Differences between domestic and expatriate managers in the Croatian hospitality industry

Matea Matić,Perica Vojinić,Marija Bečić

doi:10.1080/1331677x.2016.1163947

Matea Matić, Perica Vojinić + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2016.1163947

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Abstract

In order to set up organisational business activity, hotel chains prefer employing managers from the country of origin when entering the foreign market. The Croatian tourism market is characterised by the presence of a significant number of foreign hotels that employ a certain number of expatriate managers. The purpose of this article is to determine the differences in personal and professional characteristics between domestic and expatriate managers in the Croatian hospitality industry. The research was conducted in 2011 and 2012 using the questionnaire on a sample of middle- and top-level domestic and expatriate managers employed in Croatian hospitality companies. Several tests of inferential statistics were performed and the results suggested that Croatian and foreign managers do not differentiate significantly in personal characteristics (age, education attainment, marital status and dependents). However, significant differences exist regarding their professional characteristics, such as field of education, managerial level, authority and career satisfaction.

Highlights

Expatriation within the context of the international hotel industry is an under-researched area since the specifics of international hospitality assignments need to be studied more extensively
In order to set up organisational business activity, hotel chains prefer employing managers from the country of origin when entering the foreign market
The Croatian tourism market is characterised by the presence of a significant number of foreign hotels that employ a certain number of expatriate managers

Summary

Introduction

Expatriation within the context of the international hotel industry is an under-researched area since the specifics of international hospitality assignments need to be studied more extensively. The hospitality industry is a specific sector where appreciation and understanding of cultural influences have important and timely implications. Regarding the fact that tourism presents one of Croatia’s comparative advantages, managers employed in the hotel industry are included in this research. When entering the foreign market, hotel chains prefer to employ managers from the country of origin in order to set up organisational and business activities. The purpose of this article is to explore the differences in the personal and professional characteristics between domestic and expatriate managers in the Croatian hospitality industry. The article is organised as follows: the literature of expatriates in hospitality industry is briefly reviewed. The last section of the article presents some concluding remarks

Expatriates in the hospitality industry

Findings

Conclusion