Defining Club Culture
Hospitality companies have long acknowledged and allocated significant resources towards
the importance of selecting the appropriate people suitable for the unique challenges of our
industry. Companies are looking for people who are productive and cost-oriented, yet be able to
provide attentive service experiences for their guests and members alike. Additionally, these
firms are trying to identify and select individuals who are likely to share common backgrounds,
characteristics, and values; commonly referred to as organizational culture.
Organizational culture is characterized as the pattern or basic assumptions that a given group
has discovered, developed, evolved, or invented during the course of their business operations.
These processes have worked well enough to be considered valid, and therefore, are taught to
new employees as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to most daily functions.
Thus, an ideal employee would be someone who has the characteristics and values to fit within
the culture of the industry, which will then easily acclimate to the climate of the organization.
Selecting and socializing employees to enhance organization fit potentially improves
effectiveness because employees who feel they belong to the organization are more satisfied,
have higher intentions to remain, and are more willing to recommend their organization. This in
turn will lead to higher service levels, increased customer (member) satisfaction, and loyalty.
With high levels of competition in the club industry, not only is the encounter between members
and employees important but so is service quality. High quality service is an asset that can
provide an establishment with a competitive advantage.
Previous research studies have developed selection tools for the hospitality industry to utilize
in order to identify individuals who fit within the hospitality culture. However, in a study by
Dawson, Abbott, and Shoemaker (2011), it was discovered that club managers differed from
other hospitality members on a number of the attributes. When examining the specific
differences between the segments of the hospitality industry, club managers differed in the areas
of management principles, job variety, and risk taking. Given that there are numerous aspects of
club operations that segment apart from other operations in the hospitality industry; one could
surmise this differentiation is due to the fact that the club industry is working to satisfy the needs
of members versus the general needs of guests. Club culture involves familiarity and providing
the ultimate service to members. It requires the development of long-term relationships between
employees and members. Therefore, the goal of this two-part study was to 1) define the
organization culture of club management and 2) develop a selection tool based on the culture that
can be utilized as a selection tool in order to identify those individuals who are likely to “fit” thus
reducing employee turnover and increasing job satisfaction. This article defines club culture and
a future article will share the selection tool.
The Process or Research Design:
Characterizing an organization’s culture, i.e. club culture, requires identifying the range
of relevant values, assumptions, ideologies, characteristics, and norms used to define or describe
it. One must then assess how much intensity and consensus there is among organizational
members about those descriptions.In order to discover the cultural descriptions, a list of opened
questions was sent to 20 randomly selected club managers asking them to describe the culture,
customs, and traditions at their clubs. The managers also answered questions regarding the
characteristics of their employees, the values held by the club, and any actions taken to instill
pride or loyalty among the staff and members. The results of this initial survey were combined
with previously written articles which described the club industry, the culture, the characteristics
of managers, and generally held beliefs. All of this formed the basis of a new extended survey
instrument that was sent to all of the CMAA members who are currently employed as managers.
Characteristics of Club Executives
Two hundred and eight managers replied to the electronic survey. The survey was mostly
completed by a male (86.2%), Caucasian (92.2%) population. The highest level of formal
education of the club managers varied from a high school diploma (2.6%) to a graduate degree
(23.8%). The majority had at least earned a college degree (46.8%) while 26.8% had completed
some type of college work.
The titles of respondents included General Manager (CEO) (66.1%), Clubhouse Manager
(19.1%), Chief Operating Officer (6.4%), Food and Beverage Director (4.9%), and Other
(3.5%).The bulk of respondents were currently employed at a Country Club (73.5%), followed
by City Club (9%), Yacht Club (6.3%), Developer Owned (5.6%), Athletic or Tennis Club
(4.4%), and other (1.2%).The majority of club managers had over 20+ years’ experience in the
hospitality industry (75.1%), followed by 15 to 20 years(8.6%), 10 to 15 years(8.6%), 5 to 10
years (5.2%), 1 to 5 years (1.9%), and those with less than 12 months (.7%). The managers also
provided the number of years they have been in club management: 20+ years (38.4%), 15 to 20
years (16.4%), 10 to 15 years (16.8%), 5 to 10 years (16.8%), 1 to 5 years (8.6%), and less than
12 months (3%).
Survey Results
The data was separated into two distinct parts: 1) the culture of the organization (the club
itself) and 2) the characteristics of the employees. The table below lists all of the 31 attributes
that were used to describe the organizational culture of clubs. The attributes were then grouped
by similar themes (Member Driven, Values and Assumptions, Employee Focus, and
Management Behavior) in order to capture the context of these.
Attributes Used to Define Club Culture
Member Driven
Holds itself accountable to its members
Tries to anticipate member wants and needs
Creating memories for the members
Calls their members by name
Is committed to helping members
Has respect for the members
Allows for member feedback
Values and Assumptions
One of care and concern
Holds to strong values
Makes sure that everyone is treated fairly
Is driven by teamwork
Has a “we can make it happen” attitude
Strives to delivers great service
Has strict rules and regulations
Focuses on having low employee turnover
Holds numerous meetings
Is concerned with certain tasks
Employee Focus
Values employees who go beyond what is expected
Employees can balance their family and their job
Has confident employees
Has loyal employees
Employs high achievers
Looks for dedication in its employees
Hires employees who effectively communicate
Hires employees who are outgoing
Our employees love people
Strong employee to employee relationships
Management Behavior
Empathetic to the employees and its members
Supportive of members & employees
Attentive to what is going on with members and employees
Creates a warm feeling for its employees and members
On the surface, it may appear that these attributes are common to most service industries.
However, one of the strongest indicators of a shared club culture is the fact that employees often
move easily from one club to another. In most cases, the new employees are readily accepted
into their new club, because they already understand what it takes to work there. Robert Woods
(1989) believes this is a result of a common culture. Movement back and forth at all levels of the
club industry is a visible characteristic that implies that the differences between clubs are less
important than the similarities.
Previous researchers have discovered that much of culture is invisible, or at least
unspoken. This makes it difficult for someone to truly capture the common themes when
describing how things are done around here, telling newcomers about the unwritten rules, or
even recounting the shared beliefs held by employees. By establishing a list of common
attributes, managers have tangible factors to incorporate with the training of new employees or
describing their club to potential new members. These club attributes also provide accurate
descriptions for hospitality educators who are trying to accurately define the culture club
industry.
This list only summarizes the common attributes of culture for all clubs. Of course, for
your individual property, you will have additional attributes which further differentiate your
organization for another. Still there are certain factors that visibly distinguish the club industry
from others.
The second part of the data revealed the common characteristics of the club managers.
The results will be shared in a future club article as a measurement tool for you to utilize in
hiring employees in the future.
This study was funded by the Club Foundation.
References
Dawson, M., Abbott, J., Shoemaker, S. (2011) Hospitality Culture Scale: a measure of
organizational culture and personal attributes, International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 30, 2, 290-300.
Gordon, G. (1991). Industry determinants of organizational culture.The Academy
of Management Review, 16( 2), 396-415.
Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Schnedier, B. (1990). Organizational climate and culture. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Woods, R. (1989). More alike than different: the culture of the restaurant industry,
Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 30(2), 82-91.