Applying Theory of Planned Behavior to examine hotel
managers intentions to offer Internship to TVET Students
June E. Clarke Lyons – PhD
Delaware State University
&
David Njite – PhD
The University of New Orleans
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Introduction and Background Statement
The concept:
Experiential learning, does not have a standard or universally accepted definition
• It is important to providing the following:
• on-the-job training (Van Hoff, 2000)
• personal as well as professional development (Kolb, 1984)
• To enhance critical thinking skills and abilities (Sims-Muhammad, 2012)
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Experiential learning implies:
• internship (Gault, Reddington, & Schlager, 2000; Moore, 2010) most common
• service learning (Moore, 2010; Cantor, 1995; Stanton, 1995)
• cooperative education (Gault et al., 2000; Moore, 2010)
• experiential education (Chapman et al., 1995; Conrad & Hedin, 1981; Druian et al., 1980; Joplin, 1980)
• learning at work (Ellström, 2001)
• community service learning (Parker et al., 2009),
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Purpose of Current Study
Examine the managers’ motivations to offer internships to college and
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students in Jamaica.
Specific Objectives
• Determine the salient beliefs that motivate hotel managers to offer
internships to hospitality management college/TVET students in Jamaica.
• Identify the belief(s) managers value the most for offering internships
• Document managerial and theoretical implications of the findings.
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Literature Review
Technical Vocational Education & Training
TVET
• Dates back to ancient times
• In Jamaica, TVET dates back to the British rule
 Important educational strategy (Tabbron & Yang, 1997; UNESCO, 2009)
 TVET has a closer and more direct link with economic and professional
development (Mouzakitis, 2010).
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The Hospitality Industry
 The hospitality industry is considered a knowledge-based
industry (Pizam, 2007).
 This industry is labor intensive that requires and seeks
well trained and experienced personnel (Purcell, 1993).
 Internships provide opportunity for both knowledge and
hands on experience
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The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)
 TPB (Ajzen, 1991) provides the paradigm for research and basis for
explaining managers’ behavior
 The TPB was developed (Ajzen, 1985) as a modification to the
theory of reasoned action (TRA) (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980).
 TPB suggests that three independent variables predict
intentions
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Behavioral
Beliefs
(BB)
Attitude
toward the
Behavior
(ATT)
Normative
Beliefs
(NB)
Subjective
Norm
(SN)
Control
Beliefs
(CB)
Perceived
Behavioral
Control
(PBC)
Intention
to Offer
Internships
(IOI)
Behavior
(B)
Methodology- Research Methods
Sample and Sampling
• Population of interest: hotel managers in Jamaica .
• Purposeful sampling (Patton, 1990) and expert referencing used
• Twenty-five hotel managers working in the hotel industry in
Jamaica.
• Data collected through individual Interviews.
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Methodology - Research Methods
Instrument
• The questionnaire consisted of five sections
• Section 1-4: open-ended questions eliciting managers’
salient beliefs
 Section 5: managers’ demographics
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METHODOLOGY
Data Collection
 Interviews conducted over a two-week period
 Interview sessions were approximately 30 minutes
 Interviews were digitally recorded
Data Analysis
• Content analysis techniques, a priori coding, descriptive data
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Demographic Profile of Respondents
Respondents
Demographic
Management Levels
Gender
Results
Respondents Description
General Manager
Hotel Manager
HR Manager
Food & Beverage Manager
Executive Chef
Total
Male
Female
Total
# of
Respondents
3
1
6
2
1
13
6
7
13
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Results
Managers Understanding of Internships
• An icebreaker question was used to initiate the interview in
order to determine the managers’ salient beliefs and to
acquire a better understanding of what “internship" meant
to these managers.
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Results of Analysis
Section one (1) Questions and Responses
Questions
Responses /Analysis
What does it mean to refer to an hands-on-learning, putting theory into practice.
activity as an internship? What
Training, Employment
exactly does an internship involve? practical experience and exposure
Do you play a role in offering and
providing opportunities for
internship and how?
About your actions to offer
internship, what comes to mind?
recruitment, selection
orientation, training, and scheduling
learning environment with support staff
fulfilling social obligation
- molding young minds
- providing career guidance
- preparing and training human resources for the
operation and nation building
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Section two (2) Questions and Responses
Questions
What are the consequences that
come to mind regarding offering
internship opportunities?
Results
Responses /Content Analysis
relationship building
supply of future employees
reduction in employment cost
Access to new knowledge
competency and knowledge improvement, among others
What are some consequences of not not having the opportunity to train the students for future
offering internship opportunities that positions in the hospitality industry.
you can think of?
What are some other advantages or interns not able to apply knowledge
disadvantages to offering internship the time to train the students
opportunities?
some interns not serious or not willing to commit self
- due to a lack of interest or because
- the internship is not salaried
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Not able to provide housing accommodation
Results
Section three (3) Questions and Responses
Questions
Responses
What groups of people would hotel association
educational and training institutions
approve of you offering
family members
internship opportunities?
students/interns
Colleagues
ministry of education, churches, and youth clubs
Owner of the hotel operation
What groups of people would Line employees
Individuals without formal education
disapprove of you offering
Majority of employees – overall observation, no one
internship opportunities?
would disapprove of their intentions
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Section four (4) Questions and Responses
Questions
What factors or things would make it
easier to offer internship opportunities?
Results
Responses
educational institutions and interns being proactive
toward the internship exercise
colleges visiting hotel and creating partnerships
the time requested for the internship
transportation and accommodation
interns work readiness and sense of responsibility
interns displaying genuine interest, among others
What factors or things would make it
unavailable funds to pay the interns a stipend
more difficult to offer internship
Poor academic performance
opportunities?
Previous interns leaving a bad reputation
Lack of individuals to train and mentor interns
A few managers indicated that they could not identify any factors or things that would make it more
difficult for them to offer internship
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Conclusion
Managers Strongly believe
 Internship supports students’ growth and development
 Internship opens doors to career opportunities
Ultimate Goal of Managers
 To have strong job candidates who have been thoroughly sensitized
to the industry
Managers noted, internship respond to the needs of the students and
the industry which in turn benefits the country’s economy.
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Conclusion
The findings are important to:
Managers
 Internship provides the individuals to function effectively in the
hospitality industry.
Education institutions
 Teachers should prepare students for the job-training
 Established relationship and collaboration with the industry.
Students who participate in internships
 Are able to prepare for and have more confidence in future careers.
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Limitations & Future Research
Limitations:
 The study was limited to hotel managers in Jamaica
 Data may not be generalized beyond this population
Future Research:
 The structure of internship programs in Jamaica
 Internship collaboration between educators and hotel managers
 The support system and infrastructure that are in place to enable
quality internship
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References
References
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Thank you
For your attention
!