HOTEL, RESTAURANT, AND INSTITUTION MANAGEMENT

COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN

The Career Mobility of

Hotel and Restaurant

Management Graduates at

New World Hotel Manila HRIM 199 : Research in HRIM

Mark-Edward Aranas Englebert Evangelista

Submitted

April 24, 2012

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Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Review of Related Literature

III. Research Design

IV. Methodology

Choice of method

Sample selection

Data collection

Data analysis

V. Research Results

Profile of the HRIM Graduates in relation to Career Mobility

Rate of Career Mobility

Company Related Variables in relation to Career Mobility

Work Related Variables in relation to Career Mobility

Individual Employee Variables in relation to Career Mobility

VI. Discussion

Interpretation of the results

Reliability

Validity

Research ethics

VII. Conclusions

Answering research questions

Comparison of results with the previous studies

Achievement of set objectives

Suggestions for further research and practical implications

VIII. References

IX. Acknowledgements

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Introduction

A person enters working life with intention to achieve something, to try new activity or just to

follow the common logic: school – work. Work has different meaning for different people, and

they do it for different reasons: for someone it is achieving a particular status, for someone it is

achieving a certain level of financial stability, and for someone it is an attempt to realize personal

potential. Somehow everyone goes through changes in their career. Depending on the goals a

person may agree to be flexible in order to advance his/her career. For many people it is

important to improve their status and pay during their careers. They are looking forward to being

promoted, to get rewards according to achievements and to be financially stable. On the other

hand, some people prefer following the flow of life by accepting opportunities that emerge on

their way, but not actively looking for them. Nowadays, for both of these types it is a basic

requirement to be able to cope with the changing environment and therefore needs of the

working life. It might be needed to accomplish different types of education, to learn several

languages and cultures, to acquire different skills and to be able to work with different

personalities.

The changing nature of working life has added a new dimension to the study of careers. As

organizations become increasingly flat, lean and global in nature, career paths are becoming

more difficult to define. (Walker, 1992). Given the high degree of mobility in hotel employees‟

careers, this occupation provides an excellent opportunity to test the notion of a self-directed

career in the hospitality industry. On a practical level, another reason for study is that by

investigating those who have been successful in their careers, an insight can be gained into the

ways in which these careers have been shaped.

The purpose of this research is to examine the career mobility of hotel employees in New World

Hotel, with a specific focus on career mobility, career planning, organization career policies, and

the value of particular skills towards career development.

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The background to the study is lying in the willingness to know how current students of the hotel

and restaurant programs in the professional schools can plan their career s in order to achieve the

position of a hotel manager. Examples of career paths of hotel associates who have gone to high

places or gained recognition might give some insight to what the future professionals should do

and where to direct their efforts.

Representatives of the hotel industry may find it useful to be aware of what the important

components of the hotel managers‟ careers are. This information can help understand how to

train and lead the personnel in order to get great professionals who can run a hotel. A person who

just enters the work life and does not know which skills to develop, what environment gives

more valuable experience, what responsibilities help develop one‟s career needs assistance of

professionals. The knowledge that can be acquired from this research can be used for this

purpose.

Limitations

The study is limited to New World Hotel Manila , and the data and conclusions will only be true

for the said hotel at the time when the study was conducted. The population of the study will

only include HRM graduates and regular employees of New World Hotel Manila and will not

include practicumers and contractual employees. The data analysis will only depend on the data

coming from respondents of the survey forms and of what the human resource department will

provide. The research will only be as valid as the data given to us.

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Review of Related Literature

Definition of Terms:

The following are the definition of terms to be used in the study.

Career is the unfolding sequence of a person‟s work experience over time

Career Path is the possible directions and career opportunities available in an organization;

presenting the steps in a possible career and plausible approaches to accomplishing them; lines of

advancement in an occupational field within an organization.

Career Development is an ongoing and formalized effort that focuses on developing enriched

and more capable individuals.

Career Mobility is the rate of upward movement in the development of a person‟s career

Personal Characteristics (PC) are variables that are intrinsic to an individual who can be related

to a person‟s construction of his/her career and its development: Age, gender, nationality,

religion, etc.

Company Related Variables (CRV) are variables largely dependent on the policies and

procedures implemented by organizations which can be related to a person‟s construction of

his/her career and its development: Company programs, SOP (standard operating procedure),

doctrines, etc.

Work Related Variables (WRV) are variables taken from an employees work environment

which can be related to a person‟s construction of his/her career and its development: operational

function, career growth potential, obtainable learning in the position, etc.

Individual Employee Variables (IEV) are variables subjective to each individual in relation to

his/her work or being an employed member of an organization which can be related to a person‟s

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construction of his/her career and its development: Perception of work, personal career

strategies, participation in training, etc.

Promotion is a positive upward change in a person‟s position or rank in an organization which

may lead to an increase in remuneration and incentives and wider operational function; a vertical

change in designation that further improves the development of one‟s career.

A career can be defined as an individually perceived sequence of attitudes and behaviors related

to work experiences and activities over the span of a person‟s life (Hall, 1976; Hughes, 1958). It

can be defined as a path that explicitly embraces an evolution over time as a series of career

moves (Cappellen & Janssens, 2005; Inkson 2004). Thus, a career path reflects a flexible line of

progression through which an individual typically advances or is promoted using qualifications

for entry onto certain points of the management career ladder (Ladkin, 2002)

One of the most significant contributions to analyzing the career histories in hotels was made by

Adele Ladkin (2002), who hoped to tap into the structure and motivations of the career paths of

hotel employees by collecting on an individual‟s work history throughout their life. In the same

vein Riley (1990), stated that the value of career analysis lies in displaying directions, examining

stages of development and indicating time spans. Thus, it has been suggested that a better

understanding of the career path of hotel employees can lead to strategies for human resource

planning and succession that avoid burnout, reduce managerial turnover and ensure proper

preparation for advancement (Harper et al., 2005; Nebel et al., 1994). An examination of the

length of a career, the length of each job and the number of jobs that a person has throughout

their career gives an indication of career time-spans and mobility. Knowing an approximate time

for how long it takes to reach target job is important for individuals in their career planning. The

notion of “by a certain age, I expect to be...” is familiar to us all.

In relation to career planning, a number of authors have explored the use of career planning in

successful career development. The importance of career planning in the hospitality industry has

been addressed by Antil (1984), who states that planning is an important continual process which

must be undertaken in order to achieve career success.

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In sum, a career consists of work-related societal events occurring over time and the direction

followed in single or multiple organizations. Career path analyses have included three

components: Demographic information (e.g. the length of a career course, transitions to other

positions or organizations), and perceptions of managerial success factors (e.g. job competency,

ambition, and philosophy).

Ladkin and Juwaheer (2000) examined the career paths of GMs in Mauritius, and revealed that,

on the average, the length of time taken to reach a GM position was 13.1 years after a career that

began at 18. The F&B function was regarded as the most essential division en route to becoming

a GM, whereas housekeeping, marketing and financing were not considered to be very useful

departments on a GM‟s career track.

Similarly, Ladkin (2002) found that F&B was the most salient career route required to reach top

hotel management. The Front Office was perceived to be the next most important, whereas

housekeeping, accounting, human resources and marketing were perceived to be less important

functions in a career history prior to becoming a GM. In addition, internal moves (54.7%) were

more frequent than external moves (45.3%).

Career Mobility

Comparing with career path, career mobility addresses different opportunities that are in the

career world. These opportunities can then become person‟s jobs, which in turn form a career

path. Career path represents something that has already happened as a result of a character‟s

career decisions. On the other hand, career mobility is ability owned by a person and has or has

no effect on the person‟s career path - depending on the person‟s career plan, career

opportunities and organizational support. (Nadezda Pinigina, 2010, 15).

Career mobility indicates a functional change in a single organization or a move to another

organization (Ladkin& Riley, 1996). An internal change of rank, role or position in a single

organization is called a “transition within functional boundaries”, whereas a move from one

location to another is called a “lateral move over geographical locations” (Guerrier, 1987).

Career ambition refers to the driving force behind personal choice, and the direction of the career

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path indicates either the factors contributing to the success or the individual‟s managerial

philosophy.

