVATIVE MANAGERS

Authors

  • Ileana Pardal Monteiro ESGHT, University of the Algarve
  • Fernando Cardoso Sousa INUAF, Algarve

Keywords:

Attitudes, Employment, Social Discrimination, Touristic Organization, Social Desirability

Abstract

Recently, researchers have become more interested in service innovation, and they describe it mostly as a process of continuous improvement of service quality, quite different from the industrial sector, more directed to technological innovation. This paper summarizes research designed to explain the role of hotel managers in fostering innovation in high quality hospitality industry.

Within a role theory approach, interviews with 24 managers considered innovative by their employees, and six considered less innovative, were subjected to content analysis and correspondence analysis in order to extract the managers’ perceptual maps. Results show the differences between innovative and non-innovative managers’ self perceptions and the implications in service innovation.

 

This research suggested ways that can be used to bring better results to the hospitality organizations, and stressed the value of employee creativity in the management process.

Author Biographies

  • Ileana Pardal Monteiro, ESGHT, University of the Algarve
    PhD in Organizational Psychology, Senior Lecturer
  • Fernando Cardoso Sousa, INUAF, Algarve
    PhD in Organizational Psychology, Professor

Published

16.01.2012

Issue

Section

Papers/Extended Abstracts in English

How to Cite

UNDERSTANDING INNOVATION IN HOSPITALITY THROUGH THE WORDS OF INNOVATIVE MANAGERS. (2012). Tourism & Management Studies, 169-179. https://www.tmstudies.net/index.php/ectms/article/view/186