Qualified Employees In Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay

Qualified Employees In Hospitality Industry Tourism turn outThe need of adapted employees in cordial reception industriousness, their perpetration to proceeds fibre and to what extent it impacts client felicity is not any more than a matter of question it is an important resign that pertains not only hospitality management devisement in Bulgaria save it is recognise all oer the world. The manufacturing suffers from high turnover (Mehra, 2006) which directly echos to the product and attend spirit offered (Pizam and Thornburg, 2000) and individually to secondary r horizontalues and hits (Tracey and Hinkin, 2008).Furthermore, problems occur in graduates perception of in store(predicate) cargoner in hospitality industry imputcapable to disappointment of the do experience they gain during their mandatory practices in this industry which decrease their willingness for be inclines professional development in this work (Waryszak, 1999 Jenkins, 2001).The gabs in ho spitality management reproduction system is an important go forth of serious concern and represents a huge interest among researchers and academics. harmonise Mr. Ilian Ilchev a manager of Vocational dressing Center (VTC) Bourgas who is responsible of the didactics of cadres in hospitality industry, Bulgarian touristry battleground faces serious problems finding qualify employees in this field. close to of the students in Bulgarian universities and colleges offer mortified musical note of rearing. There is no interaction amidst the practice in tourism sector and the higher(prenominal) education offered in Bulgarian schools. Moreover, aft(prenominal) graduation students argon not lineed from the low payment in this sector, and the in might to start c argoner on managerial construct is from corking disappointment for them.As far as the education of hospitality management is concerned, thither is a need to classify the cater side of the Bulgarian education. The ins titutions that put forward tertiary education in Bulgaria ar separated into two types universities with duration of involve from quaternion to six year, depending on the object of study which offer live and master leg, and colleges with duration of study three age whirl professional bachelor degree. There is cosmea of Private Professional Colleges (PPC) with duration of study two years offering certificate for professional qualification which argon 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree (National Statistic Institute) and so called Vocational Training Centers (VTC) which argon deforming at the kindred principle as PPC and offer the same levels of professional qualification. The difference surrounded by them is that PPC give opportunity for the student to continue their education for professional bachelor/bachelor degree in its partner Bulgarian university or college alone VTC on the new(prenominal) hand is considered to be not only for students but for e genuinelyone that wants t o acquire craft knowledge in particular(a) field. There is beautiful percentage of private colleges which be part from any statistic that offer courses establish on educational programmes similar to foreign colleges that suits the students necessitate in particular industry. The period of study in these colleges is from two to three years and after completing the course, student can continue their education in university abroad. Most of the courses atomic number 18 franchised and validated by the foreign college or university and the majority of them argon based in Nederland, Great Britain, Norway and so on However, the degree awarded by their Bulgarian college or university partner is not acknowledged by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education. hither comes the question how effective is the education offered from these institutions connected with hospitality industry and how many a(prenominal) of them produce qualified employees and leaders that could suits the needs of this ind ustry? According to Jenner, 1992 and Sneed Heiman, 1995 the concern for a undecomposed character reference of education in tourism sector should be equally high for both government activity and hospitality and tourism industry. Bulgarian government does not subsidize the colleges that offer higher education in hospitality management and very few hotels do bring clear structured training system. The limitation of Master and doctoral programs in this field in Bulgarian universities with specialization in hospitality is an rampart for development of further academic resources and researches which could be in favor for the take place of these programs. Furthermore, courses much(prenominal) as Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, Marketing Management, Corporate Finance etc. which are inborn for the hospitality education do not outlive in Bulgarian State universities. Such courses are recognise in the Bulgarian colleges which are affiliated by foreign universities but from pecuniary point of view, not every student can afford it. Unfortunately, much(prenominal) gaps in the hospitality education are not rare phenomena in other countries such as India that faces the same problems (Jauhari V.2006).A serious issue of concern in Bulgaria is connected with the jobs opportunities that the Bulgarian students have after graduation. It is broadly known that the aim of the higher education is to prepare qualified cadres which are able to find a realization on the labor market. The look of education is a leading factor that influences students opportunities of finding the most commensurate job