A number of issues have been explored in relation to career mobility. The length of a hotel

manager‟s career has been measured by Riley and Turam (1989) and Ladkin and Riley (1996).

The length of time taken to reach general manager was measured using two different methods.

The first of these was the standardized measure from the age of 18, and the second was an

unstandardized based on the age the respondent first entered the industry after education. This

was to take into account the different ages that respondents would have left education; the

unstandardized measure eliminates education from the timeframe. The findings reveal that for

the standardized measure, the mean length of time taken to reach general managers is 11.19

years, with a mode of 10 years, by the unstandardized measure, the mean age is 9.5 years with a

mode of 8.5 years. By exploring the inter-quartile ranges of the results, the sample revealed a

„fast-track‟ of respondents who had reached general manager in 6.7 years. (Ladkin and Riley,

Tourism and Employment: Analysis and Planning, 113)

Most literature related to hotel human resources has focused on hotel employees‟ motivation, job

satisfaction, compensation, empowerment, turnover rate and performance. However, efforts to

examine a hotel manager‟s career have been relatively limited even though the “manger” is an

integral part of a hotel‟s vertical human resources pyramid. A review of previous studies shows

three main research directions: Employees‟ demographic characteristics, their career histories

and their perceptions of managerial success factors.

This study builds on previous research in a number of ways. In a study made on General

Managers of Korean super deluxe hotels several variables were used to study their career path

profiles and factors influencing their career development, listed down as follows:

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Company Variables

Position Availability

Seniority, Loyalty, and Length in the Company

Company‟s Career Development Program

Management or Mentor‟s Commendations

Skills and Talents

Leadership Abilities

People Skills and Human Relations

Contributions to the Company

Attitude and Work Ethics

Influence and Status in the Company

Co-workers and peers

Other opportunities outside the company

Perceived ability to perform in the job

Strategies

Economic-financial Management

Market Analysis

Service Quality Management

Risk Prevention Management

Human Resources Management

Ability to extract valuable material from large volumes of information

Knowledge of environmental factors

Computer skills

Foreign Language Skills

Time Management Skills

Self-Confidence in Ability

Knowledge of products and facilities

Ability to solve detected problems

Ability to plan and implement projects with innovative methods

Ability to manage stress

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Ability to make decisions in uncertainty

Ability to adapt to new situations

Ability to clearly communicate with other employees

Ability to be creative

Ability to forecast future trends

Knowledge of current academic and professional literature

Understanding of social protocol and etiquette

Ability to control emotional situations

Ability to maintain ethical standards

Ability to care for other employees

Keeping in good physical condition

Company Related Variables and Work Related Variables

Moving across the labor market

Also in Ladkin‟s study, she found that some managers come to the hotel industry from some

other industry; therefore, experience in other industries might be very useful in the hotel industry

and in the managerial work as well. The research attempts to explore whether there is a

dominance of job moves taking place within the internal or external labor market. In other

words, do people search their present company when they want to move jobs, or do they look

outside the company at other employers? The research also explores whether it is individuals or

companies that are responsible for initiating these job moves with the aim of searching for

evidence of a self-directed career. The research by Ladkin and Riley (1996) found a dominance

of internal company moves, combined with the majority of moves initiated by the individuals.

The relevance of looking at use of the labor market is that it gives signals to hotel companies

regarding how people use the labor market for career advancement. The implications are

important for recruitment and retention policies.

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Moving across the hotel functions

Changes between different types of work add to the mobility in the career paths. A number of

authors have examined the pattern of job responsibility that managers have passed through from

their first job in the industry to general management. These studies aim to show the relevance of

specific functions to career development and illustrate how individuals are mobile and use

different functions to develop their skills. For example, Kellier and Johnson (1987) examine the

role of the personnel function, Plunket and Berger (1984) explore the sales and marketing

function, and the housekeeping function is examined by Rutherford and Schill (1984). However,

overwhelmingly research into job functions in hotels has focused on the role of food and

beverage. Research indicates that if you want to become a general manger, you need experience

in the food and beverage sector. In another aspect, Ladkin (2002) notices that in the hotel

industry and in the general manager‟s job it is very important to have experience in sometimes

absolutely different areas, however, the functional areas in a hotel are essential. The majority of

respondents have worked in the food and beverage function, which is corresponding with

previous studies as well. Some of the managers have worked in other departments, such as

housekeeping or human resources, but the numbers are not high enough to say that those

functions are important in the general manager‟s career. Some of the professionals came from

other industries and have learned the hotel industry from practice.

Individual Related Variables

The Value of Skills

As individual progresses throughout his/her career, skills are acquired. Useful experience that

can be applied in the future jobs or experience that is not so applicable in the future. A person

learns something from every job performed. In the careers of hospitality employees, skills have

relative importance. There is a wealth of literature which examines the important skills required

for a career in hotel management. Gliatis and Guerrier (1993) study the significance of

international career moves for training as a hotel manager and conclude that working abroad is

essential for skill development. The relative worth of a range of management skills are examined

by Gamble et al. (1994) who state that team facilitator and business skills are essential for

success. Hay (1990) examines core managerial competencies required for career success and

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Baum (1990) identifies that human relation skills are essential requirements for a hotel

manager‟s job. This view is supported by Hsu and Gregory (1995). The relative value of

presentation skills has been explored by Basker (1985) and the importance of accounting skills

outlined by Damitio (1988) and Damitio and Schmidgall (1989). Tarpey (1991) urges hotel

managers to improve their language skills and Haywood (1987) outlines the value of critical

thinking skills as a means of solving the range and depth of problems that managers face.

Brownell (1992) highlights the significance communication skills and Clark (1993) examines the

communications and social skills required for hospitality managers. One current debate in the

industry is whether it is more important to develop technical or management skills, and whether

or not this is changing over time (Guerrier and Lockwood, 1989a; 1990; Ruddy, 1990). Evidence

indicates that although traditional skills dominate there is a gradual shift to more managerial

skills training. Clearly, the development of appropriate skills is one in which the hotel industry

has an interest, to ensure they are developing the most appropriate skills for the job.

From data taken from previous studies, select factors were used and classified according to its

relevant cluster of variables.

Company Related Variables (CVE)

Position availability

Length in the Company

Company‟s Career Development Program

Management/Mentor‟s Commendation

Influence and Status in the Company

Internal Politics

Work Related Variables (WRV)

Time Schedule/ Work Load, Benefits

Competition for the Position

Performance in the current Position

Perceived ability to work together with coworkers

After promotion

Job Commitment

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Individual Related Variables

Knowledge, Skills, and Talents of the employee

Leadership/Management abilities

People Skills and Human Relations

Attitude and Work Ethics

Potential of the Employee

Company Profile

A luxury retreat and destination in the heart of the city, New World Makati City, Manila Hotel is

in the heart of “The Wall Street of the Philippines” -- the financial district of Manila. Right

across the street from the smart Greenbelt area of Ayala Center, the 598 stylishly appointed

guestrooms and suites combine stunning city views with comfort. Centrally located in the Makati

business district and within walking distance to fashionable Greenbelt and Glorietta shopping

complexes, New World Makati City, Manila Hotel is a mere 30-minute drive from the airport

and close to embassies and financial institutions.

New World Hospitality is an international hotel management company that operates an

expanding collection of properties under three distinct brands, including Rosewood Hotels &

Resorts, New World Hotels and pentahotels. The group has more than 20 properties under

development. The company is a member of New World Group, a Hong Kong based leading

conglomerate and principal investor in many New World Hospitality properties. Ideal for

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business and pleasure, New World Hotels are located in Dalian, Shanghai, Wuhan, Ho Chi Minh

City and Manila, with affiliated hotels in Shenyang and Shunde.

New World Hotels are deluxe business and MICE-focused hotels in convenient central locations

in primary and secondary cities in China and major Asian cities. Most are 350+ room hotels

offering a full range of relevant amenities and services, including a variety of restaurants,

business services, extensive meeting facilities, executive floors and recreational options.

