Personality, motivation and service quality factors as predictors of hospitality industry employee career anchors

Abstract

While 'career anchors' as fundamental employment orientations and preferences have now received widespread research attention in a variety of work contexts, relatively little has been achieved in the examination of this concept within the arena of hospitality industry employment. This study has identified major hospitality industry career anchors and has investigated these along with major human resource management dimensions such as personality, motivation, attitudes to service and employment interest. Two major career anchors have been identified: competence and security. Those hospitality industry employees who indicate 'competence' as a major career anchor were found to be associated with higher Service Quality Ideals and lower levels of the need for 'affiliation'. Those hospitality industry employees who revealed 'security' as a major career anchor were found to be associated with higher levels of management motivation, higher levels of interest in tourist/ hospitality and retail employment and a higher commitment to hospitality industry Service Quality Ideals. These employees also revealed a lower level of the need for autonomy. Implications of the fundings for hospitality industry employees as well as management within this industry are examined.