Ethical Issues on Decision Making in the Hotel Industry of Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

Tourism involves movement and experience of tourists from one region to the other. The hotel industry deals with humans and their behaviours and as a result, whenever people deal with human lives, survival and welfare, ethical problems are bound to occur. This study sought to examine employees’ and management awareness of ethical issues, explore the decision making environment in the hotel industry and assess the perceptions of customers on ethical issues in the hotel industry of Kumasi Metropolis. A framework for ethical decision making process in the hotel industry adapted from Ferrell and Gresham (1985) and Hunt-Vitell (1986) was used. The mixed method approach was used as a guide for the study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select hotels and employees in the hotels. Accidental and purposive sampling techniques were also used to select customers and managers of hotels respectively. Descriptive statistics, con-elation ANOVA and factor analysis were used for the data analysis. The study found out that the employees, customers and managers were aware of ethical issues in the hotel industry. However, most of the ethical challenges were mostly related to the don’ts and expectations from each party in the industry. On decision making, employees consider the stress involved, risk, health and safety as well as what others may think about an issue in making final decision. Ethical issues being crucial in the hotel industry, this study guides government, hotel organisations and employees to enforce and adhere to ethical rules and regulations in the hotel industry.