Hospitality Students' Perceptions of Facilitators and Constraints Affecting Women's Career Advancement in the Hospitality Industry

Abstract

The increased number of women in the hospitality industry and their underrepresentation in top management positions makes women's status in the industry a great concern. The purposes of the study were to examine hospitality students' perceptions of factors that contribute to and constrain women's career advancement and determine whether there were significant differences in the perceptions of men and women. Data were collected from a sample of 128 hospitality students in a large state university. The findings revealed that male and female students agreed on the most important facilitators, such as communication skills and hard work. Female students viewed equity‐related factors as the biggest constraints to women's advancement, whereas male students rated family issues highest. The results showed significant effects for gender and ethnicity. Suggestions are provided for ways in which hospitality education programs could address gender issues and contribute to the creation of a more supportive industry environment for women.