Women in hospitality and tourism: a study of the top-down and bottom-up dynamics

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of women’s representation at one hierarchical level on women’s representation above or below that level. No past research investigated these effects in the hospitality and tourism industries. The mixed results of research in other industries and across industries demand tests of curvilinearity and moderators. Design/methodology/approach Using annual equality reports, a panel data set for 2010–2019 was created for the hospitality and tourism industries. The sample of 581 organizations had up to 5,810 observations over the 10 years. Findings The analyses show the following effects of women’s representation: an inverted U-shape from management to non-management, a U-shape from non-management to management and a U-shape from management to the executive team, with more pronounced effect in small organizations. Practical implications To increase the number of female employees, organizations should invest their resources in hiring and retaining female managers until a gender balance is reached while managing any backlash from men. The results suggest that organizations with more than 40% of women non-management employees and 50% of women managers start `experiencing positive bottom-up dynamics. Thus, efforts need to be made to attract and retain a women’s pipeline at the non-management and management levels. Originality/value This study delivers pioneering evidence of the top-down and bottom-up phenomena in hospitality and tourism. It refines evidence of such effects found in past research conducted in other industries and across industries.

Evaluating board diversity and its importance in the environmental and social performance of organizations

“…While gender diversity enhances CSR, boards need a certain number of women to experience the true benefits of gender diversity. This supports the existing argument on the number of women directors on board (Ali et al, 2022; Yang et al, 2019; Yarram & Adapa, 2021). Most of the female participants (80%) and three male participants raised the issue that if boards do not reach a certain level of gender diversity, the insignificant presence of women directors may not impact decision‐making.…”

The impact of tourism on the women employment in South American and Caribbean countries

“…).” However, women are facing more challenges in work station rather than men (Hutchings et al , 2020; Santero-Sanchez et al , 2015). This has been demonstrated by several studies that women’s participation in managerial positions is disappointedly low in tourism industry (Ali et al , 2022; Pinar et al , 2011) even research has proven that both male and women are capable of managing businesses successfully (Marco-Lajara and Úbeda-García, 2013).…”

“…Over the past three decades, tourism and gender studies have grown significantly (Alarc on and Cole, 2019;Ali et al, 2022;Baum, 2013;Engelhardt and Prskawetz, 2004;Gurrieri et al, 2014;Harvey et al, 1995;Okumus et al, 2010;Swain, 1993). Previous studies mainly concentrated on variations in women's education, employment and income with the expansion of tourism and mentioned the positive status of women in the community.…”

“…It is a larger and speedily increasing economic sector, with an average women’s involvement rate of 54% at an international level and up to 39% in the global economy, but women earning is 14.7% less than men and are underrepresented at the managerial level (UNWTO, 2019). Over the past three decades, tourism and gender studies have grown significantly (Alarcón and Cole, 2019; Ali et al , 2022; Baum, 2013; Engelhardt and Prskawetz, 2004; Gurrieri et al , 2014; Harvey et al , 1995; Okumus et al , 2010; Swain, 1993). Previous studies mainly concentrated on variations in women’s education, employment and income with the expansion of tourism and mentioned the positive status of women in the community.…”

Engendering Pro-Sustainable Performance Through a Multi-Layered Gender Diversity Criterion: Evidence From the Hospitality and Tourism Sector

“…Overall, while women make up 51.9% of the hospitality workforce and 61% of the H&T tourism industry, women on the board of directors in these sectors are only 23% (Equality in Tourism International 2018; MBS Intelligence 2021; UNWTO 2019). Recent research has also suggested that women in the H&T sector still experience more barriers and disadvantages compared to their male counterparts (Ali, Grabarski, and Konrad 2022; Baum et al 2020; Gebbels, Gao, and Cai 2020; Mooney 2020). As such, although significant progress in relation to gender diversity has been achieved since 2015, within the H&T sector, there is as yet substantial room for further improvement (Russen, Dawson, and Madera 2021).…”