placement according to the acquired qualification (Georgieva Y., Kalinov K. 2005).Unfortunately, in Bulgaria it is a substantiallyhead known fact that the students find difficulties to find job in the sphere of their higher education and most of them start running(a) something which is totally distinguishable or similar to what they have studied in the university, m ostly at minimum wage rates.Moreover,the number of graduates in hospitality industry fleet the number of available managerial positions on the labor market, something that happens in India as well and that leads to mismatch of supply and demand of certain skills in hospitality industry(Jauhari V.2006).According to Zhang and Wu (2004), China faces the same difficulties in hospitality industry, that is to saylack of qualified staff at both operational and managerial level, high staff turnover rates, unwillingness of university graduates to enter industry, gap surrounded by what is taught in school and college and realities of the industry itselfIn most cases, it leads to job dis pleasure, low productivity and respectively to low quality of profit. Researchers have found that there is absence of validating and strong interaction between job atonement and education (Gordon, 1975 Weaver, 1978). One of the assumptions is that the students with higher education expect their work duri ng the years to be rewarded and when their expectations are not met it easily leads to dissatisfaction of the job position (Wright and Hamilton, 1979).However, a recent statistic shows that the number of people who mostly leave the country are young people between 25-29 years old (NSI). This means that higher educated or not, young people in Bulgaria prefer to work and to look for a discontinue overseeer opportunities abroad instead of develop their skills at home which directly reflects on the different branches of the Bulgarian economy, that is to say to operate with young and qualified cadres. It is a reasonable explanation why Bulgarian hospitality industry desperately has a need of qualified employees and managers who can offer in effect(p) quality of service and ability to postulate with other popular hospitality industries such as Turkey, Greece, Malta etc.The good quality of higher education in hospitality management plays essential office staff of providing the touris m market with well trained, skilled and educated managers, but on the other side, frontline employees are those who has direct contact with the customers, and the quality of service provided by them is essential for the success of any organization within the hospitality industry (Chang, 2006).Customer service is viewed as customer perception of what he/she had experient and remembered (Beaujean, Davidson, and Madge, 2006 Bymes,(2005). Most of the time, when a customer leaves a hotel or a eating place dissatisfied from the received service, it forms immediately a negative perception (Bymes, 2005).Thats why, it is essential and not fully recognized in Bulgarian hospitality industry that the successful organizations are those that perceive customer service asthe commencement exercise point and ending point for any effective account human relationship in which the key to success is clear thinking about what it rules analogous to walk in the customers shoes(Bymes, J., 2005).Employ ees commitment to service quality is withal an important factor that contributes for a strong organizational performance. Organizations with high commitment among subordinates could only benefit from it with lower turnover and comparatively higher prompt employees. It is important for every company to know how to motivate its employees and to attain better relation between customers and frontline employees. It is considered as a step ahead of creating a sustainable customer service (Cadwallader, S., Jarvis, C, Bitner, M., and Ostrom, A., 2009 Spector and McCarthy, 1996).It is also assumed that committed employees are more believably to provide customers with better quality of service (Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Berry, 1990).According to Kini and Hobson (2002) the good quality of service entirely depends onemployees commitment, satisfaction, involvement, and morale.In hospitality industry in Bulgaria is very difficult to be found such employees. Frontline employees are typically u nderpaid, undertrained, overworked and passing stressed (Hartline and Ferrell, 1993), a statement which apply charming much to the Bulgarian hospitality employees working environment. It concerns mostly the seasonal workforce in Bulgarian winter and summer resorts where people work more or slight at minimum wage, in most cases relying on tips or teeny-weeny percentage of their daily profit. Hotel and restaurant employees are occupied ten-twelve hours per day, sometimes even more, depends on how busy is within the organization. Furthermore, a common practice is working without days off which easily contribute for stressful working environment, a topical issue that contributes to low quality of service (Ross F. G 1995).All these factors reflect negatively on employee satisfaction, productivity and loyalty to the organization and respectively to customer satisfaction and gainfulness. The intimacy between frontline employees satisfaction, loyalty, productivity, customer satisfac tion and companys profitability is well depicted in so called Service profit chain (Heskett, Sasser Schlesinger, 1997) illustrated in Figure.1.According to Crowford, A. and Hubbard, S. (2007), in the Service profit chainthere is a link between employee satisfaction and the service concept, directly impacting customer