Relationship between Cultural Intelligence of Hotel Employees and Guest Satisfaction: A Cross-Cultural Study in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/jht.1978Keywords:
Cultural Intelligence, Hotel Employees, Guest SatisfactionAbstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction, a cross-cultural study in Kenya.
Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
Findings: The study investigated the correlation between the cultural intelligence (CQ) of hotel employees and guest satisfaction across different cultural contexts. Through a cross-cultural analysis, researchers found a significant positive relationship between the cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction levels. Specifically, higher levels of cultural intelligence among employees were associated with increased guest satisfaction, suggesting that employees who possess a better understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures are better equipped to meet the needs and preferences of guests from various backgrounds. This highlights the importance of fostering cultural intelligence among hotel staff to enhance overall guest experiences and satisfaction in the hospitality industry.
Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social exchange theory, service climate theory and resource-based view theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the relationship between cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction, a cross-cultural study in Kenya. Hospitality organizations should prioritize the integration of cultural intelligence training programs into their employee development initiatives. These programs should not only focus on enhancing employees' cultural knowledge but also emphasize the development of cultural mindfulness and adaptability skills. Government bodies and industry associations should advocate for the inclusion of cultural intelligence training requirements within the accreditation and certification standards for hospitality professionals.
Downloads
References
Choi, S., & Lee, J. (2018). The relationship between cultural intelligence and job satisfaction among hotel employees: The mediating role of perceived organizational support. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 74, 131-139.
Gong, Y., & Huang, L. (2020). Enhancing guest satisfaction through employee cultural intelligence: The moderating role of organizational support. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(1), 131-149.
Homans, G. C. (1958). Social behavior as exchange. American Journal of Sociology, 63(6), 597-606.
Johnson, A., Smith, B., & Williams, C. (2019). The impact of employee cultural intelligence on guest satisfaction in the U.S. hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 78, 75-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.12.003
Kim, H. R., Lee, M. K., & Choi, S. Y. (2020). The impact of cultural intelligence on hotel employees' service innovation and guest satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 91, 102667.
Kim, H. R., Lee, M. K., & Choi, S. Y. (2020). The impact of cultural intelligence on hotel employees' service innovation and guest satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 91, 102667. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102667
Kim, S., & Jogaratnam, G. (2015). Cultural intelligence and employee outcomes in multicultural hospitality organizations. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 14(1), 22-41.
Lee, J. Y., & Jeong, M. (2021). Effect of service climate on employee innovative behavior and job performance: The mediating role of employee engagement. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-02-2021-0219
Li, X., & Chen, Y. (2019). The influence of hotel employees' cultural intelligence on guest satisfaction in China. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 39, 39-47. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2019.04.006
Li, X., (2017). Cultural intelligence and job satisfaction among hotel employees: A mixed methods study. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 66, 14-23.
Müller, L., & Schmidt, K. (2020). The impact of hotel employees' cultural intelligence on guest satisfaction in Germany. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(6), 2055-2073. DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-02-2020-0178
Ndlovu, T., & Mhlanga, O. (2021). The impact of hotel employees' cultural intelligence on guest satisfaction in South Africa. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 30(3), 366-381. DOI: 10.1080/19368623.2020.1786329
Nguyen, D., (2021). The relationship between employee cultural intelligence and guest satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Tourism Management, 85, 104303.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12-40.
Patel, R., & Singh, A. (2020). Cultural intelligence of hotel employees and its impact on guest satisfaction: Evidence from India. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 91, 102671. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.10267
Santos, J., & Oliveira, J. (2018). Cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction: Evidence from Brazil. Journal of Tourism Research & Hospitality, 7(3), 1-7. DOI: 10.4172/2324-8807.1000161
Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M. G., & Macey, W. H. (2013). Organizational climate and culture. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 361-388.
Smith, A., & Jones, B. (2019). Cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction: Evidence from Australia. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 43(5), 689-704. DOI: 10.1177/1096348017728949
Suzuki, T., & Tanaka, H. (2018). Cultural intelligence of hotel employees and its impact on guest satisfaction: A study in Japan. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 37, 88-95. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2018.09.004
Wang, Y., & Ma, L. (2019). Long-term effects of cultural intelligence training on job satisfaction and turnover intention among hotel employees. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 82, 77-85.
Wernerfelt, B. (1984). A resource-based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal, 5(2), 171-180.
Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketing, 52(3), 2-22.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Agnes Muiri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
