| Summary: | This study seeks to identify the competencies
perceived as essential for hospitality industry
leaders. Additionally, it offers some reflections
upon hospitality management higher education and
examines the structure of Portuguese undergraduate
degrees in order to discuss whether the current
educational offer matches specific industry demand.
Both the literature review and the results of a survey
with a sample of hoteliers indicate that soft skills are
consistently rated as being the most important to
effective performance in the field. On the other
hand, an assessment of the undergraduate
hospitality management programmes currently on
offer in Portugal show a deficit in this area. Some
recommendations are presented to redress the
evident discrepancies between educational
programme content and perceived industry needs.
In particular the study proposes the adoption and
tutelage of student by industry managers, here
referred to as „adopting a student‟.
|
|---|