Int. J. Hospitality
Printed in Great
Management
Britain
Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 113-l
0278-4319/88
53.00 - 0.00
@ 1988 Pergamon
Press plc
15. 1988
Research Note
This section is intended to supply the readers with quick information on recent developments in
Hospitality Management.
Research Notes may consist of (1) new researchfindings including preliminary data from
pilot studies; (2) reports on small research projects not requiting extensive presentation;
(3) case study reports that describe a truly nezz phenomenon; (4) methodological comments;
(5) brief theoretical statements that are either an original contribution or comments on
previouslypublished studies. Allsuch notes must be prepared in the appropriate International
Journal of Hospitality Management style and not exceed 800 words.
Research Notes should besent in duplicate to: Professor Abraham Pizam, Research Notes
Editor, Dick Pope Sr. Institutefor Tourism Studies, University of Central Florida, Orlando,
FL 32816, U.S.A. They are refereed by the Section Editor.
A study of characteristics of entrants to the hospitality industry
through full-time tertiary education
Brian Slater
Department
of Hospitality
Management,
Hong Kong Polytechnic
Selection of employees for the hospitality industry is notoriously
difficult and selection of
students wanting to undertake
courses in preparation
for entry to the industry is more
complex as applicants in general tend to have a low level of knowledge and no experience.
In both industry and education psychological,
attitude or aptitude tests have been used to
support and inform the selection decision with varying degrees of success. By studying the
characteristics
of entrants with the help of a battery of tests, it is hoped to determine
a
profile of those who are likely to succeed, both on a course and in their career.
Objectives
The objectives
(1) that there
(2) given (l),
of completion);
(3) that there
of this project
are to test the following
hypotheses:
is a relationship
between test scores and completion
of the course;
that there is a relationship
between test scores and grade points (quality
and
is a relationship
between test scores and successful career development.
113
114
Research
Sot?
Procedure
Three tests have been developed,
tested and refined and applied to all entrants to the
Higher Diploma course in the Department
of Hospitality
Rlanagement
since 1979. The
tests lvere not used as a selection device, but simply to develop a profile. On graduating or
leaving, students were re-tested, and a profile \vas developed which allowed for success in
the course to be forecast \vith +95% accuracy. In 1987. the tests were used alongside
esisting selection mechanisms
and applied to a large number (350) of applicants for the 60
places on the course. Analysis to date shows that those who have left the course fell outside
the profile in one or more respects, but it is too early to draw any further conclusions.
Profiles at entry and exit have also been compared to determine changes and to correlate
both profiles with performance
on the course as measured
by grade point. Further
investigation
is being undertaken
to discover if there is any relationship
between particular
variables and subject performance
rather than overall performance.
A control group (class of ‘81) has been selected and is currently being tested to determine
their profile and correlate with career development.
Success criteria are being developed
and refined as the interview series proceeds.
The tests being used are:
Rotllrvell-,Viller
Interest Blank (RMIB)
The Rothnell-Miller
Interest Blank, a ranking method first developed
in Australia
in
1971. was an attempt to discern the basic interests, attitudes and motivations
of people
choosing a career. It assesses vocational
interests by the technique of ranking job titles
representative
of occupational
stereotype
categories.
It has been shown to have high
reliability
and validity. The Rothwell-Miller
may be used as a basis for a L’ocational
guidance interview but ivas not recommended
as a direct selection procedure.
It has been
necessary in Hong Kong to substitute several job titles after pilot to clarify stereotypes.
Eysenck Personnel Inr,entorj, (EPZ)
Prepared by Professor H. J. Eysenck. he claims that there are just two fundamental
trait
dimensions
of personality;
normal-neurotic
dimension
and introversion-extroversion.
The normal-neurotic
dimension refers to the adjustment
and the stability of a person. The
introversion-extroversion
dimension
reflects one’s degree of outgoing and participation.
It has been recommended
by Miller (1965) as ‘One of the best researched
and best
validated instruments
in personality
assessment in the U.K..’ and it has been reported on
again and again in the journals and in other publications.
Work Preference Blank (WPB)
Developed
in-house to assess work motivation
by ranking such factors as re\vard, job
satisfaction,
intrinsic value, security and career development.
High internal validity and
reliability, but not applied adequately
to alternative
external groups.
The end point of this study will be to validate a profile kvhich will positively inform the
student selection process. Such a profile could then also form a base to support the
selection process in industry.
Research
Note
115
References
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Eysenck, S. B. G. and Eysenck. H. J. (1963) An experimental
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Eysenck,
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