Introducing innovation culture in the hospitality industry : a case study of the high-end hotel sector in Malta

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyse the hospitality industry, focusing in depth on the introduction of innovation culture in the high-end accommodation sector. This research set out to discover the different approaches taken by hotels and their general managers over the years to mitigate challenges faced in the hospitality industry. This exploratory study within the Maltese hospitality industry has taken the five-star hotel sector as a case study, where detailed qualitative information was gathered in order to assess the viewpoints of general managers on innovation and management techniques. Hotels are a highly personalised, customer-oriented service industry and most of the op-erations are people-based. The role of a hotel's general manager in decision making and creating effective team management have therefore been a focus throughout this study. This research exposed the importance of management and its role in the hospitality in-dustry. The findings are all aimed towards portraying a better understanding of innova-tion and how it is being employed as an enabling tool for progress and development within this local high-end accommodation sector. This study discusses the importance of effective management and decision making within the hospitality industry, and the importance of innovation in this process. It high-lights the pivotal role of the general manager in guiding the hotel to success on the mar-ket, towards having a low staff turnover and satisfying guests and employees. Three main stakeholders emerged through this study: guests, staff and shareholders/owners, all iv of whom general managers must keep in mind in the hotels' operations and the use of innovation as an enabling technique. The study is based on a thorough review of literature and data collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews with six general managers of high-end hotels within the Maltese Islands' hospitality industry. The limitations and opportunities faced will be elaborated and discussed in this dissertation.