Management functions and roles
Hospitality Management
Management Defined
“The process of working with and through others to accomplish
organizational goals in an efficient and effective way.”
Three levels of Management Plus Nonmanagerial Associates
General Managers in the Hospitality Industry: pressures, roles, demands
What should GM be able to do/know to deal with all these interest groups?
Managerial Roles
• Figurehead• Leader• Liaison• Spokesperson• Negotiator
Leadership vs. ManagementManagers Leaders
Work in the system Work on the system
React Create opportunities
Control risks Seek opportunities
Enforce organizational rules Change organizational rules
Seek and then follow direction Provide a vision to believe in and strategic alignment
Control people by pushing them in the right direction
Motivate people by satisfying basic human needs
Coordinate effort Inspire achievement and energize people
Key Management Functions
• Planning • Organizing• Decision making• Communicating• HR and motivating• Controlling
Business functions
• Human resources• Sales and marketing• Operations• Customer service• Finance and accounts• Administration and IT
Organization of Hotel Functions
Human resources
• Recruitment and selection• Staff retention• Motivation• Discipline• Training and development• Health and safety
Sales and marketing
• Sales strategies• Pricing decisions• Promotion activities• Market research• Sales team• Product or service development
Operations
• Buying stocks• Planning travel operations• Monitoring costs• Future business planning• Efficiency
Customer service
• Dealing with customer enquiries• Advising customers• Monitoring service delivery• Dealing with customer complaints• After-sales service
Finance and accounts
• Cash flow: monitoring costs and revenues• Preparing accounts• Raising finance for investment• Communication with other areas of firm
Administration and IT
• Internal business communications• Clerical work• Telephone systems• Reservations database• Company Web site• Email system
Administrative tasks are in all business functions:
• Handling telephone enquiries• Processing customer sales• Booking accommodation• Receiving and processing payments• Sending out confirmation letters• Sending tickets by post• Dealing with customer questionnaires and feedback
Problems can occur at all stages
• Getting the wrong information• Getting the information wrong
• Processing details incorrectly• Failing to notify important contacts• Not answering the telephone promptly• Failing to act on customer queries and other
requests for information
Some examples of administrative tasks
Selling a package holiday through a travel agency:– brochure ordered by customer– assistant makes booking on computerised
reservations system– assistant records booking on agency’s internal
system– customer receives confirmation by post– agency confirms booking with tour operator
Management control
• Authority – the right to make decisions and perform tasks
• Span of control – the number of people for whom a supervisor/manager is responsible
• Chain of command – how the layers of authority are organised in a firm
Management control 2
• Hierarchy – who is responsible for whom• Empowerment – responsibility to make
decisions is given to all• Delegation – authority passed from a superior
to a subordinate
Ways to structure a business
• By function: arranging the business according to what each section or department does
• By product or activity: organising according to the different products made
• By area: geographical or regional structure
Ways to structure a business 2
• By customer: where different customer groups have different needs
• By process: where products have to go through stages as they are made
• What are the advantages/disadvantages of different types of business structure?
Trends in Leadership and Management
• Diversity in associates• Lack of basic job skills• Increased need for
training• Need to promote from
within• Managing sales revenue
all the way to the bottom line
Independent business units
Outsourcing Increase in part-time
workers Technological advances Social and
environmental issues Greater emphasis on
ethics