satisfaction. This impact affects customer loyalty, which in turn influences revenue growth. Lastly, revenue growth extends back to the beginning influencing the internal service of the organization. Understanding an employees level of satisfaction, commitment, involvement, and self-esteem gives managers and strategists means to create a favorable environment where the links in the service profit chain work to the advantage of the service provider.Employees satisfaction and commitment as a starting point in Service profit chain, impacting the lecture of good quality of service and companys profitability, are major components that absence in many Bulgarian hospitality organizations. The results are higher turnover among frontline employees and managers due to the lack of quality of work life (QWL), a topical issue of great interest among researchers and academics. The demonstratey of good service highly depends on QWL provided by the hospitality organization, mainly when employees needs and expectations are met, so that they are motivated to work in companys favor (Kanungo, 1982 and Efraty Sirgy, 1990) or in other words with better QWL there is a significant betterment of employees productivity, performance and service quality (Havlovic, 1991).A recent research made to check employees expectations of QWL (Kandasamy,I, I. Sreekumar, A., 2009) indicates that during a conversation with the employees from three different hotels, they show willingness to participate, when provided, in companys service training programs which could be a good chance for them to enhance their skills. According to Rousseau (1995), in most cases, employees even expec t their company to provide training programs as an opportunity for further career developmentin alter for the employees time, effort, and skillTourism industry in Bulgaria support by the government and orientated in the mainstream of potty tourism, entirely depends on its seasonal workforce. Practices such as service training almost do not experience in Bulgarian winter and summer resorts because of its seasonality, where the percentage of five and four stars hotels grow dramatically in the last couple of years. As Mr.Lubomir Popiordanov, result of the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT) pointed out Bulgarian mass tourism is mainly connected with quantity instead of quality and it lacks in added prise (Sofia News Agency).Most of the hotel owners are mainly concentrate oned finding ways to be fully booked during the whole season instead of upward(a) the quality of service through training programs. It is not yet recognized that through such programs frontline employees could work much more effectively when transaction with customers complaints which on the other side unsexs feel them satisfied with their job (Babakus et al., 2003 Schneider Bowen, 1995 appraise Brown, 1998).Some other research cover support the thesis that organizations that invest notes in service training programs are more able-bodied to affirm its employees within the company, makes them feel happy at the work and committed to the firms values(Babakus et al., 2003 Lee, Park, Yoo, 1999 Sweetman,2001 Tsui, Pearce, Porter, Tripoli, 1997). early(a) approach of keeping frontline employees committed to the organization, providing better quality of service is through companys reward system. George and Gronroos (1989) also suggest that rewarding service employees periodically learn their commitment to service quality. Similar to the training programs, reward systems and policies are very important for motivating employees when dealing with customers complaints. Th e fact that companys reward structure contributes for employees satisfaction at the workplace and impacts their organizational commitment is so far supported by many service literature studies (Bowen, Gilliland, Folger, 1999 Brown Peterson, 1993 Farrell Rusbult, 1981 Heskett, Jones, Loveman, Sasser, Schlesinger, 1994 Lawler, 2000).For the Bulgarian hospitality industry a clear structured reward system could be in favor of reducing employees turnover and to encourage more qualified cadres to enter this sector.Most industry researchers agreed that employees commitment to service quality is highly influenced by managers commitment to service quality and the way they gift it (Bowen and Schneider 1985 Hartline and Ferrell 1996 Mohr-Jackson 1993 Babakus et al. 2003). As it was mentioned before the higher education is from significant importance in hospitality industry in order to generate leaders capable to show their subordinates motivation, skills, confidence and flexibility which could positively affect employees behavior towards the delivering of a better quality of service. Managerial coaching is considered as an appropriate instrumental role of providing employees with support mainly connected with their knowledge, skills and performance within the organization. This method deal approximately the same goals concerning employees further skill development at the workplace as training ,but coaching is presented in more informal way. It represents the ability of the managers to create sustainable correlation between employees and supervisors so that their everyday activities and experiences are synchronized and able to became an object of learning (Phillips 1994).Coaches is design to demonstrate employees the better(p) way of doing their job when dealing with customers. It gives employees an idea of their opportunities, and how to perform better exploitation new and different approaches.Furthermore, through coaches employees are provided with regular feed back which aims to get the lift out of its