Research Design

The design of this research paper is a descriptive of the profile of career mobility and the nature

promotions of HRM graduates working in a deluxe hotel in the Philippine setting. It is also

describes the relationship between the rate of career mobility with the different factors inside the

hotel. The objective of this research is to answer the following research problems:

What are the personal characteristics (PC) of the hotel and restaurant management

(HRM) graduates currently employed at New World Hotel Manila (NWHM)?

What is the rate of career mobility at NWHM?

What are the company related variables (CRV) affecting the career mobility of HRM

graduates currently employed at NWHM?

What are the work related variables (WRV) affecting the career mobility of HRM

graduates currently employed at NWHM?

What are the individual employee variables (IEV) affecting the career mobility of HRM

graduates currently employed at NWHM?

What is the relationship between the personal characteristics, company-related variables,

work-related variables, individual employee variables of HRM graduates and their career

mobility?

Hypothesis

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There is a significant relationship between the personal characteristics (age, gender,

education, work experience) of HRM graduates in NWHM with their career mobility.

There is a significant relationship between the company related variables (policies,

position availability, length in the company, career development programs, etc.) of

NWHM with the HRM graduates‟ career mobility.

There is a significant relationship between the work related variables (nature of the work,

performance, etc.) Of HRM graduates in NWHM and their career mobility.

There is a significant relationship between the individual employee variables (personality

traits, leadership abilities, human relations, work ethics and potential, etc.) Of HRM

graduates in NWHM with their career mobility.

Methodology

Choice of Method

The method to be used for the study was mostly a quantitative method. This method relied

mostly on figures given by the office of human resources of the hotel. This method was chosen

because the goals of the research were to determine the nature of career mobility which required

the measure of time and the opinion of many participants. The research utilized the use of survey

questionnaires for employees. In terms of analytical practicality, the quantitative method is able

to provide a lot of information but it is open for more questions. Which is why to back-up the

research‟s quantitative method, the researchers have decided to ask the human resources officer

to fill-in some missing information with follow-up interviews for the clarification of the data.

This combined effort of quantitative and qualitative methods balance each other to provide a

fuller and more reliable data analysis.

Based from the previous experiences of HRIM 199 students, the researchers are aware that the

response rate for hotel employees is low. This is due to the busy nature of work in the hotel.

Which is why the researchers, utilized the human resources department‟s information on the

HRM graduates currently working in the company. This is also to minimize the length of the

survey questionnaires and to make its distribution easier.

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Sample Selection

The sample was chosen based on the database given by the human resource department on the

total number of HRM graduates currently associated in the hotel. There were no other sampling

methods because of the strict criteria defined earlier in the study. The hotel was generous enough

to allow this research to be done in their hotel. The samples were chosen regardless of gender,

age, position, salary or any other aside from the criteria stated earlier. The researchers were

interested in NWHM because one of the researchers was associated before in NWHM and has a

good idea of the operations and staff of the hotel. NWHM is also a fair estimation of the nature

of deluxe hotels in the area.

Data Collection

Data Gathering from the Human Resource Department

The researchers sent questions and questionnaires to the office of the human resource

department, requesting the information regarding the names, positions, ages, gender, schools and

the work history of HRM graduates currently working in NWHM since they started in the said

hotel. The researchers also asked about the company policies, regarding hiring, promotions and

recruitment. The HR department was generous enough to provide the database of 123 HRM

graduates. After waiting a few weeks only the positions, age and work history were given by the

HR department and thus those will be the only factors included in the company profile.

Formulation of the Survey Form

The survey form was based on the study made on the Career path profiles of general managers of

Korean super deluxe hotels and factors influencing their career development: Vocational insights

for HTM students and hotel employees by Samuel Kim, Hejin Chun and James Petrick. From

their study they have listed numerous variables affecting the career mobility of hotel managers.

The researchers have narrowed down the factors into to be classified by the variables the study is

looking into. (CRV,WRV and IEV) For this study, the researchers will also be using a Likert

Scale to measure the importance of the variables as perceived by the employees. The difference

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is that in the previous study, a 7-point Likert scale was used while in this study a 5-point Likert

scale was used for simplicity and the convenience of the busy employees of NWHM.

To test the effectiveness of the survey form, it was tested through mock survey answering with

the HR department of NWHM employees as respondents. This was also a good way to show the

HR department the researcher‟s intentions and also to let them check the appropriateness of the

survey items. After testing 10 mock survey forms, the researchers were able to analyze the

answers and clearly identify which variables were more significant than the others. This mock

survey assured the researchers that the 5-point Likert scale used was accurate and reliable.

Conducting the Survey

The time given for the data gathering was one week, at that time 4 days were allotted to the

distribution of survey forms. The researchers were targeting 123 HRM graduates respondents.

The researchers chose this time to distribute the survey forms because the morning shift

employees are getting out of the hotel at 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm, also the night shift

employees come in at 3:00pm and 4:00pm. The researchers were only allowed access in the main

service lobby, near the service entrance and inside the human resource department office. Due to

security reasons the researchers were not allowed to go to the rooms and offices directly. This

was a big obstacle in the data gathering procedure.

The only possible way to distribute the survey questionnaires were to identify the respondents at

the log-in and log-out area with the help of the security personnel and give it personally. The

result, only 50 out 123 HRM target respondents were gathered which is a 40.65% response rate.

The common reason was the employees were too busy or they were in a hurry to go home or go

somewhere to answer the survey forms.

Data Analysis

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This is the first time the researchers will be using statistical data to analyze a research problem.

So the research will utilize the use of the basic descriptive statistical measures which are the

mean, ranges, and deviation. Most of the analysis will be done through comparisons of different

factors of career mobility. Most of the factors involved are Age, Length of Service, Departments

in the Hotel and the Positions or levels the employees have gone through.

The data will be presented through the use of pie and line graphs as well as tables and charts.

Since most of the data are in numerical values, most of the data will be better understood if

shone in tables.

Research Results

In this chapter the researchers will first discuss the profile of the HRM graduates working in

NWHM. A descriptive analysis will be done on the given information regarding the age, length

of service in the hotel and the positions held in the company. A detailed analysis will also be

done per department as the study shows that mobility is different per department. With the

information the researchers have gathered in theory and in previous studies, the cases of mobility

will be discussed per department.

The variables affecting career mobility will be presented also using the data obtained from the 50

respondents of the survey questionnaire. The discussion will be according to the order of variable

explained earlier. The company related variables (CRV) will be the first to be discussed,

followed by the work related variables and then the individual employee variables.

Company Profile

As of March 2012 there are 123 HRIM graduates in NWHM. There are 89 General Staff (GS),

22 Managerial Staff (MS), and 12 Department Heads (DH).

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Based on the figure, the number of general staff is far greater than the available positions in the

managerial level. This shows that the possibility for career mobility is limited and the

competition for promotion is very high.

The Departments

There are 11 HRIM graduates working under the Food Preparation Department, 31 in Food

Service, 20 in Housekeeping, 6 in Concierge, 20 in Guest Relation (Front Office), 1 in Human

Resources, 16 in Sales & Marketing, 12 in Service Center, and 6 in Finance.

STAFF

GS 72.36%

MS 17.89%

DH 9.76%

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The number of HRM graduates in the departments gives us a figure on staffing requirements of

each department. We can see that the food service department requires the most staff because it

has 3 food establishments with shifts to attend to. The next is the housekeeping department and

guest relations because of the number of guests they accommodate and shifts them should cover.

And equally important is the sales & marketing and service center of the hotel. These

departments, with their higher staffing requirements, are more likely to exhibit career mobility.

The bigger the department, the more likely that mobility will occur but it doesn‟t mean that it

will happen faster. There are other factors to consider such as positions available and the

presence of non-HRM graduate employees in the department.

Recruitment Policy

For the general staff the recruitment policy is the same as with other hotels. There are different

ranks in the General Staff. An employee is assigned from GS 1- GS 5 but the differences are in

salary. This is also true for the managerial staff, they have MS 1- MS 3 and for the Department

Heads they have DHA-DHB. The reason this study has considered the three levels as basis for

career mobility is because any staff member from the GS level can still be promoted directly to

Staff

Food Preparation 8.94%

Food Service 25.20%

Housekeeping 16.26%

Concierge 4.88%

Guest Relation 16.26%

Human Resources 0.81%

Sales & Marketing 13.01%

Service Center 9.76%

Finance 4.88%

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MS level without going to the other positions in their level. The only difference is the salary

which is still not sufficient to determine an increase or growth in their career path.

