Chapter 1

Question 1

Overview of the Hospitality Industry:

Answer 1

• Both profit & non-profit organizations in the hospitality industry share a common goal: to provide lodging or accommodations including food services for people when they are away from their homes.

Question 2

Organizations in this industry tend to be labor-intensive:

Answer 2

• it relies heavily on people
• it is a people’s business
• it is a service industry
• it has fierce competition

Question 3

Practicing Human Resources:

Answer 3

The emphasis must be on human resources, and leaders must practice human resources management principles, & practices.

Question 4

8 Basic Types of Resources:

Answer 4

1- Raw Materials
2- Space
3- Equipment
4- Knowledge/Method
5- Energy
6- Time
7- Labor
8- Money

Question 5

Quality of Service:

Answer 5

Depends heavily on the service provider unlike products that are being manufactured.

Question 6

Major Challenge:

Answer 6

• recruiting & retaining people of talent.

Question 7

The Need to Manage Human Resources:

Answer 7

• achieve organizational goals
• ensure sustainability of business.

Question 8

6 Management Functions: (POSSCA)

Answer 8

1- Planning
2- Organizing
3- Staffing
4- Supervising
5- Controlling
6- Appraisal

Question 9

4 Human Resources Activities:
(Responsibility of the HR Department)

Answer 9

1- Recruiting / Selecting
2- Training & Development
3- Compensation & Appraisal
4- Protection & Communication

Question 10

Level of Management for Planning:

Answer 10

a- Top Level Manager: analyzes the number of persons needed for key management positions in the future. (Succession planning)
b- Mid Level Manager: considers estimated costs of departmental training programs for an upcoming budget period.
c- Supervisor: schedules employees for the following week.

Question 11

Level of Management for Organizing:

Answer 11

a- Top Level Manager: determines reporting relationships as a hotel front office department is reorganized.
b- Mid Level Manager: determines tasks to be part of a specific position.
c- Supervisor: revises a work task based on work simplification tactics.

Question 12

Level of Management for Staffing:

Answer 12

a- Top Level Manager: recruits & hires employees
b- Mid Level Manager: provides input about a hire or fire decision.
c- Supervisor: provides input to job descriptions used for employee recruitment.

Question 13

Level of Management for Supervising:

Answer 13

a- Top Level Manager: directs the works of managers
b- Mid Level Manager: directs the works of supervisors
c- Supervisor: directs the work of entry level employees

Question 14

Level of Management for Controlling:

Answer 14

a- Top Level Manager: establishes labor standards
b- Mid Level Manager: compares estimated & actual labor cost data, & takes corrective actions as necessary.
c- Supervisor: ensures that procedures used to control costs are in use.

Question 15

Level of Management for Appraising:

Answer 15

a- Top Level Manager: determines the extent to which human resources goals, including labor costs, professional development programs, & performance improvements, are met.
b- Mid Level Manager: evaluates the work of department staff.
c- Supervisor: determines whether revised work procedures that address a problem have corrected it

Question 16

Recruiting

Answer 16

Posting Vacancies
Recruiting is NOT hiring

Question 17

Selecting

Answer 17

Choosing among the applicants that were recruited

Question 18

Training & Development

Answer 18

Used for Promotions

Question 19

Compensation

Answer 19

What the employee gets in return for their work (benefits)
(Salary, Insurance, tips etc..)

Question 20

Appraisal

Answer 20

Evaluation

Question 21

Protection

Answer 21

Safety & security ( basic rights )

Question 22

Communication

Answer 22

Open door policy (freely communicating)

Question 23

6 External Influences Part 1

Answer 23

a- Legislation: Law / Labor Law (affects all HR activities)
Legal Matters
b- Consumer Preferences: they shape the team, products, & services of the organization.
c- Demographics: study of population characteristics
(Influences both the guest + the pool from which we recruit from)

Question 24

6 External Influences Part 2

Answer 24

d- Global Issues: affects the level of business leading to laying off employees.
e- Economy: affects the employer & the employees
f- Employee Unions: incase of illegal or unfair treatment

Question 25

5 Internal Influences Part 1:

Answer 25

1- Policies: rules & regulations for 1 organization

2- Work Procedures: SOP’s / designed with or without input from applicable personnel, the extent to which equipment is used to ease physical work tasks & the amount of employee empowerment, if any, impact how work is done.

Question 26

5 Internal Influences Part 2:

Answer 26

3- Corporate Culture: the perceived worth of employees to the organization is an integral part of its culture. It drives philosophies & attitudes about employees 7 their roles in the organization & human resources. (leniency or strictness)

4- Long & Short Term Planning: Long term as in expansion or downsizing and short term as in new programs or services that impact employees & affect HR activities.

Question 27

5 Internal Influences Part 3:

Answer 27

5- Management Judgement & Experience: managers & human resources specialists (large organizations) bring their own judgement & experiences to the decision-making process. This input affects the policies, procedures, & plans already discussed & influences other decisions about human resources issues.
(each manager is different & unique due to the variety of their background & experience)

Question 28

Definition of Diversity:

Answer 28

Broad range of human characteristics & dimensions that impact the employees values, opportunities, & perceptions of themselves & others at work.

• main issue of diversity in the workplace => conflict

Question 29

Benefits of Diversity:

Answer 29

a- welcoming & rewarding work environment
b- changing makeup of the Lebanese workforce
c- turnover & absenteeism
d- a culture of understanding, respect, and cooperation
e- more creative alternatives as there are more diverse backgrounds.
f- many consumers are attracted to businesses that employ staff members who reflect the diversity of those consumers.
This leads to an increase in sales volume which improves the financial viability of the organization.

Question 30

Implementing Diversity initiatives:

Answer 30

• valuing diversity represents a significant organizational culture change that must have the ongoing commitment of both top level managers & the employees.
• Basic changes in management strategies maybe required to successfully implement a valuing diversity emphasis.

Question 31

Response of people to new ideas:

Answer 31

a) little or no risk in valuing diversity => creative opportunity & will endorse the concept

b) more cautious about exploring new ideas => will view diversity as desirable once proven to benefit the organization

c) highest level of perceived risk => changing the status quo + mistrusting it.

Question 32

Strategies to implement a valuing diversity:

Answer 32

efforts should begin by involving those who see it’s value & should also recognize the employees who are anxious or fearful of it are not going to change their attitudes quickly.

• There are no quick-fix implementation plans to convince employees that a valuing-diversity mindset is useful. Instead it involves lifelong learning, personal commitment, & ongoing self-improvement. It basically requires a change in attitude.

Question 33

Valuing Diversity:

Answer 33

• change in corporate culture

Question 34

Once diversity is valued:

Answer 34

• benefits accrue to employees & to the organizations

Question 35

In order to implement diversity:

Answer 35

• efforts should be made by all employees and not just managers, since every staff member brings diverse attitudes, backgrounds, & experiences.

Question 36

Reasons for Labor Shortage

Answer 36

1- Inadequate number of people desiring to work in the industry
2- Perceived low compensation
3- Very high turnover

Question 37

Strategies to Reduce Labor Shortage:

Answer 37

• Keep the people currently employed => reducing the turnover rate.
• Increase productivity
• Recruit from non-traditional labor markets.

Question 38

Specific Human Resources Responsibilities:

Answer 38

• Small hospitality businesses cannot enjoy HR specialists.
  Therefore, managers have a few options:
  1- General manager assumes responsibility
  2- Decentralized approach : HOD’s are responsible for their employees
  3- Implementing basic policies & procedures: textual policies & incase something comes up that is not present in this text then a consultation would occur, for instance with an attorney.