Issues in the Hospitality Industry

Hospitality

Identification of the Articles

This essay intends to critique and analyze two important articles related to human resources management and this concept's relationship to the hospitality industry. The first article, "Strategic Human Resource Development in Hospitality Crisis Management: A Conceptual Framework for Food and Beverage Departments," is taken from the International Journal of Business Administration written by AbuKhalifeh, Som and AlBattat and was published in January of 2013. The second article that will be discussed is entitled " Linking Human Capital Management with Tourism Development and Management for Economic Survival: The Nigeria Experience." This article was authored by Esu and appeared in the June 2012 edition of the International Journal of Business and Social Science.

Abstract of Article #1

AbuKahlife et al. (2013) presented an argument that suggested that crisis management has been ignored in the realm of human resource development. This paper reviewed the literature on the hotel industry's approach to human resources problems associated with crisis management. The author's approach to this topic in this paper revolved around Garavan's strategic model of human resources as a suitable framework to apply to the dearth of applicable research towards the subject. In the authors' words: " the study applies various components of the model to the crisis management context and integrates ideas from the literatures." Before concluding, the paper offers recommendations and guidelines that can help planners within the food and beverage industry to use this model to apply it to the ever increasing problem of crisis management

Abstract of Article #2.

This article also focused on the concept of human resources management and the applicability of this practice towards the tourism industry. Specifically, the author's presentation is centered on the Nation of Nigeria and its unique situation. The article looks to take advantage of Nigeria's status of a developing nation whose economic viability is dependent upon tourism. The article explored the policies that the Nigerian government has developed in this area of development. Ultimately, the argument "investigated the challenges of human resource management in the Nigerian tourism industry, the challenges of tourism and hospitality education in Nigeria "(p.1). Eventually the article suspected that a stakeholder's approach to human capital development that will develop into a source of human capital that will reap positive benefits to the country.

Critique of Article #1

AbuKhalifeh et al. constructed a logical and informative argument that seems to have some practical value in its attempt to help bring some clarity to the subject presented. In an argument centered on the term "crisis," the article is wise to define this very subjective and often misunderstood term. The authors of this article clearly laid out six characteristics that comprise the notion of a crisis and applied this definition to the existent literature on the subject as it relates to the food and beverage industry.

The article does fail at some level as well. The article focused exclusively on the country of Malaysia and their specific food and beverage industry. Malaysia's political and social-economic conditions are not representative of a useful example due to the constant crises that arise in this third world nation. The key principles presented as qualities of an organizational crisis at the beginning of this article seems to stand against this idea. Principle #2 requires a crisis to have a low probability of happening. Malaysia, relative to other nations throughout the world involved in the hospitality industry, should have a higher probability of crisis due to its inherent disadvantages mentioned.

The article is, in its own words "only conceptual,"(p.43). In other words, no new real experiment or practical demonstration was performed to confirm, or deny, their argument. The article serves a worthwhile purpose for gathering and researching a very specific investigation however and its literature review is very informative.

Critique of Article #2

Esu's (2012) article discussed many of the same principles as the other article included in this essay with some slight differences in approach. This article's main premise attempts to equivocate human capital and the quality of service delivery in the hospitality industry. While at first glance, this may seem to present a difficult challenge, the specific circumstances that existed in the country of Nigeria allowed a worthwhile opportunity to attempt this investigation.

The social and political landscape of Nigeria is one of change and development. Tourism and economic development as natural resource for this country is relatively new concept and provides a supple base of data. Nigeria appears to be on a track of breaking out of their third world status and this inquiry into the inner workings of this country's developmental approach not only gives interested parties a modern and relative means of investigation but also exposes opportunities for learning on a more widespread and general level.