Exploring the measurement of basic assumptions about guests and co‐workers in the hospitality industry

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a measure of employee basic assumptions about guests and co-workers in the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected from two independent samples using self-administrated questionnaires and analysed using correlational and reliability analyses, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and one-way ANOVA. Findings -The analyses identified two dimensions of basic assumptions about guests, control and affect. Assumptions about co-workers also consisted of two main dimensions termed responsibility and competence. The results showed that assumptions about guest control positively correlated with subjective job performance; assumptions about guest affect and co-worker competence positively correlated with organisational commitment and job satisfaction; and assumptions about co-worker responsibility positively correlated with intentions to stay with the organisation.Research limitations/implications -The findings are based on a limited sample of service employees. Even though hospitality employees' basic assumptions about guests and co-workers are validated in a service context, the suggested conceptualisation still needs a more comprehensive validation. Assumptions about competitors may be important determinants of hospitality employees' behaviour towards guests, and such assumptions should be analysed in future studies. Originality/value -The present study is the first to investigate simultaneously assumptions about guests and co-workers in a hospitality environment and the effect that such assumptions have on outcome variables. Altogether, the study demonstrates that basic assumptions may be a viable construct for HR management. They are easily identifiable and related to employee job satisfaction, job performance, organisational commitment, and staff turnover intentions.

Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction in Hospitality Industry

“…Several studies have indicated that relationships with colleagues and customers have a positive effect on job satisfaction (Bufquin et al, 2017;Dickson & Huyton, 2008;Ineson et al, 2013;Ismert & Petrick, 2004;López-Cabarcos et al, 2015;McPhail et al, 2015). A study by Gjerald and Øgaard (2010) demonstrated positive correlations between job satisfaction and the competence of colleagues, as shown by their flexibility and use of initiative. However, exclusion by colleagues leads to lower satisfaction and emotional exhaustion, according to Bedi (2019).…”

Job satisfaction research in the field of hospitality and tourism

“…Work atmosphere and organizational conditions, perceived diversity climate and organizational culture contribute positively to job satisfaction (Kara et al, 2012;Madera et al, 2013). A harmonious and supportive working team characterized by team spirit and involvement (Lam and Ching, 2007), coworkers' warmth and competencies (Bufquin et al, 2016;Gjerald and Øgaard, 2010) and leadership behavior may help enhance the job satisfaction of employees. Perceived organizational justice and trust are also important determinants of job satisfaction (Lee et al, 2013).…”

Basic Assumptions of Service Employees: Influence on Job Performance and Market-oriented Behaviors

“…An assessment instrument developed by Gjerald and Øgaard (2010b) measured basic assumptions about customers and co-workers. This study utilized 31-item instrument covering four dimensions of basic assumptions.…”