Perceptions of Different Generations Regarding Managerial Competencies in Restaurants

Abstract

Managerial competencies of restaurant managers play a major role in motivating employees to be productive and to provide excellent service which, in turn, will lead to customer satisfaction. Drawing upon generational differences in work ethics and values, the authors examine the importance of managerial competencies in three age cohorts. A quantitative research design was selected using a structured questionnaire consisting of five competency domains. Data were collected from 180 restaurant managers and employees in restaurants in the City of Tshwane. The results of the Fisher exact test indicated that the importance of managerial competencies differed significantly in the three age groups. Significant differences existed for three leadership domains, two management domains, one interpersonal and one intrapersonal domain. No significant differences were recorded for the perceptions of the different age groups regarding the importance of the technical domain. For the younger generation, the ability to grant employees the opportunity to grow was regarded as highly important by all respondents. The ability to maintain discipline in the workforce was perceived as less important by the youngest age group when it was compared to the other age groups. The youngest employees felt that the ability to be innovative was not as important unlike the perception of the older age groups. The findings of this study could lead restaurant managers to a better understanding of the different generational groups, how to motivate them thereby ensuring job satisfaction and service quality.

Exploring the antecedents of green and sustainable purchase behaviour: A comparison among different generations

“…So Gen Xers tend to place a relevant importance on their career, and often are concentrated on their job (like baby boomers), but they are also more focussed on their own wellbeing, rather than on the creation of social value for the organisation where they work. Moreover, they appreciate independence from their bosses and desire a fast career progression (Kleynhans et al, 2018; Park & Gursoy, 2012). Thus, it is apparent that they differ from previous generations, since they appear to be more individualistic, as well as pragmatic (Sirias et al, 2007).…”

“…Nowadays, Millennial employees are filing the positions of first‐line management (Kleynhans et al, 2018), and Generation X employees are moving into middle and senior leadership positions. These organisational changes require top management to fully understand what the different generations believe, what their expectations and aspirations are (Kleynhans et al, 2018) with the aim of optimaly motivating them (Brown et al, 2015).…”

“…More precisely, Kotler et al (2013) Despite the fact that this research does not consider baby boomers, we need to consider them because of their impact on the next generations. The baby boomer generation grew up in the economic prosperity and stability of the post-Second World War period (Kleynhans et al, 2018), which were decades characterised by optimism, opportunity, and progress (Park & Gursoy, 2012), and for them, work has always been considered the most important part of their lives (Park & Gursoy, 2012). Currently the baby boomers, perhaps the most studied generation of consumers ever, are leaving the workforce, but continue to be a very important target because of their numbers and disposable income (Kleynhans et al, 2018).…”

“…Generation X members were partially influenced by the traditional values of the pre-youth revolution society of the 1960s, but also by those of the revolution itself (Mohr & Mohr, 2017). Furthermore, they grew up at the end of the Cold War period (Kleynhans et al, 2018), which were decades characterised by numerous economic recessions, during which economic instability caused unemployment, on the one hand, and periods of widespread wellbeing (Sirias et al, 2007) on the other. So Gen Xers tend to place a relevant importance on their career, and often are concentrated on their job (like baby boomers), but they are also more focussed on their own wellbeing, rather than on the creation of social value for the organisation where they work.…”

“…Nowadays, Millennial employees are filing the positions of firstline management (Kleynhans et al, 2018), and Generation X employees are moving into middle and senior leadership positions.…”