Human resource management - practices, performance and strategy in the Italian hotel industry

The aim of this paper is to study the relationship between human resource management (HRM) and organisational performance in the Italian hospitality sector. In particular, it investigates the extent of adoption of HRM practices, the existence of formal HR strategies, and the degree of development of the HR function, in the Italian hotel industry. The findings aim to verify whether the effectiveness of HRM is contingent upon the approach to adopted business strategies and whether the hotels, which strategically formally apply HRM practices, outperform those with HRM practices outside a formal organisational strategy. The research finally expands on the underlying factors and managerial implications of the findings to conceptually interpret phenomena and prescribe actions.