A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF JOB COMPETENCY EXPECTATIONS FOR NEW HIRES: THE RELATIVE VALUE OF A HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT DEGREE

ABSTRACT This study compared lodging managers' job competency expectations for newly hired employees in possession of four-year (baccalaureate) degrees from a college or university. Lodging managers mentally separated new hires into two distinct categories when rating the importance of specific job competencies: 1) new hires in possession of a hospitality management baccalaureate degree, and 2) new hires in possession of a non-hospitality management baccalaureate degree. Lodging managers who were current members of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (CFHLA) at the time of the survey participated and all were employed in the central Florida area at the time of the study. In the fall of 2004, lodging managers (N=156) were sent an electronic mail correspondence requesting participation. Usable responses were received from 137 lodging managers for a response rate of 87.82%. The survey instrument was developed from a literature review of hospitality job competencies and was refined to 3 content areas: knowledge, ability, and attitude. Research questions were designed to identify differences, if any, in lodging manager new hire expectations based upon several criteria: a) type of baccalaureate degree held by the new hire (hospitality management versus other field), b) gender of the manager, c) number of years the manager had worked in the lodging industry, d) whether or not the manager possessed a baccalaureate degree at the time of the survey, e) if the manager possessed a baccalaureate degree, whether the degree was hospitality or non-hospitality specific, and, f) the type of lodging facility employing the manager at the time of questionnaire completion. These comparisons were made between the two groups of new-hires with baccalaureate hospitality degrees and new-hires with non-hospitality baccalaureate degrees. Consistently, lodging managers rated higher expectations for new-hires when the newly hired employees possessed a baccalaureate degree in hospitality or lodging management versus a non-hospitality discipline. Ramifications of these findings are discussed pursuant to higher education hospitality programs, the lodging industry, and human resource professionals recruiting future lodging managers. Future research is suggested utilizing a wider regional, national, and/or international sample.