A CONCEPTUALISATION OF MANAGEMENT BASED ON THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES

This research conceptualises management in response to the lack of an absolute definition in the management literature. Three concepts: Management as Learning ; the Co-dependency of management; and management as Doing and Thinking are developed from the literature and a two-stage study carried out in the context of hospitality management supports these concepts. The study results in a unique framework for the 21st century hospitality manager and recommendations for management development linked to management practice.

The research is critical social constructivist and uses a phenomenological strategy. A two stage process of semi-structured interviews was employed to elucidate the experiences of 32 employees and managers in 4* and 5* hotels predominantly in London, UK with regards to the key themes of effective management.

The work elicits a body of rich, living data that is interpreted to create a unique framework for the 21st century hospitality manager, which includes:
- co-dependency and management as learning as linked concepts; key skills and activities for effective management; and an understanding of the required combination
- confirmation that a balance of specific and universal skills are needed for hospitality management
- a Manager Role mind map and table of key criteria for the transition from specialist to manager.

The contributions of this research are threefold:
- Theoretical: the work identifies three key fundamentals of management, filling a gap in the general management literature.
- Contribution to Knowledge: the research is contextualised to hospitality management and is an application of an unusual paradigmatic approach: both contributions to the hospitality management literature. The research also fills a gap in the literature in the absence of definitions of management.
- Practical: the work results in a model to be tested through application to hospitality management.