Diversity management research in hospitality and tourism: past, present and future

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a review of diversity management research published in hospitality and tourism-specific and business discipline-based journals. The study objectives include attempting to assess the progress of diversity management research in hospitality and tourism, identifying gaps between the general business diversity management literature and the hospitality and tourism literature and providing hospitality and tourism scholars with suggestions to advance knowledge in diversity management. Design/methodology/approach The study is a critical review of the existing diversity management literature in the general business and hospitality and tourism disciplines in an attempt to identify gaps and make suggestions for expanding this knowledge in the hospitality and tourism fields. Findings There are significant gaps between the diversity management scholarship conducted in hospitality and tourism disciplines and the general business field. Diversity management research in general business is far more in-depth and uses sociological and social psychological theoretical frameworks. Research limitations/implications There are lessons to be learned from the general business literature that uses strong theoretical foundations deeply grounded in sociological, psychological, social-psychological and management theories. The general management literature also explores the conditions under which diversity management adds value or creates challenges for organizations. Practical implications The hospitality and tourism industry has employed large numbers of ethnic minorities, women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community for decades. As such, it is critical that scholars explore the implications of such a diverse workforce not only on organizational outcomes, but also on individual and group performance. The general business diversity management research suggests that workgroup composition can influence individual and group performance, as well as the quality of co-worker relationships. Given the team-oriented, interdependent nature of work in the hospitality and tourism industry, it is imperative that researchers conduct studies that help practitioners understand the most effective perspectives and approaches to diversity management. Social implications The critical literature review demonstrated that there is extremely scarce research on diversity management focusing on employees with disabilities. It is imperative to shed more light on best diversity management practices, workplace etiquette of this under-represented group of employees and their interaction with their co-workers. Originality/value This study’s results provide insight into areas of exploration that can significantly enhance the scholarship on diversity management in the hospitality and tourism literature.

A sustainable hospitality and tourism workforce research agenda: exploring the past to create a vision for the future

“…The second area, 'generational research', identified by Kalargyrou and Costen (2017), remains fragmented, although talent management has been a topic of considerable interest to the tourism sector. Many reports, for example, Deery and Jago (2015), conclude there is a widespread shortage of skilled labour in the hospitality and tourism sector.…”

“…Policy at a local, national and trans-national level should give consideration to these areas in formulating policy for tourism, as a considered counter-weight to a predominant focus in tourism development on marketing, increased visitation, infrastructure and services (Baum 2018). Research increasingly shows that diversity targets are only achieved through affirmative actions and quotas (Kalargyrou and Costen 2017). Research should be policy-informing in this regard and provide the tools for governments to require organizations to report the gender, sexuality and ethnicity of employees, as well as how many have disabilities, including those on casualized work arrangements.…”

Managing Diversity in the Hospitality Industry of Slovenia

“…In the North-American, European and Asian context several researchers have pursued surveys on diversity recently [7], [8], [9], [10], mainly focusing on the human resource managerial point [2], establishing a model of diversity management [11], or preparing a review of DM literature and research and its perspectives [12]. Researchers often explore diversity from the employees` viewpoints and experiences [2], [13], [14].…”

A systematic assessment of gaps between academic research and industry participation in hospitality management discipline

“…Even among similar disciplines, there is a difference between hospitality and tourism research compared to general business areas. For example, Kalargyrou and Costen (2017) found that despite twenty years of research on the subject of diversity management, hospitality and tourism field has not progressed as much as general business. The hospitality and tourism scholarship has focused on evaluating organizational diversity programs and related training to identify best practices for managing diversity.…”

“…By contrast, the general management research investigated the degree to which the widely held business case for diversity is valid and how specific demographic groups navigate their work environments. Hospitality and tourism scholars will need to be more intentional and focused on critical areas (Kalargyrou and Costen, 2017). Similarly, Perea and Brady (2017) found disconnect between the business school research and the world of business practice.…”