Attitudes Towards Tourism And Hospitality Career Psychology Essay

Attitudes Towards Tourism And cordial reception Career Psychology EssayTo explain tender behavior is a very difficult and complex task. But approaching it from different levels such as the persons attitude and recognition factors and so on, sheds light to this complexity. Concepts referring to behavioral dispositions, such as social attitude, and personality trait, have played an important role in these attempts to predict and explain human behavior (Ajzen, 1998 Campbell, 1963 Sherman Fazio, 1983). This study uses the scheme of Planned way (TPB model) to test the puzzle outs governing undergraduates inclination towards pursuing a passage in the tourism industriousness. This study entrust thus explore the variables that influence a students intention to pursue a career in the hospitality sedulousness and the factors that are implicated in or modify a students career commitment over time. The sample includes first year to forth year undergraduates studying Tourism manage ment courses offered by The University of Mauritius.2.1 Perceptions and attitudes towards pursuing a Tourism and Hospitality Career2.1.0 Tourism management as a courseAuthor (s)s Study SVariables used les usedDavidson and Tideswell (1998)Considering level of student affair in the hospitality programme (Australia)Industry factorsCareer prospects,Interests,See degree as a rite of passage to job and career,Entrance criteria used by institutions as a mechanism to attract studentsBarron and Maxwell (1993)New entrants illusory image of the industry- glamorous and unrealistic perceptionsJarvis (1994)Limited resources applied early in the learning processBarron (1997)Offer for the courseGood reputation of universityOMahony, McWilliam and Whitelaw (2001)Reputation and avail energy of a particular courseHospitality course as second or third preferenceAccepted based on entry requirement rather than career interestHing and Lomo (1997)Students enroll with a vague idea of their goal, their pro ximo aspirations and career opportunities (minimal commitment)Place coveted at the university, ir valuateive of disciplineIf scores were too low. Theres a chance to pursue interest and career in clandestine hospitality collegesPurcell (1993)Career quality in high schoolhouse were influenced by parents or guardians, peers or friendsCothram and Combrink, 1999 Sciarini and Wood, 1997Parents and families were the most influential in determining students attitudes and career choiceYoung (1994)Parents as primary providers of encouragementMachatton (1997)Negative perceptions of parents- hospitality jobs confined to hamburger- flipping and bed makingOMahony, McWilliam and Whitelaw (2001)Not rated as an important influenceParentsTeachersSchool counselorsPeersRated the highest mass mediaHelmes and Adcock (1992)Lack of informationLack of career knowledgeLead to creation of misconception and unwarranted negative attitudes and often associated with lack of opportunitiesBarron and Maxwell (199 3)Information about the industryCareer based on choice rather than by chanceFraser, 2000Varying interest to hold up in different sectors of the hospitality industryviews changed through and through various exposuresstudy programmeexposure to industry2.1.1 Tourism as a career choiceAuthor (s)StudyVariables usedRoss (1991 1993)positive attitudes towards potence careershigh level of interest in management positionsindustry regarded as holding considerable promise for future employment and career prospectsGets (1994)unattractive survival of the fittest for high school studentsdownturn in regional economiespotential for attracting youth throughinternships or co-operative education between schools and industryAirey and Frontisis (1997)career support receipts in basic hospitality educationGreek students positive attitudes only ifUnrealistic views about careers in the industryLimited start as hospitality consumersEmployment structure in GreeceCharles (1992a)Positive attitudes towardsC areer in tourism industry- seen as exciting, stimulating and developing creativityNegative attitude because of potential dissipated effect onPersonalFamilyAnd social supportInterest seen to be decreasingAfter internship experienceBarron and Maxwell (1993)Difference between perception and experience of the industryNew students hold positive viewsPost internship students hold negative viewsExpectationsGood career opportunitiesGood trainingTreatment of staff by employers trouble does not demand a capacity effortPerceptionIndustry not lucrativePoor treatment of manual staffWarsyzak (1997)Assessment of industry becomes less positive after post attain experiencesKusluvan and Kusluvan (2000)Positive attitudes changed to negative attitudes after practical work experienceJob stressLack of family life owing to nature of the workLong functional hoursExhausting and seasonal (unstable) jobsLow social status of a hospitality jobUnfavorable evaluations were ascribable toInsufficient informat ion about careersLimited information on operative conditionsWest anf Jamieson (1990)Reduction in commitment after various exposures to the industryPurcell and Quinn (1996) supervise work experience a key contributor to reduced commitmentFraser (2000)Perceptions, aspirations, expectations and career commitment steadily declined over time.Levels of commitment not based onSexQualificationsLevels of industry knowledgeNor prior experienceBut based onEmployment practicesPavesic and Byrmer (1990)Hospitality Graduates switch to another industry less than 1 year after graduating. ReasonsPoor digest for the hours of workLittle recognition for efforts madeLack of opportunity for progressLong hoursStress at workNot receiving acknowledgement of qualifications gained.Kusluvan and Kusluvan (2000)Negative attitudes formed after internshipStressful jobsLack of family life owing to the nature of tourism jobsUnsatisfactory and unfair promotionsLow payInsufficient benefitsUnqualified managersPoor at titudes and behavior of managers towards employeesUnqualified coworkersPoor attitudes and behavior of coworkersPoor physical working conditions for employees2.2 The supposition of Planned BehaviorAjzen developed the conjecture of Planned Behavior in 1991 