However not all HRM graduates started in the GS level. There are some who were hired from

other hotels or were transferred by the corporate office from a partner hotel. For this study, the

research will only measure the mobility inside the hotel so past records of mobility from other

companies will not be counted. Out of the 22 Managerial Staff, 2 of them were hired through

external recruitment (external recruitment defined as started from outside the company) and 20

“mobile” employees (mobile defined as employees who started in the GS level in the company).

And out of the 12 Department Heads there are 8 externally recruited and 4 mobile employees.

As we can see the internal recruitment policy of the hotel is true at the managerial level. There is

a high chance that a general staff can rise through the ranks and achieve a position in this level.

However in the department head level, the internal recruitment policy is not fully followed. This

shown in the figure where clearly the HRIM graduates hired through external recruitment is

higher than the ones by internal recruitment. This poses a problem for the employees in the

managerial level, because multi-national chain hotels may tend to hire managers expatriated by

their corporate headquarters. This may also explain that there are no HRIM graduates at the

executive level in the company.

General Staff Profile

The department with the longest length of service is the Housekeeping department. (This may be

interpreted with a slow employee turnover) And the department with the shortest length of

service is the Service Center department (which may be interpreted as a fast employee turnover.)

MS

Pirated 9.10 %

Mobile 90.90%

DHB

Pirated66.67%

Mobile33.33%

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Department Mean Current Age Mean Starting Age Mean Length of

Service

Food Preparation 30.6 25 72.4

Food Service 26.347826 22 47.95652174

Housekeeping 34.571429 25 111.0714286

Concierge 35 29 76

Guest Relations 25 21 42.92857143

Human Resources - - -

Sales and Marketing 22.428571 21 18.71428571

Service Center 21.818182 21 13.63636364

Finance 29.2 23 71

The turnover can give us an idea on how often the managerial level position is available. It can

also give us an idea on how many general staff employees remain stuck in their position after the

average time it takes to get promoted.

Based on studies, age can be related to experience. By analyzing the starting ages of the HRM

graduates we can determine the work experience needed by each department. For example the

food preparation and housekeeping departments are flexible when it comes to the ages of their

employees which are why some of them have stayed in the department for 5-10 years already. In

the Sales & Marketing and Service Center, the work experience requirements are low which

explains the youth of their staff. At a certain age or length in the company, they gain enough

working experience to be promoted, pirated or they choose to leave the company due to the lack

of opportunities. Promotion is the least likely to happen in such cases. This will be important

factors in explaining the mobility of each department.

The Departments

Each department has different characteristic in its mobility. In this part of the study, based on the

available data, the researchers will describe the possible factors in relation to mobility in each

22

department. To properly show the mobility of each department, the study will be comparing the

ranges, mean months, number of actual moves and rates of career mobility in each department.

Rate of Career Mobility

(EM) Employee‟s Months. is the actual months it took for a certain employee to be promoted

from GS level to MS level or MS level to DH level in one department

(MM) Mean Months. Is the mean of the employee‟s months in one department.

(RCM) = Rate of career mobility.

Formula

MM – EM = RCM

wherein a positive a value equates to a fast rate of career mobility and a negative value equates

to a slow career mobility.

Move Count = Change in position but not necessarily promotion (ex. GS1-GS5)

Food Preparations

There are no HRM graduates working in the MS level and DH level of the Food Preparation

departments. This may be because the hotel prefers individuals with more culinary experience

than hotel and restaurant management. Most of the staff working in this department is culinary

professionals with apprenticeship or culinary backgrounds. Therefore a reason that there are no

HRM graduates in the top levels in this department is because they lack culinary training.

Food Service

Based on the 5 Samples of MS level Food Service employees, the longest time it took an

employee to get a an MS level position was 184 months (Captain 1) and the shortest time it takes

23

is 25 months (Captain 2). The minimum time it takes to get promoted is 25 months. This means

that any GS level employee in the Food Service department after 25 months can be promoted.

The maximum is 184 months. This means that GS level employees, after 184 months are

considered “stagnant” or stuck in their position. The mean months it takes for an employee to be

promoted to an MS level position 78.8 months. Meaning the usual time it takes for any GS level

employee in the department is 78.8 months. In finding the rate of career mobility, the analysis

shows that 4 out of 5 MS level employees have relatively fast career mobility.

The shortest move count it takes to be promoted to MS level is 1. The longest is 3 and the mean

move count is 2. This indicates that to be promoted to MS level, a GS level employee in this

department will have to hold at least 1 position and a maximum of 3 positions before being

promoted. Most the employees will have to hold at least 2 positions before a MS level

promotion.

For the DH level, there is only one sample. There are no other HRIM graduates in the Food

Service Department DH level to compare to so this will be the only basis. The sample started in

the MS level and worked there for 147 months. (Asst. Restaurant Manager) This indicates that an

MS level employee in this department needs 147 months to be promoted to the DH level. The

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

12 24 36 48 60 72 84 108 132 156 180

CAPTAIN 1

CAPTAIN 2

CAPTAIN 3

CAPTAIN 4

CAPTAIN 5

AVERGE GS

ASST RESTAURANT MANAGER

AVERAGE DH

24

move count before the DH level promotion is 3 which indicate that 3 positions in the MS level

are needed for a promotion to the DH level.

Housekeeping

Based on the 5 Samples of MS level Housekeeping employees, the longest time it took an

employee to get a an MS level position was 138 months (Floor Supervisor 3) and the shortest

time it takes is 24 months (Floor Supervisor 1). The minimum time it takes to get promoted is 24

months. This means that any GS level employee in the department after 24 months can be

promoted. The maximum is 138 months. This means that GS level employees, after 138 months

are considered stuck in their position. The mean months it takes for an employee to be promoted

to an MS level position 71.8 months. Meaning the usual time it takes for any GS level employee

in the department is 71.8 months. In finding the rate of career mobility, the analysis shows that 3

out of 5 MS level employees have relatively fast career mobility.

The shortest move count it takes to be promoted to MS level is 1. The longest is 2 and the mean

move count is 1.6. This indicates that to be promoted to MS level, a GS level employee in this

department will have to hold at least 1 position and a maximum of 2 positions before being

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

12

18

24

30

36

42

48

54

60

66

72

78

84

96

108

120

132

SECRETARY 1

SECRETARY 2

FLOOR SUPERVISOR 1

FLOOR SUPERVISOR 2

FLOOR SUPERVISOR 3

AVERAGE GS

25

promoted. Most the employees will have to hold an approximate number of 2 positions before a

MS level promotion. In this department there is no sample for the DH level.

Guest Relations

Based on the 5 Samples of the Guest Relation department, the longest time it took an employee

to get a an MS level position was 90 months (Admin. Assistant) and the shortest time it takes are

38 months (Rooms Controller). The minimum time it takes to get promoted is 38 months. This

means that any GS level employee in the department after 38 months can be promoted. The

maximum is 90 months. This means that GS level employees, after 90 months are considered

stuck in their position. The mean months it takes for an employee to be promoted to an MS level

position 62.6 months. Meaning the usual time it takes for any GS level employee in the

department is 62.6 months. In finding the rate of career mobility, the analysis shows that 3 out of

5 MS level employees have relatively fast career mobility.

The shortest move count it takes to be promoted to MS level is 1. The longest is 2 and the mean

move count is 1.6. This indicates that to be promoted to MS level, a GS level employee in this

department will have to hold at least 1 position and a maximum of 2 positions before being

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 96

FO SUPERVISOR1

FO SUPERVISOR2

ROOMS CONTROLLER

ADMIN. ASSISTANT

AVERAGE GS

ASST GUEST SERVICE MGR

AVERAGE DH

26

promoted. Most the employees will have to hold an approximate number of 2 positions before a

MS level promotion.

