Hospitality management competency requirements from tertiary graduates in Ghana: industry and academia perspectives

Abstract

The importance of competent human resource to the development of the hospitality industry cannot be under estimated. However, literature and complaints from industry suggest a competency gap between the requirements of industry and the competencies of graduates of higher learning institutions. The main objective of the study was to assess the hospitality management competency requirements of the hospitality industry in Ghana from the perspectives of industry and academia. Employing a sequential mixed methods approach, questionnaire and an interview guide were used to collect data. Data was analysed through factor analysis, ranking, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and independent and dependent samples t-test. The findings showed industry?s preference for leadership, administrative, conceptual and technical competencies. Academia on the other hand, favoured conceptual, leadership, administrative and technical competencies. Except for the ability to establish hygiene standards and being able to develop contingency plans, there were no statistically significant differences in the views of industry and academia on the competency requirements for the hospitality industry. The study also showed significant competency gaps along all competencies with administrative competency showing the widest competency gap within the industry. It was concluded that, there are gaps in the competency requirements and available competencies for the hospitality industry. It is recommended that there is the need for greater collaboration between academia and industry in producing competent graduates for the hospitality industry in Ghana.