as an extension of Ajzen and Fishbeins 1975 Theory of Reasoned Action. The TPB has four components attitudes (i.e. the individuals positive or negative feelings about behaveing a behavior), unverifiable norm (i.e. the individuals perception of whether people important to the individual think the behavior should be performed), perceived behavioral swan (i.e. The individuals perception on the self skills and ability of performing a behavior) and behavioral intention (i.e. an individuals readiness to perform a given behavior)Ajzen utter that for nonhabituaI behaviors that are easily executed by almost everyone without modified circumstances, the speculation of reasoned action was adequate. When behaviors are more difficult to e xecute, and when a person needs to take control over needed resources in establish to act, the theory of planned behavior is a better prognosticator of behavior than the theory of reasoned action. In the theory of planned behavior, control is taken into nib as a variable labeled perceived behavioral control, which is defined as a persons perception of how easy or difficult it would be to perform the action. The theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been since its development some 20 years proved to be a powerful approach to explain human behavior. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) predicts that planned behaviors are compulsive by behavioral intentions which are largely influenced by an individuals attitude toward a behavior, the subjective norms encasing the execution of the behavior, and the individuals perception of their control over the behavior (Ajzen, 1975). In simpler terms, behavioural decisions are the result of a reasoned process in which the behavior is influenced b y attitudes, norms and perceived behavioral control.2.3 The Theory of Planned Behavior ModelAjzens revised model (1991) is expressed in the diagram (figure 2) belowFigure 2 Ajzens Theory of Planned BehaviorThe theory of planned behavior postulates three conceptually determinants of intention.2.4 Determinants of behavioural IntentionAttitude towards behaviorAttitudes represent an individuals likes, dislikes, beliefs and opinions regarding a particular behavior. It represents a summary of evaluation of psychological object captures in attribute dimensions of good- bad, harmful- beneficial, pleasant- unpleasant, and likable- dislikable (Ajzen 2001)Rosenberg and Hovland (1996) viewed attitude as a multi-component construct and made the following statement all responses to a foreplay object are mediated by the persons attitude towards the object.Ayres (2008) claims that traditionally at that place has been a career-for-life philosophy adopted by workers, whereby workers will spend thei r entire working life working in one industry, and, in many cases, one organization.This philosophy has in juvenile times, coinciding with Generation Y entering the workforce, been replaced by a more uncertain career structure, with employees frequently changing employers within their industry and many also pursuing work in different industries (Inkson, Anhur, and Pringle, 1999). Morton (2002) utter that Generation Y employees show a tendency towards valuing equality in the workplace and they seek positions that offer reasonable wages and good opportunities for training. Morton (2002) also claimed that they respect managers who empower workers and who are open and honest with employees. Martin (2005), who calls this generation Yers, describes eight main characteristics shown by Generation Y towards their careers. These eight characteristics include the Generation Y employee cosmos self-reliant and independent, technosavvy, entrepreneurial, seeking flexibility, having an urgent se nse of immediacy, wanting increase responsibility, having a get off my back attitude and adopting a free agency attitude.Oliver (2006) claims that recent interest in the Generation Y worker has intensified in recent years, and while generalizations are plentiful, he claims that the Generation Y worker is apathetic in a job for life, instead seeking flexibility and work-life balance. Oliver (2006) states that, overall, Generation Y workers are seen to have much higher expectations of a job than old generations, including high expectations of pay, conditions, promotion and advancement.A study conducted by Kusluvan and Kusluvan (2000) found that some of the factors that seemed to account for the negative attitudes towards careers in tourism, formed after students had undertaken a practical work assignment, are stressful jobs, lack of family life owing to the nature of the work, long working hours, exhausting and seasonal (unstable) jobs, low social status of tourism jobs, failing an d unfair promotions, low pay and insufficient benefits, unqualified managers, poor attitudes and behavior of managers towards employees, unqualified coworkers and poor attitudes and behavior of coworkers and poor physical working conditions for employees. native Norms ingrained Norms is the degree to which someone wants to conform to others behavior or expectations. Usually, others are individuals (family and friends) whose preferences on a subject matter are important to him or her. This concept was introduced into theory of planned behavior to accommodate the non volitional elements inherent, at least potentially, in all behaviors (Ajzen, 2002).Although schools, peers and the students community all have an impact on the young adults self- identicalness and career choice, the parents expectations and perceptions of vocational fit for their children have been found to be the key roles in shaping their career choices (Ferry, 2006).In one study (Creamer and Laughlin, 2005), this infl uence has been so strong as to override the influence of teachers, faculty, and career field in question but were not as well- known and or trusted as to students parents for this type of decision.In an era where 49% of UK workers report that balancing work and family responsibilities is an issue of significant concern to them (IP Morgan Fleming, 2003), the influence of family and personal life and career decisions is receiving increasing amounts of media attention. Todays business school graduates are looking for a work