For the DH level, there is only one sample which makes this the only basis for analysis. The

sample started in the GS level and worked there for 81 months. (Guest Services Supervisor)

After being promoted to MS level the sample worked another 12 months before getting a

promotion to DH level. This indicates that an MS level employee in this department needs 12

months to be promoted to the DH level. The move count before the DH level promotion is 1

which indicates that holding at least 1 position in the MS level is needed for a promotion to the

DH level.

Sales & Marketing

Based on the 4 Samples of the Guest Relation department, the longest time it took an employee

to get a an MS level position was 41 months (Marketing Service Manager) and the shortest time

it takes is 15 months (Catering & Event Coordinator). The minimum time it takes to get

promoted is 15 months. This means that any GS level employee in the department after 15

months can be promoted. The maximum is 41 months. This means that GS level employees in

this department, after 41 months are considered stuck in their position. The mean months it takes

for an employee to be promoted to an MS level position 27.25 months. Meaning the usual time it

takes for any GS level employee in the department is 27.25 months. In finding the rate of career

mobility, the analysis shows that 2 out of 4 MS level employees have relatively fast career

mobility.

27

The shortest move count it takes to be promoted to MS level is 1. The longest is 2 and the mean

move count is 1.5. This indicates that to be promoted to MS level, a GS level employee in this

department will have to hold at least 1 position and a maximum of 2 positions before being

promoted. Most the employees will have to hold an approximate number of 2 positions before a

MS level promotion.

For the DH level, there is only one sample which makes this the only basis for analysis. The

sample started in the GS level and worked there for 41months. (Sales Executive) After being

promoted to MS level the sample worked another 62 months before getting a promotion to DH

level. This indicates that an MS level employee in this department needs 62 months to be

promoted to the DH level. The move count before the DH level promotion is 2 which indicate

that holding at least 2 positions in the MS level is needed for a promotion to the DH level.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

312

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

39

42

48

54

60

66

72

84

96

108

C&E COORDINATOR

EVENT MANAGER

SALES MANAGER

AVERAGE GS

MARKETING SERVICE MGR

AVERAGE DH

28

Concierge

There was only one sample for career mobility in this department. The months it took for this

employee to be promoted to a MS level position is 75months. This indicates that GS level

employees in this department should be promoted after 75 months. Those who are promoted in

less than 75 months have a fast mobility. Those who are promoted more than 75 months are

considered slow. If they are still not promoted by 75 months then they are stuck in their position.

Most the employees will have to hold an approximate number of 3 positions before a MS level

promotion.

There are no samples for the DH level in this department.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 48 54 60 66 72 75

CONCIERGE SUPERVISOR

CONCIERGE SUPERVISOR

29

Human Resources

There was only one sample for career mobility in this department. The months it took for this

employee to be promoted to a MS level position is 17months. This indicates that GS level

employees in this department should be promoted after 17 months. Those who are promoted in

less than 17 months have a fast mobility. Those who are promoted more than 17 months are

considered slow. If they are still not promoted by 17 months then they are stuck in their position.

Most the employees will have to hold at least 1 position before a MS level promotion.

There are no samples for the DH level in this department.

0

1

2

12

15

18

HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT

HUMAN RESOURCESASSISTANT

30

Service Center

There was only one sample for career mobility in this department. The months it took for this

employee to be promoted to a MS level position is 108 months. This indicates that GS level

employees in this department should be promoted after 108 months. Those who are promoted in

less than 108 months have a fast mobility. Those who are promoted more than 108 months are

considered slow. If they are still not promoted by 108 months then they are stuck in their

position. Most the employees will have to hold at least 2 positions before a MS level promotion.

From the MS level the sample worked another 32 months before getting a promotion to DH

level. This indicates that an MS level employee in this department needs 32 months to be

promoted to the DH level. The move count before the DH level promotion is 1 which indicates

that holding at least 1 position in the MS level is needed for a promotion to the DH level.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

12 18 24 30 36 42 54 66 75 90 102 114 126 138

SERVICE CENTER MANAGER

SERVICE CENTER MANAGER

31

Finance

There was only one sample for career mobility in this department. The months it took for this

employee to be promoted to a MS level position is 194 months. This indicates that GS level

employees in this department should be promoted after 194 months. Those who are promoted in

less than 194 months have a fast mobility. Those who are promoted more than 194 months are

considered slow. If they are still not promoted by 194 months then they are stuck in their

position. Most the employees will have to hold at least 3 positions before a MS level promotion.

There are no samples for the DH level in this department.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

12

24

36

48

60

72

84

96

108

120

132

144

156

168

180

192

194

COST CONTROL SUPERVISOR

COST CONTROL SUPERVISOR

32

Mobility

To get the general idea of mobility inside the hotel, the researchers have compared all the

departments. The result is that for the MS level the mean move count is 2 (1.9625). Which

means that in general before any employee reach the MS level position; he/she will first hold 2

different positions. It will also take the average of 79.31 months (6.60 years) for any GS level

employee in the hotel to be promoted to MS level.

For the DH level, the mean move count is 2 (1.75). This also means that to be promoted to the

DH level an employee will have to hold 2 positions in the MS level. It will take an average of

63.25 months (5.25 years) for a MS level employee to reach a DH level position.

Move Count/ Positions

If we add the two means, an average mobile DH level employee will have held at least 4

positions before getting to his/her current position.

FACTOR MEAN MOVE COUNT (MS)

MEAN MOVE COUNT (DH)

TOTAL MOVE COUNT

FOOD SERVICE 2 3 5

HOUSEKEEPING 2 CONCIERGE 3 GUEST RELATIONS 2 1 3

HUMAN RESOURCES 1 SALES & MARKETING 2 2 4

SERVICE CENTER 2 1 3

FINANCE 3 HOTEL AVERAGE 2 2 4

As shown in the table above, the departments with the least amount of positions to go through in

the path to the DH level are the Guest Relations and Service Center department. The department

with the most positions available is the Food Service department. This means that in the Guest

Relations and Service Center, the organizational chart is smaller which gives way to a direct way

to the DH level.

33

Months/ Length of Service

It takes an average hotel employee a total of 142.56 months (11.88 years) in the company to get

to the DH level.

FACTOR MEAN MONTHS (MS) MEAN MONTHS (DH) TOTAL MONTHS

FOOD SERVICE 78.8 147 225.8

HOUSEKEEPING 71.8 CONCIERGE 75 GUEST RELATIONS 62.6 12 74.6

HUMAN RESOURCES 17 SALES & MARKETING 27.25 62 89.25

SERVICE CENTER 108 32 140

FINANCE 194 HOTEL AVERAGE 79.31 63.25 142.56

The table shows that in the Guest Relations Department, the possibility of promotion comes

faster than other departments (74.6 months). The second is the Sales & Marketing department

(89.25). The longest is the Food Service department with 225.8 months. 3 out 5 departments

have a rate faster than the hotel average.

MS Level

The rate of career mobility is fastest for the GS to MS level in the Human Resources department

with 17 months. The next department is the Sales & Marketing department with 27.25 months.

The department where the rate of career mobility from MS to DH level is longest is in the

Finance dep. with 194 months. 6 out of 8 departments have a faster rate than the hotel average.

DH Level

The rate of career mobility is fastest for the MS to DH level in the Guest Relations department

with 12 months. The next department is the Service Center department with 32 months. The

department where the rate of career mobility from MS to DH level is longest is in the Food

Service dep. with 147 months. 3 out of 4 departments have a faster rate than the hotel average.

34

Age Ranges

After comparing the age ranges of the departments, the results show which departments are the

“starting” departments and which the “lasting departments” are.

FACTORS AGE RANGE OF GS AGE RANGE OF MS AGE RANGE OF DHB

FOOD SERVICE 20-36 19-42 41

HOUSEKEEPING 23-55 27-61 -

CONCIERGE 21-29 29 -

GUEST RELATIONS 20-25 23-30 28

HUMAN RESOURCES 20-22 22 -

SALES & MARKETING 22-31 23-31 31

SERVICE CENTER 24-33 33-36 36

FINANCE 22-38 38 -

The “starting” departments (Food Service, Guest Relations, Human Resources, Concierge, and

Sales & Marketing) are the ones where most starting employees or fresh graduates work. Since

these departments also have a high employee turnover, this suggests that in these departments

competition for promotions is very fierce. This can mean that there is a higher chance of

promotion or many employees decide to leave the company at a certain point in their career.

