Managerial Competences and Exemplary Leadership in the Lodging Industry: An Empirical Study

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among the demographic, professional, and organizational profile and exemplary leadership practices of managers in the Lebanese lodging industry.

METHODOLOGY
Using convenience sampling, a total of 30 hotels in Lebanon were contacted, and 254 managerial personnel agreed to participate (89% response rate). Respondents completed the Leadership Practices Inventory, Club Manager Competency Survey (Koenigsfeld, 2007), and provided demographic information. The typical respondent was Lebanese (94.1%), between 18 and 34 years old (75.5), male (69.3%), with an undergraduate degree (44.1% or graduate degree (25.6%), studied hospitality management (60.6%), with three-to-eight years of professional experience in the lodging industry (70.89%), an average of three years in their current position (83.9%), and an average of eight years of management experience in the lodging industry. The majority worked in hotel properties that had an average of 150 rooms (41.7%), employing an average of 150 employees (54.3%), either in a four-star (42.9%) or five-star hotel (57.1%) affiliated with a chain hotel (61.8%), within a city versus resort setting (78.7%). Internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) for the LPI was: Model (.821), Inspire (.828), Challenge (.851), Enable (.857), and Encourage (.868).

KEY FINDINGS
All five leadership practices were significantly correlated with each of the ten managerial competences (Conceptual/Creative Domain, Interpersonal Domain, Leadership Domain, Administrative Domain: Accounting and Finance. Cluster, Administrative Domain: HR Cluster, Administrative Domain: Marketing Cluster, Administrative Domain: External/Governmental Influence Cluster, Technical Domain: Front Desk Management Cluster, Technical Domain: Food and Beverage Management Cluster, and Technical Domain: Building, Facilities, Sports and Recreation Management Cluster). Nine different models were produced from the hierarchical multiple regression testing for a relationship between perceived importance of the ten Managerial Competencies and each of the five leadership practices for managers in the Lebanese lodging industry. Managerial competencies explained between 31.0% and 33.7% of the variance around Model the Way, 25.0% to 28.0% of the variance around Inspire a Shared Vision, 28.5% to 31.3% of the variance around Challenge the Process, 28.9% to 31.7% of the variance around Enable Others to Act, and 31.4% to 34.1% of the variance around Encourage the Heart. The author summarizes the findings from this study as follows (pp. 199-200):

Managers of the Lebanese lodging industry who were older in age and were affiliated with a chain', who had higher perceptions of the importance of Leadership Managerial Competencies but lower perceptions of the importance of Technical: FD Managerial Competencies used the model the way practice more frequently. Managers of the Lebanese lodging industry who were worked for larger size properties and had higher rating by the Lebanese government', who had higher perceptions of the importance of Leadership Managerial Competencies but lower perceptions of the importance of Administrative: Ext/Gov. Influence and Technical: FD Managerial Competencies used the inspire a shared vision practice more frequently. Managers of the Lebanese lodging industry who were worked for larger size properties and were affiliated with a chain; who had higher perceptions of the importance of Leadership Managerial Competencies but lower perceptions of the importance of Technical: FD Managerial Competencies used the challenge the process practice more frequently. Managers of the Lebanese lodging industry who were Lebanese nationals, worked for larger size properties, and were affiliated with a chain; who had higher perceptions of the importance of Leadership and Technical: F&B Managerial Competencies but lower perceptions of the importance of Technical: FD Managerial Competencies used the enable others to act more frequently. Finally, managers of the Lebanese lodging industry who studied hospitality management during education period and worked for larger size properties; who had higher perceptions of the importance of Leadership and Technical: F&B Managerial Competencies but lower perceptions of the importance of Technical: FD Managerial Competencies used the encourage the heart practice more frequently.