style to go with their lifestyle, claims the HR consultancy Hay Group (The Economist, 2006). Generation X and Generation Y workers who are younger than 40, are more likely than boomers to say they put family before jobs, says an article in USA Today (Elias, 2004). Todays younger employees are working to live rather than living to work, states a newspaper manager in the journalism newsletter Fusion (Williamson, 2006).Perceived Behavioral ControlPerceived Behavioral C ontrol (PBC) refers to a persons perception of the ease or difficulty of performing a particular behavior. According to Ajzen (2002), PBC is used to deal with situations where people do not have complete volitional control (i.e. external influences) over the particular behavior in question.An employees perception to any industry will, no doubt, be determined by their commitment, perceptions, attitudes towards working in the industry as well as the types of jobs available in the industry. It is argued that this is particularly pertinent to tourism and hospitality as it has been inform that potential recruits have a negative image of working in the industry (Aksu and Koksal, 2005 Brien, 2004 Getz, 1994, Kuslavan and Kuslavan, 2000).Several researchers have also studied the perceptions of undergraduate tourism and hospitality management students. Barron and Maxwell (1993) examined the perceptions of new and continuing students at Scottish higher education institutions. They found that in general the new students had positive images of the industry, whereas the students with supervised work experience were much less positive in their views.Baron and Maxwell (19930 found significant differences between the new students perceptions of the industry compared with the students who had undertaken their industry placement. The marked differences in the perceptions of new students compared with those post placement students and graduates lie in the difference between perception and experience in the industry. West and Jameson (1990) agree and claim that the more exposure hospitality students have to the industry, the less commitment they show.2.5 Behavioral IntentionIntention is an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions in the words of Ajzen, an indication of how hard people are willing to try, of how much effort they are willing to exert in order to perform the behavior. Therefore, the stronger the intention to engage in a behavior, th e more likely should be its performance. (p. 181) TPB states that people act in accordance with their intentions and perceptions of control over their behavior, while intentions are influenced by attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms and perceptions of behavioral control (Ajzen, 1985).BehaviorHsing (2002) defined behavior as the performance of an action at a certain time, in a certain context and with a certain purpose.Generally, the more favorable the attitude and subjective norm with respect to a behavior and the greater the perceived behavioral control the stronger an individuals intention should be to perform the behavior under consideration (Ajzen, 1991). However based on varying behaviors and situation, the relative importance of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control is expected to be different.2.6 Indicators of Behavioral IntentionFor the TPB to predict behaviour successfully or for maximum prediction, intention must be measured as nearly as po ssible in time to the observation of the behaviour. The longer the interval between measurement of intention and behaviour, the greater the likelihood that an unforeseen event will occur that will lead to changes in intention and be less predictive of positive behaviour. Nevertheless, this study is not working on actual behaviour, but rather on attitudes and beliefs about the behaviour of choosing a particular career.2.6.0 Indicators of Attitude towards behaviorThus, to measure student attitudes toward behaviour, which in this context meant choosing the programme and direction, or intention to seek a career in hospitality, questions were constructed in such a way so as to shed light on the attitude and beliefs of the undergraduatesI expect this course will only qualify me to do a specialised job in the hospitalityindustryI am up to now keen to work in the industry as when I first chose this training programmeI am very satisfied with my choice of a career in hospitalityI am committ ed to a career in hospitality2.6.1 Indicators of Subjective NormsA second major predictor of intention in this study is the influence of important people in an individual students life as encouragement and support to perform the behaviour intention. Subjective Norm refers to a favourable or unfavourable student perception of social pressure and the relative importance of different sources of social influence on their intention (decision) to choose a programme and hospitality career. Such social influence might come from immediate family members, peers and friends, teachers and other individual and groups. As stated by Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) an individual will perform or operationalise their behaviours that they perceive as favoured by other people who are important to them. In the present study, there were items used to obtain a direct measure of students perception of significant others and the degree to which they influenced the decision to take a tourism management course. Que stions which relate to parents, friends, brothers and sisters and school teachers were constructed to indicate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with such statements. Such questions wereMy parents encouraged me to study hospitalityMy school teachers and counsellors encouraged me to study hospitalityMy brothers / sisters encouraged me to study hospitalityHowever, according to Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) any relationship between the respondents and the referent (s) will be more or less stable over time. To assess the actual career influencer parallel to those of the students intention, an open ended question was askedWho was the most influential individual who influenced your choice of a hospitalitycareer?2.7 Empirical Evidence2.8 demonstration