The “lasting” departments (Housekeeping, Service Center and Finance) are the departments

where the employee turnover is slow. Most of the employee are contented with their positions or

stuck in their position. The probability of promotion in these departments is low since there are

limited positions in the MS and DH levels.

It is difficult to relate age to mobility because each individual is different and there are many

factors affecting the reason why that certain employee started in that age. However there are

trends which show that age brackets can help track the career of employees. For most

departments the age bracket 20-30+ are in the GS level. In the MS level, the employees are

usually in the 23-33 age brackets. In the DH level, the age bracket of the employees is usually

28-41 years old.

35

Variables Affecting Career Mobility

Listed in the table below are the different variables affecting career mobility. These are classified

into groups mainly the CRV, WRV and IEV.

Not

Important

at All

Little

Importance Neutral Important

Extremely

Important

Rating Response

Average Count

Position Availability 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 2.0%

(1)

56.0%

(28)

42.0%

(21) 4.4 50

Length of stay in the

Company 0.0% (0) 6.0% (3)

22.0%

(11)

58.0%

(29) 14.0% (7) 3.8 50

Company's Career

Development Program 0.0% (0) 2.0% (1)

18.0%

(9)

56.0%

(28)

24.0%

(12) 4.02 50

Management/ Mentor's

Commendations 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)

6.0%

(3)

66.0%

(33)

28.0%

(14) 4.22 50

Influence and Status in

the Company 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)

36.0%

(18)

44.0%

(22)

20.0%

(10) 3.84 50

Internal Politics 14.0% (7) 24.0% (12) 28.0%

(14)

24.0%

(12) 10.0% (5) 2.92 50

Time/Schedule, Work

Load, Benefits 2.0% (1) 4.0% (2)

12.0%

(6)

48.0%

(24)

34.0%

(17) 4.08 50

Competition for the

Position 4.0% (2) 2.0% (1)

34.0%

(17)

48.0%

(24) 12.0% (6) 3.62 50

Performance in the

current Position 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)

2.0%

(1)

32.0%

(16)

66.0%

(33) 4.64 50

Perceived ability to

work together with

coworkers after

promotion

0.0% (0) 4.0% (2) 14.0%

(7)

36.0%

(18)

46.0%

(23) 4.24 50

Job Commitment 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 2.0%

(1)

44.0%

(22)

54.0%

(27) 4.52 50

Knowledge, Skills, and

Talents of the

Employee

0.0% (0) 2.0% (1) 2.0%

(1)

22.0%

(11)

74.0%

(37) 4.68 50

Leadership/

Management Abilities 0.0% (0) 2.0% (1)

0.0%

(0)

34.0%

(17)

64.0%

(32) 4.6 50

People Skills and

Human Relations 0.0% (0) 2.0% (1)

2.0%

(1)

42.0%

(21)

54.0%

(27) 4.48 50

Attitude and Work

Ethics 0.0% (0) 2.0% (1)

4.0%

(2)

26.0%

(13)

68.0%

(34) 4.6 50

Potential of the

Employee 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0)

2.0%

(1)

44.0%

(22)

54.0%

(27) 4.52 50

36

Company Related Variables. The most important factor affecting promotion related to the

company was perceived to be the availability of a position (mean = 4.4), while internal politics

(mean = 2.92) as perceived to be the least important (mean = 2.92). However, the manner at

which the survey was conducted may have caused the low rating for "internal politics", since the

item is a very sensitive matter that respondents (upon the researchers' observation) showed

reluctance in answering. This study may never know the condition of internal politics within the

hotel or if it affects upward movement entirely.

In addition, "Length of stay in the Company” and "Influence and Status in the Company" (mean

= 3.84) were also given a relatively low rating. It can be interpreted that in the company's

policies on promotion, both are given low considerations or made as professionally negligible.

For "Management/Mentor's Commendations" (mean = 4.22), its high rating among respondents

may be caused by the number of respondents from the Front Office department and

Housekeeping Department (n = 22). With the Front Office department being the "front liners" in

guest service and the respondents from the Housekeeping Department being mainly room

attendants, it is likely that they have rated the variable relatively high since these are the two

departments that receive the commendations most (particularly from guests).

Organizations also have a role to play in managing the career commitment, motivation and

development of employees. By empowering employees and encouraging self-development,

organizations can help employees grow professionally within the organization. Organizationally

provided career development activities can help managers achieve greater career maturity and

commitment. It makes sense for organizations to design mentoring and coaching programs to

build commitment to work and organization and to use training and development interventions to

reduce turnover and prepare the manger to avail of advancement opportunities that are likely to

arise.

Work Related Variables. For work related variables, an employee's personal performance in

his/her current position (mean = 4.64) rated highest, and competition for a higher position (mean

= 3.62) lowest. From this data it can be assumed that for a higher position that is available,

interested employees may not have the need to contend against each other. Next to "performance

37

in the current position" would be "job commitment" (mean = 4.52). The respondents seem to

believe that promotion is affected by an employee‟s ability to concentrate on his/her functions

and be efficient in her occupational role.

Individual Employee Variables. Individual factors were relatively perceived as all important,

with respondents considering “knowledge, skills, and talents of the employee" (mean = 4.68) as

most important, and "people skills and human relations" (4.48) the least important. It may be

seen that respondents consider an employee's ability to perform satisfactorily to have more

weight than his/her social skills and human contact. The result is surprising since a significant

number of respondents come from the Front Office and F&B department - areas of the hotel that

generally receive the most guest contact and demand good people skills and human relations.

"Leadership/Management abilities" (mean = 4.6), "Attitude and Work Ethics" (mean = 4.6), and

"Potential of the Employee" (mean = 4.52) were given higher ratings than the latter.

In all:

The findings of the study revealed that of the 50 respondents taken from the population of HRM

graduates in the hotel, Individual competencies were the factors considered most important for

career advancement. Combining it with the highest rated from CRV and WRV variables ("job

availability" and "performance in the current position"), It can be interpreted that within New

World hotel, the HRM graduates sampled consider good performance and personal knowledge,

skills , and talents to be the primary factors affecting career advancement within the hotel.

While scholars and practitioners vigorously advocate the importance of being clear about desired

career goals, the findings indicate that career planning was not generally used by the respondents

in the study. This study suggests that companies, which believe that helping their employees to

advance in their careers will ensure a more motivated, committed and higher caliber work force,

will find their employees very responsive to any career development programs offered to them.

However, it is also the conclusion that individuals within companies should be more proactive in

taking charge of their careers and begin with being more concerted in planning for their careers.

38

Discussion

Interpretation of Results

MANAGERIAL STAFF LEVEL

Figure 1: Career path of a Managerial Staff in a deluxe hotel

OTHER FACTORS:

NUMBER OF GS EMPLOYEES VS

AVAILABLE MS LEVEL POSITIONS

GS1 – GS 5 POSITIONS, ATLEAST 2

POSITIONS BEFORE PROMOTION TO

MS LEVEL

LENGTH OF SERVICE (MONTHS)

FOOD SERVICE (78.8) HOUSEKEEPING

(71.8) CONCIERGE (75) GUEST RELATIONS

(62.6) HUMAN RESOURCES (17) SALES &

MARKETING (27.25) SERVICE CENTER (108)

FINANCE (194)

AVERAGE STARTING AGE IN THE HOTEL

24 YRS OLD

EDUCATION LEVEL: BS HOTEL AND

RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT

Managerial

Staff 79.31 MONTHS /

6.61 YEARS

39

DEPARTMENT HEAD LEVEL

Figure 2: Career path of a Department Head in a deluxe hotel

Department

Head

COMPETITION BETWEEN INTERNAL

AND EXTERNAL RECRUITS

(EXPATRIATES & PIRACY)

LIMITED POSITIONS

VARIABLES AFFECTING CAREER MOBILITY

CRV = POSITION AVAILABILITY (4.4) &

COMMENDATIONS (4.2)

WRV = PERFORMANCE IN HELD POSITIONS

(4.64) & JOB COMMITMENT (4.52)

IEV = KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND TALENTS

OF EMPLOYEE (4.68),

LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT ABILITY (4.6) &

WORK ETHICS (4.6)

LENGTH OF SERVICE (MONTHS)

FOOD SERVICE (225.8) HOUSEKEEPING (-)

CONCIERGE (-) GUEST RELATIONS (74.6)

HUMAN RESOURCES (-) SALES & MARKETING

(89.25) SERVICE CENTER (140) FINANCE (-)

AVERAGE STARTING AGE IN THE HOTEL 24

YRS OLD

EDUCATION LEVEL: BS HOTEL AND

RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT

142.56 MONTHS /

11.88 YEARS

40

As shown in Figure 1, it takes a regular GS level employee an average of 6.61 years to be

promoted to a MS level position. But again, this study shows most of the departments have a

higher rate of mobility. This means that it is normal for a regular GS level employee to be

promoted to ms level in less than 6.61 years. This all depends on the following factors position

availability, mentor‟s /manager‟s commendations, performance in held positions, job commitment,

knowledge, skills, and talents of employee, leadership/management ability and finally work ethics.

