The Perceptions of Hospitality Employees from Diverse National Cultures Regarding the Humane Organization

The Perceptions of Hospitality Employees from Diverse National Cultures Regarding the Humane Organization by Daniela Y. Dimitrov B.A. July 1999, Sofia University M.S. May 2002, University of North Carolina at Greensboro A Dissertation Submitted to The Faculty of The Graduate School of Education and Human Development of The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education May 17, 2009 Dissertation directed by Neal Chalofsky Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning ii The Graduate School of Education and Human Development of The George Washington University certifies that Daniela Y. Dimitrov has passed the Final Examination for the degree of Doctor of Education as of December 5, 2008. This is the final and approved form of the dissertation. The Perceptions of Hospitality Employees from Diverse National Cultures Regarding the Humane Organization Daniela Y. Dimitrov Dissertation Research Committee: Neal Chalofsky, Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning, Dissertation Director Maria Cseh, Associate Professor of Human and Organizational Learning, Committee Member Sara Parks, Professor Emeritus of Hospitality Management and Dietetics, Committee Member iii © Copyright (2009) by Daniela Y. Dimitrov All Rights Reserved. iv Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my dearest grandmother Tsenka Ivanova. She went to be with the Lord much too soon. I was not there to hold her and pray with her one last time. She was the person who raised me and taught me how to accept life. She was the person who never tired to work for me and help me. She always sacrificed for me and gave me her everything. She is the person I will always cherish in my memory as an inspiration and a reason to succeed in all undertakings, with the purpose of one day paying her back in happiness. v Acknowledgments “I will give you thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.” Psalm 118:21, 29 I would like to extend gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Neal Chalofsky who found understanding to continue working with my impatience to complete each dissertation section. Thank you for helping me on numerous occasions throughout my doctoral program. Thank you for your inspiring work on the humane organization concept that drew me to this program. A very special “Thank You!” to the priceless members of my dissertation committee Dr. Maria Cseh and Dr. Sarah Parks. Their feedback was always very helpful to me with its detailed and specific touch. I will not forget what Dr. Parks did for me even when she had personal difficulties to continue sitting on my committee to the end. Her encouragement on the day of my defense played a crucial role for me to finish what I have started. Dr. Cseh always uplifted me with her warm and caring smile, which did make a difference. Dr. Marquardt and Sanders were gracious enough to join my defense committee and help me with advice. Thank you, Dr. Marquardt for the extra time you shared with me. Also, warm thanks to Dr. Marj Bataglia who believed in me and encouraged me to pursue this dissertation topic from the very beginning. vi I would like to extend sincere thanks to the person who opened the doors of her hotel to become the home of my case study. In a timely fashion, she landed a hand to a stranger because she believed in the education this institution provided as well as in the pursuit of the humane organization in hospitality. Thanks to all participants for sharing their precious time, thoughts, and feelings with me. Thanks to my colleagues and friends Beatriz Conningham and ViJay Krishna, who always listened to my worries and found kind words to encourage me to press on. Thanks to all those genuine friends and acquaintances who knowingly or unknowingly have contributed to moving me closer to this achievement. With Love and Deepest Commitment To the Lord be glory, and honor, and power forever! To my beloved husband George Dimitrov: Thank you for your endless patience, love, and understanding during the last five years of our lives. You supported me thoroughly and often defended my decision in front of those who were skeptical. Very often you were last to receive my attention and almost never grumbled. I wish I could write poems to dedicate a long one to you. You deserve it! You are a GOOD HUSBAND! I constantly thank God for giving me you. I am also sorry for the times when wrapped into the burden of my duties, I have been blind for your interests and research accomplishments. You deserve this doctoral title more than I do for your genuine and ceaseless passion for learning and making knowledge accessible to everyone. You are the best researcher I know. You are an vii example of what Csikszentmihalyi called the autotelic personality, who has no difficulties experiencing flow while learning. To my mother Eddy Evlogieva: Dear mom, thank you for your restless care about my home and the family and your genuine interest in my dissertation topic even though I was seldom able to explain to you more. Thank you for the magical motherly wishes and prayers and for priding with me even when I did not deserve it. I started all this in order to please you and be able to partially repay you for the opportunities you gave me to learn and develop. To my sweet little daughter Yvonne Dimitrov who is as old as my doctoral studies lasted: You grew up and graciously shared my physical presence, thoughts, and attention with this dissertation. You motivated me to complete what I have started. Hopefully it is good enough to justify your sacrifice. I love you more than everything! viii Abstract of Dissertation The Perceptions of Hospitality Employees from Diverse National Cultures Regarding the Humane Organization The purpose of this case study was to explore the way hospitality employees from different national cultures in a US-based hotel perceive their workplace to be a humane organization as defined by Chalofsky (2008). This exploratory research employed a single embedded case study in order to pursue answers to the central research question. The 17 participants, selected via purposeful convenience sampling, represented management, supervisory, and professional line-level employees from a diverse full- service hotel in a major metropolitan area. One-on-one interviews as well as observations of the social and physical aspects of participants’ workplace were conducted. Human resource and work-life balance policies and programs of the studied hotel were examined, as well as documentation regarding the organizational structure, the organization’s leadership values and practices, its community involvement, and its communication with employees, was reviewed. Based on the findings of this study the following three conclusions were made: 1) The findings of this case study fit Chalofsky’s (2008) framework of the features of the HO: living a value-based culture, caring about employees, caring about the organizational mission, and committed to work, play, and community involvement; 2) The findings support the consideration of two new characteristics of the HO that can possibly expand Chalofsky’s preliminary framework: ix HOs are cognizant and understanding of individuals as human beings not just as employees; HOs exist in a help-oriented and service-driven organizational culture such as hospitality; 3) There are more similarities than differences among participants from different national backgrounds in terms of their perception of what a humane organization is and whether the studied hotel is one of these organizations. The research of more culturally diverse organizations in different countries and economic sectors was recommended. Organizations were advised to strategically revisit their missions, values, formal and informal structures of operation, as well as their existing intraorganizational rules, policies, and guidelines concerning the human factor – employees. x Table of Contents Dedication……………………………………………………………………………….iv Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………....v With Love and Deepest Appreciation………………………………………….vi Abstract………………………………………………………………………………...viii Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………...x List of Figures………………………………………………………………………...xxiii List of Tables………………………………………………………………………….xxiv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………..1 Overview …………………………………………………………………………1 Problem Statement ……………………………………………………………..4 Purpose Statement and Research Question…………………………………….6 Statement of Potential Significance……………………………………………..6 Conceptual Framework …………………………………………………………8 The Humane Organization ………………………………………………..9 National Culture …………………………………………………………10 The Context: Hospitality ..……………………………………………….11 Methodology Summary ………………………………………………………..12 Limitations and Delimitations ………………………………………………...13 Limitations of the Research Design ……………………………………..13 Delimitations …………………………………………………………….14 xi Definition of Key Terms ………………………………………………………...14 Meaning …………………………………………………………………14 Meaning of Work/Meaningful Work ……………………………………15 Meaningful Workplace ………………………………………………….15 Humane Workplace and Humane Organization.………………………...16 Culture …………………………………………………………………...16 Diversity …………………………………………………………………17 National Cultural Diversity..……………………………………………..17 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………..18 Introduction: Purpose and Methods of Literature Review ………………….18 Organization of Literature Review …………………………………………...18 Literature Review Sections ……………………………………………...18

Load more