Career Strategies for Success
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Hotel managers’ career strategies for success
Christos Akrivos
Department of Tourism Management, Greek Open University, and Department of Business Administration, Athens Technological Institution, Athens, Greece
Career strategies for success
107
Adele Ladkin
ICTHR, School of Services Management, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK, and
Panayiotis Reklitis
Department of Business Administration, Patras Technological Institution, Patras, Greece
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore career strategies used by Greek hotel managers in order to advance their careers successfully. Design/methodology/approach – Using a case study sample of 65 hotel general managers working in deluxe hotels in Greece, data on career strategies were collected using a postal questionnaire. Findings – It is revealed that the managers use a range of different strategies in order to advance their careers. The most commonly used are in relation to career opportunities, skills, mobility, interpersonal relations and handling diverse situations. The least commonly used ones relate to family contacts, job search techniques and pay. Practical implications – The strategies are discussed in terms of recruitment, training and retention of managers in the hotel industry. Originality/value – This paper builds on the knowledge of careers strategies used for career success. Keywords Careers, Career development, Hotels, Managers, Greeece Paper type Research paper
Introduction Career success can be viewed as a means to fulfill a person’s needs and desires through achievements, accomplishment and power acquisition (Lau and Shaffer, 1999). Career success and career strategies are elements within the broad tradition of career theory (Riley and Ladkin, 1994). An understanding of the strategies used in order to develop a successful career can help individuals choose
Hotel managers’ career strategies for success
Christos Akrivos
Department of Tourism Management, Greek Open University, and Department of Business Administration, Athens Technological Institution, Athens, Greece
Career strategies for success
107
Adele Ladkin
ICTHR, School of Services Management, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK, and
Panayiotis Reklitis
Department of Business Administration, Patras Technological Institution, Patras, Greece
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore career strategies used by Greek hotel managers in order to advance their careers successfully. Design/methodology/approach – Using a case study sample of 65 hotel general managers working in deluxe hotels in Greece, data on career strategies were collected using a postal questionnaire. Findings – It is revealed that the managers use a range of different strategies in order to advance their careers. The most commonly used are in relation to career opportunities, skills, mobility, interpersonal relations and handling diverse situations. The least commonly used ones relate to family contacts, job search techniques and pay. Practical implications – The strategies are discussed in terms of recruitment, training and retention of managers in the hotel industry. Originality/value – This paper builds on the knowledge of careers strategies used for career success. Keywords Careers, Career development, Hotels, Managers, Greeece Paper type Research paper
Introduction Career success can be viewed as a means to fulfill a person’s needs and desires through achievements, accomplishment and power acquisition (Lau and Shaffer, 1999). Career success and career strategies are elements within the broad tradition of career theory (Riley and Ladkin, 1994). An understanding of the strategies used in order to develop a successful career can help individuals choose