The characteristic of the department also plays a vital role in career mobility. The department‟s

size, organizational chart and functions help determine the opportunities and possibility of

promotion. In some departments, employees will have to move from more than one position in

the same GS level before being promoted to the MS level while in other departments an

employee can be directly promoted to MS level. There are also cases that the MS level

employees are stuck in their position which halts the advancement of the younger GS level

employees because there is no position available. This causes a chain reaction which explains the

stagnant mobility of some employees.

In discussing the DH level, the matters become more complex because these are other more

pressing considerations. As shown on the research results, most DH level employees are

externally recruited. The lack of DH level samples made the comparison and analysis very

difficult. It is clear that out of many HRM graduates working in NWHM, only a very few make it

to DH level and there are none who make it to the Executive Level. The reason is because there

are few positions in the DH levels and again due to corporate interference, most of DH level

employees are externally recruited. There is also a shortage of capable MS level employees

because most of them either transfer out of the company or are pirated by other companies.

If ever a GS level employee works hard enough to reach the DH level, it will take him/her an

average of 11.8 years to reach that position. (See Figure 2) The data suggests that most likely it

will take shorter than 11.8 years to reach DH level especially in competitive departments.

There is no clear relation between age and career mobility. Only age trends marking an

individual employee‟s potential career position and career path.

41

Reliability

The interview questions used were the same for all respondents, and the degree of awareness

about them was the same among the interviewees. The same way of approaching the respondents

was used, near the premises of the Human Resources Department.

Validity

The data is valid because the database used is directly from the human resources department. The

database is updated and rechecked by practicumers in their actual files. The data from the

respondents is also considered valid because the researchers used the data in the database to

double check of the respondents are indeed in the list. Those who are not in the database are not

considered.

Research Ethics

Ethics was considered in interaction with interviewees who occupy high positions and work for a

company that is well known. Prior starting to collect any data the researchers have contacted the

human resource department of the company and asked for permission to conduct the research

among its employees. The researchers have explained the topic, purpose and idea of the research.

The researchers have also described how the data collecting would be implemented. The number

of respondents needed for the research was identified and what employees were at interest.

Respondents were only approached during the time they are no longer at duty and are about to

leave the hotel.

The thesis was conducted with consideration of confidentiality. Neither the company‟s name nor

the participants‟ names or any information that could reveal their person were not used in the

study. All of the parties have been keeping confidentiality of all confidential information or

documents available during the thesis process before, during, and after the thesis process. All the

participants have agreed to participate in the research voluntarily, and those who disagreed were

not forced to participate.

42

Conclusions

Answering the research questions

The total number of HRM graduates working in NWHM is 123. 72.36% of them are in the GS

level, 17.89% are in the MS level and 9.76% are in the DH level. The mean starting age for the

hotel is 24 years old. There are 9 departments in the hotel where HRM graduates are working.

The largest is the Food Service department with 25.2% of all the HRIM graduates working there.

8/9 of them have displayed career mobility. 4/8 has displayed career mobility up to the DH level.

In the MS level 20/22 employees are “mobile” and in the DH level 4/12 employees are “mobile”.

For the rate of career mobility, the mean months from GS to MS level for the whole hotel is

79.31 months. 6 out 8 departments have faster career mobility in the MS level than the hotel

average. The mean month it takes from MS to DH is 63.25 months. 3 out 4 departments have

faster career mobility in the DH level than the hotel average. The mean months it takes for an

employee starting at the GS level to go to the DH level is 142.56 months. 3 out 5 departments

have faster career mobility from GS to DH level than the hotel average.A DH level employee

undergoes an average of 4 position changes before becoming a DH level employee. The rate of

career mobility is shorter when it is from MS to DH level but the chance of promotion is very

low. The rate is longer when it is from GS to MS but the chance is higher.

The significant Company Related Variables (CRV) are first and foremost Position Availability.

In this variable we may include the following factors: length of service of the position holder,

being stuck in the position or stagnancy in the position, employee turnover, recruitment policy,

“piracy and external recruitment. The next significant factor is the mentor‟s/management‟s

commendations which include the evaluation of the higher officers, contributions to the job and

other notable feats and accomplishments.

The significant Work Related Variables (WRV) are Performance in Held Positions and Job

Commitment. For the Performance in Held Positions this may include the ability to do one‟s job

effectively, ability to perform more than the expected function as an employee and overall

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reliability in the job. For the Job Commitment, this means the seriousness and the dedication for

the company.

The significant Individual Employee Variables (IEV) Knowledge, Skills, and Talents of

Employee (Personal Traits); Leadership/Management Ability, and Work Ethics. Among all the

variables, the IEV items received the highest scores meaning most of the employees have the

perception of the “overall package” of employees as an important factor in career mobility. To be

a “mobile” employee, one must possess almost all of the said variables in the IEV. Only

management can determine the true value of an employee which makes the IEV difficult to

measure.

The research has found out that in New World Hotel Manila; starting from a GS level position

going to the DH level as an HRM graduate is a long and tedious process. The chance of it

happening is very slim. Which is why most employees prefer to transfer or move to other

industries (external mobility) because of the long time it takes to advance one‟s career in the

hotel. The probability of someone from outside the company landing a high level position in the

company is greater in the DH level and above. There is still a positive probability of a GS level

employee to move up to the MS level in the hotel. This can mean that the many employees in

NWHM only reach up to the MS level and choose to advance their career in other companies.

Comparison of results from previous studies

In the previous study of career path profiles of general managers of Korean super deluxe hotels

and factors influencing their career development by Samuel Kim, Hejin Chun and James Petrick;

they measure the time it takes to become a GM. In their study the result was19 years to become a

General Manager (top Executive level). Compared to the study, the figure of 11.8 years to

become a DH level is highly believable. Also the factors affecting career mobility is also related

if not the same. Finally in that study, they measured a significant fast rate of mobility in the Sales

& marketing department which is also prevalent in this study. But the study cannot confirm the

comparison between the two studies because they have different parameters.

In the study : The aspect of mobility in the career paths of hotel managers of one hotel chain in

Helsinki by Nadezda Pinigina; the effects of mobility in a person‟s career was discussed. In

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relation to that study, this study only measures the rate of mobility and its factors. Although it

was discussed that there is no significant improvement where a change in position is good or bad

in a persons career, this can also be seen in some examples this study. Some departments

experience more frequent changes in positions whoever it doesnt affect their rate of career

mobility. Meaning change in position is not significant if it is still in the same level or bracket.

The employee might considered it an improvement because of potential increases in salary, in

the broad aspect, increase in salary still doesn‟t represent a full career growth.

