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The Effects of Leadership Style on Hotel Employees' Commitment to Service Quality

College of Business, East Carolina University, clarkro{at}ecu.edu

Michael D. Hartline

College of Business, Florida State University, mhartline{at}cob.fsu.edu

Keith C. Jones

School of Business and Economics, North Carolina A&T State University, Kcjones1{at}ncat.edu

One of the continuing challenges in the hotel industry is providing consistent levels of quality service across units. Although recruitment, selection, and training practices are often standardized across units (within a given market), frontline employees' performance varies. This study examines the role that individual unit management plays in this process by looking at how a manager's commitment to service quality and that person's leadership style affect the way frontline employees do their job. The fundamental implication of this study is that managers who are committed to service quality and employ an empowering leadership style can create a transformational climate that conveys their commitment to quality service to their frontline employees. This leads to employees who are more likely to share the organization's values, who understand their role in the organization, who are more satisfied with their jobs, and who perform at a higher level of quality in serving hotel guests.

Key Words: hotel management • leadership styles • service excellence

This version was published on May 1, 2009

Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 2, 209-231 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1938965508315371


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