employees and to show them that their work is appreciated.Bulgarian hospitality industry has a vision to learn concerning the education provided, aiming to attract qualified cadres to work in this field and their ability to be committed to service quality. It is so far recognized internationally that qualified employees who are satisfied with their job are more committed to the service quality which directly affect customer satisfaction of the received service attitude. Having in mind that todays world economy is 70 percent service based, more and more academics and people working in this sphere are looking for a way to design companies that are able to provide the best service to its clients (Schneider White, 2004). The importance of improving the quality of service is the main driver for companys successful retention of customers (Gustafsson, A., Johnson, M., Roos, I., 2005).At operational level service employees are those who creates the connection between the customers and the organization and most importantly through them and their personal contribution to deliver proper service, managers are aiming to attract and impress customers (Chase, 1981 Heskett et al., 1994 Oliva and Sterman, 2001), and respectively to satisfy them. Thus, managers commitment to service quality has collateral impact on customers satisfaction (Subroto, B. Natalisa, D., 2003).Even that managers also contributes for the delivering of excellent service, frontline employees are from great importance when the target is better productivity performance and gratifying customers needs (Yee,R., Yeung,A., Cheng,T.C,2008).Service quality in the modern hospitality industry is a crucial factor in creating long-term relationship between organizations and customers and to make them feel satisfied (Martin, 1986 Croby et al., 1990 Tornow and Wiley, 1991 Tsa, 1994).Many researchers have argued that there is significant correlation between customer satis faction and service quality (Roth and Van Der Velde, 1991 Roth and Jackson, 1995).Other studies in service marketing have suggested that customer satisfaction is in emotional re realize of a particular experience connected with provided service( Westbrook and Reilly (1983).According to Yoon and Suh (2003), the excellent service highly depends on employees because when they are satisfied with their job and motivated, it is more likely to deliver better services and to give more from themselves. Other research papers prove that loyalty among employees contributes for higher levels of service delivering (Loveman, 1998 Silvestro and Cross, 2000).Employees which are able to provide service quality are considered much more capable to solve problems easily and in proper manner which positively affects customers perception of the provided service.Bulgarian hospitality industry needs serious improvements connected with the service attitude toward customers and radical changes in employees w orking environment, in order to work in full capacity. Successful tourism or hospitality business could not operate without satisfied guests and subordinates (Gursoy and Swanger, 2007). As pointed out in The Service derive Chainproviding employees with a superior internal working environment is likely to lead to satisfied employees who are both loyal to the organization and able to provide the customer with an excellent service experience. Customers will recognize and value the outstanding service offered to them.(Heskett et al., 1994, 1997).However, several studies indicate that employees satisfaction plays crucial role in achieving companys financial aims (Koys, 2003), which means that when a company make an affords to take care for its employees, they will do the same in return for companys customers. This care could be express through better payment, reward practiced, training and managerial coaching and not at the end, through companys ability to make feel its employees secure (Gursoy and Swanger, 2007 Koys, 2003 Schneider, 1991).Customers loyalty and satisfaction are supposed to be causative factor for customer profitability. The relationship between customer satisfaction and profitability is considered as fundamental marketing concept which means that the companys goal is to engage customers needs, wants and wishes (Helgesen.O, 2006).When all this consumers factors are met, customers are satisfied from what they receive, the company is pleased having a long-term financial returns on business. Customers who are highly satisfied are considered to use one and the same products and services more frequently and respectively to stay loyal to the company that provides them (Anderson et al., 1994 Gronholdt et al., 2000).Customers loyalty is an important factor in hospitality industry that contributes for consumer reuse of a certain product or service which positively increase companys profitability. Moreover, satisfied customers are much less legal injury s ensitive and they are willing to pay even at high price (Anderson et al., 1994) which directly affects companys economic performance. Satisfaction among customers reflects in positive way on organizations overall reputation which on the other side could be a premise of creating strong relationship with important distributors and suppliers. From what was mentioned so far it becomes obvious thatcustomer satisfaction generates more future sales, reduces price elasticity, and increases the reputation of the firm.(Yee, R., Yeung, A., Cheng, T.C, 2008).All of the mentioned sources and publications speak of the aspects that Bulgarian hospitality needs to focus in order to function successfully, to develop and to be competitive on the market.