Hospitality retail operations types and styles in the management of human resources

Lashley, Conrad; Taylor, Stephen

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between the service operation type adopted by organisations and the style of human resource management (HRM) which best fits with it. The degree of standardisation and the level of tangibility in the service offer are shown as being the critical ‘strategic drivers’ of this process. Four distinct operations types are identified and four corresponding ‘ideal’ HRM styles are introduced. Within hospitality retailing it is possible to identify that three of these operations types are prevalent. Three short case studies, of well-known exponents in the hospitality industry of these types, are utilised to explore the extent to which their actual HRM styles correspond to the ideals outlined.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 1, 1998
• Online Publication Date: Jul 2, 1998
• Publication Date: 1998-07
• Deposit Date: Nov 29, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
• Print ISSN: 0969-6989
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 153-165
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-6989%2897%2900024-6
• Keywords: hospitality retailing, human resource management, operation types
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/825821