Research Topic TO ANALYZE THE QUALITY OF FRONT LINE MANAGERS LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN RELATION WITH TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE INDIAN HOTEL INDUSTRY (CASE STUDY- ITC GRAND CHOLA HOTEL) Student Name - Balaji Jayaraj Student Number - 10055591 Course Name - Master of Science in Management Practice (January 2014, Intake, full time) Supervisor Name - Mr. David Wallace Submitted to - Dublin Business School, Dublin, Ireland Submission Date - 21/05/2015 Number of Words - 19516 (Excluding – Bibliography, Appendix 2,3,4,5) TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement .................................................................................................... 5 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................ 7 1.1 Research aim ....................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Research question .............................................................................................. 10 1.3 Research objectives ........................................................................................... 10 1.4 Approach to the dissertation ............................................................................... 11 1.5 Organization of the dissertation .......................................................................... 11 1.6 Contributions to the study ................................................................................... 13 Chapter -2 - Literature Review ............................................................................... 13 2.0 Literature Review Introduction ........................................................................ 14 2.1 The employees performance and organizational development in relation with training and development .............................................................................. 14 2.2 Necessity of training and development in the hotel industry ...................... 16 2.2.1 Systematic training model ............................................................................... 17 2.2.1.1 Identifying the training needs .................................................................... 18 2.2.1.2 Design and Implementation activities ....................................................... 19 2.2.1.3 Evaluation activities .................................................................................. 21 2.2.2 Kolb’s learning cycle ........................................................................................ 23 2.3 The benefits involved in providing a training and development program to the front-line managers in the hotel industry ...................................................... 25 2.3.1 Hotel Industry- Strategic International Human Resource Management .......... 27 2.4 Importance of developing quality leadership skills for frontline managers with training and development in the hotel industry .......................................... 29 2.5 Challenges faced by the hotel frontline managers in implementing the leadership skills achieved from training and development ......................................................... 32 2.6 Literature Review Conclusion ......................................................................... 34 Chapter 3: Methodology ........................................................................................ 34 3.0 Methodology Introduction ............................................................................... 35 2 3.1 Research Philosophy .......................................................................................... 35 3.2 Research Approach ............................................................................................ 36 3.3 Research Strategy .............................................................................................. 37 3.4 Sampling Respondents ...................................................................................... 37 3.5 Research Ethics ................................................................................................. 38 3.6 Time Horizon ...................................................................................................... 39 3.7 Research Limitations .......................................................................................... 39 Chapter 4: Data analysis and findings ................................................................. 40 4.1 Data collection method ....................................................................................... 40 4.2 Research findings ............................................................................................... 41 Chapter 5: Discussion ............................................................................................ 50 5.1 Theme 1: The ITC grand chola hotel development and their frontline managers performance in relation with ITC management training and development program . 50 5.2 Theme 2: The importance and benefits of developing quality leadership skills to ITC grand chola hotel frontline managers with ITC management-training and development program ............................................................................................... 50 5.2.1 ITC grand chola hotel strategic international human resource management . 51 5.3 Theme 3: The necessity and benefits involved in evaluating the ITC management training and development program ........................................................................... 52 5.4 Theme 4: The key challenges faced by the ITC grand chola hotel frontline managers in implementing the learned skills from the ITC management training and development program ............................................................................................... 54 5.5 Addressing the research question and objectives .............................................. 55 Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendation ..................................................... 56 Bibliography ............................................................................................................ 59 Appendices ............................................................................................................. 66 Appendix 01: ........................................................................................................... 67 Chapter 7: Self- Reflection ..................................................................................... 67 7.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 67 7.1 Learning Styles ................................................................................................... 67 7.2 Self-Appraisal ..................................................................................................... 68 3 7.3 Problem Solving ................................................................................................. 68 7.4 Summary of Added Value ................................................................................... 68 7.4.1 Leadership Skills .......................................................................................... 69 7.4.2 Interviewing Skills ........................................................................................ 69 7.4.3 Analytical Skills and Research Skills ........................................................... 69 7.5 Action Plan ......................................................................................................... 69 Appendix 02: Interview Transcript ........................................................................ 70 Appendix 03: Security Clearance .......................................................................... 87 Appendix 04: Information for Participants ........................................................... 87 Appendix 05: Informed Consent Form ................................................................. 90 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Figure 1: Systematic Training Model …………………………………………………18 2. Figure 2: Kolb’s experiential learning cycle ………………………………………….23 3. Figure 3: Research Onion……………………………………………………………...35 4. Figure 4: Population, sample and individual cases………………………………….38 5. Figure 5: Forms of Interview…………………………………………………………...40 4 Acknowledgement At first, I would like to thank the Dublin Business School management for providing me the course Master of Science in Management Practice and also for giving very interesting and innovative modules in the course. My sincere thanks to all my lectures for giving me a great learning experience and making me to understand all the modules clearly. Then I would like to thank the entire library staff’s for helping me often throughout my course and also for their guidance and service. Secondly, I would like to thank my supervisor Mr. David Wallace for his expert guidance and motivation for completing this research successfully. Thirdly, I would like to thank the frontline managers of ITC grand chola hotel, Chennai, India, and also the ITC grand chola hotel training and development team for accepting to participate in this research. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me throughout the Master of Science in Management Practice program and also specifically till the completion of this research. 5 Abstract The hotel industry is a service-oriented industry the frontline staff