Advocating Social Intelligence in the Hospitality Industry: An Interpersonal Challenge

[Name of the Institute]

ABSTRACT

This thesis will discuss not only issues within labor and skills shortages, but also challenges within construction costs, technology, demographics, future hotel profits, branding, distribution revolution, travel restrictions, global emerging markets, and capitol availability within the hospitality industry. The research in this work will focus on social intelligence and soft or social skills as quintessential components for success in the hospitality industry; namely, this thesis will serve as a reference for leaders and subordinates in the hospitality industry, and a means to encourage social skills in employed youth in the hospitality industry. The following sections of the paper utilize descriptive statistics (i.e. consumer reports, and various resources of statistics in the hospitality industry) to discuss issues in the field. Additionally, this paper seeks to divulge why advocating social intelligence is a notable rectification in fixing issues in the hospitality industry, and how these issues affect management and consumer issues. Moreover it will discuss implications for the social intelligent hospitality leader, recommendations toward improvement in the hospitality industry, provisional theories to support recommendations made, and the analysis of five case studies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACTII

INTRODUCTION1

Defining Soft Skills3

Social Intelligence, What is it?7

Benefits of Social Intelligence8

The Ideology behind Social Intelligence8

IQ Versus Social Intelligence (SI)9

The Major Tenets of Social Intelligence10

PROVISIONAL THEORIES14

Servant Leader Perspective17

Transformational Theory18

Theory of Motivation20

Hierarchy of Leadership Theory22

Path-Goal Theory23

ISSUES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY25

The Impact of Current Issues25

Labor and skills shortages25

Construction Costs27

Technology29

Changing Demographics31

Future Hotel Profits33

Branding34

Distribution Revolution36

Global Emerging Markets37

Capital Availability38

ISSUES IN HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY40

Management Issues40

Attract, Retain and Train40

Consumer Issues41

Cleanliness, Customer Service and Aesthetics of the Venue41

SUMMARY44

CASE STUDIES FOR FAILED HOTELS45

Wyndham Hotels45

MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas (1980)47

MGM Resorts Harmon Hotel Tower48

Beetham Hotels49

Claborne Towers (Grand Palace Hotel; New Orleans, Canal Street)50

RECOMMENDATIONS52

CONCLUSION57

REFERENCES60

Advocating Social Intelligence in the Hospitality Industry:

An Interpersonal Challenge

INTRODUCTION

The hospitality industry is an entry point for first-time employed youth (The Bureau of Labor, 2006). The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2004) noted in 2002, 22 percent of workers in food services were within the age range of 16 to 19 (cited in the U.S. Department of Labor, 2006, preface, i). The U.S. Department of Labor also specified this amount was five times the percentage of youths in other professions (2006). The U.S. Department of Labor suggested “workers learn basic foundational skills, such as punctuality and responsibility, from their early work experiences in the hospitality industry” (preface, i). Besides this, the U.S. Department of Labor (2006) stated:

The hospitality industry provides job seekers with a variety of career opportunities. Growth is projected for occupations throughout the industry, from restaurant cooks to hotel clerks. These positions have varying education and training requirements, ranging from short term on-the-job training to associate or bachelor degree programs. Further, hospitality is truly a national industry, with opportunities available throughout the country anywhere Americans live and work (preface, i).

Furthermore, in 2005 the U.S. Department of Labor announced a series of investments surpassing 1.5 million dollars to address challenges in the hospitality industry. The U.S. Department of labor (2006) developed priorities ...