The Importance of Context in Managerial Work: The Case of Senior Hotel Managers in Greece

Qualitative research on the interplay between context and hospitality managerial work has not been previously addressed in the literature. Based on the works of Johns (2006) and Dierdorff et al. (2009), this research suggests that luxury senior hotel managers (GMs and department managers) are to a certain degree recipients of contextual/cultural influences, depending on the ownership status of the hotel. It is also argued that managerial work is shaped and exercised by a set of moderating factors, which are unique for each individual. Overall, the aim of this research is to increase the level of awareness and trigger further research in this topic area. © 2014 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Factors affecting and shaping the General Managers’ work in small and medium-sized luxury hotels: the case of Greece.

The work of General Managers (GMs) in hotels has been the focus of several empirical studies since the early 1980s. The majority of these studies were conducted in corporate or multinational (MNC) hotel chains’ environment and often neglected the smaller independent operators and family businesses. This study explores the mediating factors that affect the GMs’ work in small and medium luxury hotels (SMLHs); the context of this study is Greece, a popular tourist destination dominated by SMLHs. Based on a qualitative research approach, 16 in-depth interviews with GMs were conducted in four popular tourist destinations. Five key factors in relation to the GMs’ work were found to be important: career development and mobility; contact intensity; owner-GM relations; dealing with corruption; and networking and reputation. The findings suggest a number of theoretical and managerial implications related to managerial work in SMLHs

Hospitality managers in turbulent times: the COVID-19 crisis

Purpose – This study explores the role General Managers (GMs) play in mitigating the effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative structured interviews conducted online with 50 hospitality GMs from 45 countries are used to explore the impact of the pandemic on the industry’s operational norms, and the role of managers in both managing the crisis and planning contingencies for recovery. Findings – Our findings enhance the conceptual capital in this emerging field and provide insights on how GMs behave during crises. Four related sub-themes emerged from the data analysis, namely contingency planning and crisis management, resilience and impact on GM roles, the impact on hotels’ key functional areas, and some GMs’ suggestions for the future of luxury hospitality. Research implications – This study generates empirical data that inform contemporary debates about crisis management and resilience in hospitality organizations at a micro-level operational perspective. Practical implications – Findings suggest that, in times of uncertainty and crisis, luxury hotel GMs are vital in coping with changes and leading their organizations to recovery. GMs’ resilience, and renewed role and abilities enables them to adapt rapidly to external changes on their business environment. Originality/value – This study is unique in terms of scale and depth since it provides useful insights regarding the GM’s role during an unprecedented crisis such as COVID-19

Seven pillars and five minds: small business workplace information literacy.

Purpose: To develop and test a theoretical framework for understanding information literacy (IL) within the context of a small business workplace environment. The theoretical framework developed related IL competencies to competencies for success as described by the psychologist Howard Gardner in his book “Five Minds for the Future”. Design: A theoretical framework was developed using the CILIP Seven Pillars for Information Literacy and Howard Gardner’s Five Minds theory. Indicative connections between the Seven Pillars and Five Minds were identified by the researchers. The framework was tested through analysis of transcripts from qualitative interviews conducted with four small business owners. Findings: Connections were found between the Seven Pillars and the Five Minds; some which had been projected by the researchers and others which had not. The theoretical framework aided description of and understanding of IL within small business workplace environments. Research limitations/implications: A small sample size limits the generalisability of the findings, and further testing of the framework is required. The findings do, however, suggest that the context in which IL manifests remains significant and should be further examined in wider and divergent contexts. Originality/value: Using theory from psychology paired with a well-known theory of IL to develop a new theoretical framework is novel. The framework developed offers a new way of understanding the role of IL within the context of small business workplaces

Contextual intelligence and chief executive strategic decision making in the NHS

CEO competence and development is a continuing concern in the NHS. As a key feature of any CEO leadership role is responsibility for organisationally critical decisions, and there is an increasing recognition of the role context plays in effective leadership behaviour. This study examines the role of contextual intelligence in relation to PCT CEO decision making behaviour. To do this, the research addresses four questions: a) what does the literature say about CEO contextual intelligence? b) what factors do PCT CEOs say they take into account in different decision making contexts? c) what contextual factors do they actually take into account? and d) what impact do the contextual factors have on their decision making behaviour. A systematic literature review resulted in a model of CEO contextual intelligence for CEO decision making. Semi-structured interviews with 24 PCT CEOs in a NHS region about factors influencing their decisions on generic strategies, national policies, regional strategies and local plans revealed a hierarchy among contextual factors applying to different decision strata. Semi-structured interviews and analysis of CEO diaries two months later of the same focal decisions show the real critical factors to be:- national policies themselves, the Strategic Health Authority and the decision making process, for regional strategies; and Top Management Team and structure for local plans. Altogether, the research reveals that the PCT CEO’s decision making context is rationally bounded; the relevant contextual factors differed significantly from the literature derived model; the actual factors in practice differed from what were espoused; choice of factors vary depending on decision trigger strata which links to degrees of CEO autonomy; and macro level factors which were indicated as significant from the systematic review were in fact ignored in practice. A PCT CEO model of contextual intelligence is developed together with a two dimensional model of underlying structures guiding PCT CEO decision making behaviour. The findings have implications for governance structures in the NHS, CEO decision making and senior leader development in ii the NHS in the context of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. Areas for further research in public sector, NHS and contextual intelligence are also identified