Exploring the implications of market orientation for hospitality employees: A cast study approach

When considering the existing body of knowledge in relation to market orientation and brand management, the role of the employee in the process has been strongly advocated (e.g. Gummeson, 1991; Harris and de Chernatony, 2001; McDonald, de Chernatony and Harris, 2001). However, the exploration of these concepts within the context of hospitality is limited. To explore such issues, the collection of data followed a single case study methodology, analyzing several subunits within a hospitality operation via ten in-depth interviews with managers from each of the divisions within the organization. Data analysis resulted in the identification of several themes such as direction, involvement, employee selection, employee satisfaction, flexibility, management role, influencing role, relevance and comprehension of differences. The findings of this research have advanced our understanding with respect to market orientation and brand management theory within the hospitality sector. As such, the findings of this study offer a number of practical and theoretical implications and lay the foundation for future research.