Because of the social nature of hospitality work, personality and individual competency play a

major role in the ability of an employee to enjoy hospitality work. It would seem that outgoing,

extroverted people with good interpersonal skills are more likely to enjoy hospitality work in

general, while the more introverted types might struggle with the constant interpersonal

exchanges (Jauhari, 2006; Raybould and Wilkins, 2005; Weaver, 2009). It has been argued that

having the right kind of personality is more important for a career in the hospitality industry than

formal qualifications (Purcell, 1996). People who thrive in the building of relationships, however

ephemeral or superficial, have greater chances of liking hospitality management work. The ideal

hospitality manager is typically expected to stand at the door of the restaurant, say, and welcome

guests with a smile and sometimes a pat on the back or a hug for the regular customers. People

who are at ease with doing this may find hospitality work quite enjoyable. Such managers can

become sources of competitive advantage for their organizations because customers respond well

to managers who can relate with them on a personal level.

Career growth. Hoteliers unanimously may agree that career growth in the hospitality industry

requires hard work, sacrifices, and endurance. To get ahead in this industry, you have to make a

lot of sacrifices. There are no short cuts. There are many detours you have to pass through the

mill. And advancement is a long and winding road. But if you hang in there, you will get to a

point when one day, you will see that it was worth it and you have no regrets at all. But to get to

that place, you must pay your dues.

Hospitality management careers are thus not for individuals who want to make it to the top in

two years. Rather, people with a long term focus, and who are prepared to endure the discomfort

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of the first years are more likely to stay in hospitality jobs and reap the rewards in the later years.

Typically, a college graduate will enter the industry say as a restaurant server. If the opportunity

arises, he or she might be recruited into the management training program. On completion, and

subject to performance, a managerial assistantship post may follow. In a couple of years, a

managerial promotion is likely, but not guaranteed. Thus on average to progress from new

graduate to functions manager might take some six years or so, where in other industries

graduates are appointed as managers automatically or within a much shorter period of time after

graduation. As one goes up the ladder in the hospitality industry, however, the rewards improve.

A hospitality career therefore requires protracted patience, but naturally, not everyone who enters

the industry will possess it. One criticism which has often been directed at the hospitality

industry is that in providing opportunities for career advancement it fails to give due recognition

to dedicated educational qualifications. However some authors have pointed out that in recent

years the industry has begun to reward formal qualifications; that people with relevant

management training now find it easier to enter into management jobs and progress in the

industry (Hjalager and Andersen, 2001).

Expressing individual creativity. Competition in the hospitality industry has significantly

increased in the last few decades to due to the increasing internationalization of the hotel

industry. To create and sustain meaningful competitive advantage, hotels have to constantly

reinvent themselves. Hotel managers with good creative skills are a high priced asset to their

organization. For some managers, the opportunity to use their creative instinct in the process of

keeping hotel products and services fresh and interesting for the market is one of the most

rewarding aspects of hospitality management.

The dynamic nature of the industry. The impact of new information and communication

technologies such as Global Distribution Systems on hospitality business, and the ever changing

characteristics and needs of the hospitality industry, among other factors, demonstrate the

dynamic nature of the hospitality industry. It has been observed that the industry is becoming

more sophisticated, competitive and complex in terms of the range of services it now offers.

Customers are becoming more and more difficult to please, and competitors have become more

cunning in their response. Indeed, the hospitality workplace has become one in which those who

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come up with the most impressive gimmicks can survive. This is what provides the thrill for

some managers.

Most managers agree that when working in the hospitality industry, “every day is filled with

surprises”. Thus, transformational (as opposed to transactional) hotel managers will become

more and more critical to the competitiveness of their hotels. Change has become an inherent

characteristic of the hotel industry and it is only those managers who can embrace rather than

resist change who will find it worthwhile pursuing a career in the industry. The hotel industry

can thus be described as a fast paced industry made for fast paced individuals.

Achievement of set objectives

During the initial phase of the study, several objectives have been achieved. Through the Human

Resource Department, the number of Hotel and Restaurant Administration graduates presently

employed at New World Hotel was identified, including the positions they occupy, age, age of

entry at New World, and dates of note. All departments were represented. For employees having

supervisory and managerial positions, the researchers were able to trace their internal career

advancement within the hotel – from the first position they held at entry to the position they

currently occupy. Career advancement between departments was also compared.

There were significant relations between the company related, work related, and individual

related variables to the employees‟ career mobility. Analysis of data revealed that the HRM

graduates in the hotel believed that the individual competencies of an employee are the most

considered to be able to advance one‟s career, with consideration of course to the availability of

a certain position.

Suggestions for further research and practical implications

It is important for the researcher to weigh the pros and cons of using a method before deciding

on the method of communication for the survey. The researcher must consider the accuracy of

the data obtained using the method, and the cost and amount of time needed to get the

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information. More importantly, he must consider the method‟s ability to secure the type of

information needed. He must evaluate all these things, together with his allotted budget and time

to complete the survey.

For a further investigation of career models, managers can be given a more in depth analysis of

their careers. A personal interview is suitable for obtaining data for many types of research

problems including those that concern sentiments, emotions, and opinions of people regarding

certain issues or programs. This method usually provides the most accurate and complete

responses because there are interviewers or field enumerators who can always check and clarify

vague answers.

The reliability of the data collected using personal interviews largely depends on the extra

measures taken to assure the quality of the data. Interviewers need to know how to handle

difficult situations such as respondents who initially refuse to participate in the study or who find

it difficult to understand the questions. They should also possess the good qualities of

interviewers like being courteous, friendly, patient, persistent, and know how to follow

instructions.

In terms of further research, it would be useful for human resource practitioners to understand if

career strategies are primarily are primarily a function at the individual level of personality traits

and characteristics, or at the organizational level, organizational structures and opportunities.

Attempts to match personality characteristics with available career opportunities could be a way

of ensuring satisfactory career development that benefits both the individual and the

organization.

For future studies, the researchers recommend that a full research involving all the employees of

the hotel should be involved. Not only HRM graduates but everyone who is currently associated

with the hotel should be involved. This would give a true profile of the hotel and a clearer and

more accurate projection of the career mobility of its employees.

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References

Ladkin, A. (1999), “Hotel General Managers: a review of prominent research themes”,

International Journal of Tourism Research, Vol.1 No. 3

Garavan, T.N., O‟Brien, F., and O‟Hanlon, D. (2006), “Career Advancement of Hotel Managers

since graduation: A Comparative Study” Personnel Review 35.3, 252-280

Harper, S., Brown C., and Wilson, I. (2005), “Qualifications: a fast-track to hotel general

manager?”

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 17, 1, 51.

Pinigina, N. (2011), “The aspect of career mobility in the career paths of hotel managers of one

hotel chain in Helsinki”, University of Applied Sciences

Partlow, C. (1996), “Human Resource practices of TQM hotels”,

Cornell Hospitality Quarterly 37.5, p. 67

Ladkin, A., Juwaheer, T.D. (2000), “The career paths of hotel general managers in Mauritius”,

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 12.2, pg. 119-125

Akrivos, C., Ladkin, A., Reklitis, P. (2007), “Hotel Managers‟ career strategies for success”

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 19.2, pg. 107-119

Almeda, J.V., Capistrano T.G., and Sarte, G.M.F (2010), “Elementary Statistics”

University Press, Univeristy of the Philippines Diliman

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank our family and friends for the support and understanding in the completion of

this study. We are also indebted to the faculty and staff of the College of Home

Economics, University of the Philippines Diliman.

We wish to thank our professor Dr. Gatchalian for her passion in learning and for sharing

her knowledge in the fulfillment of this project.

We wish to thank the associates of New World Makati City Manila, for giving us an

opportunity to pursue our research in their organization:

To Mr. Geuel Auste, Director of Human Resources, a brilliant pioneer and wise mentor,

To the Human Resource Team: Mr. Edberg Garduce, a true friend and superb alumni of the UP

HRIM Program; Ms. Ice Gregorio, a model of inspiration in the industry; and Ms. Badette Del

Prado.

To the trainees of the Human Resource Department, for keeping us company and making effort

to assist in us in collecting information,

To the HRM graduates currently employed at New World Hotel, especially to those who took

time to participate in our data gathering,

And above all we are eternally grateful to the Almighty God, for under his constant

guidance, grace and faithfulness we are able to understand and learn many insights, both

academically and life in general, during the course of accomplishing this study.

Mark Edward Aranas

Englebert Evangelista

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