Socioeconomic diversity in the hospitality industry: the relationship between social class background, family expectations and career outcomes

• Published in: International journal of contemporary hospitality management Vol. 35; no. 11; pp. 3844 - 3863
• Main Authors: Lee, Lindsey, Yu, Heyao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Publishing Limited 03-11-2023; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Behavior; Career development planning; Careers; Child development; Cognition & reasoning; COVID-19; Decision making; Employees; Ethnicity; Families & family life; Gender; Generation Z; Generations; Hospitality industry; Income inequality; Influence; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Occupations; Perceptions; Reputations; Skills; Social classes; Workforce; Working conditions; Social class background; Family expectations; Social career cognitive theory
• ISSN: 0959-6119; 0959-6119; 1757-1049
• DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-11-2022-1356

Purpose
This study aims to investigate socioeconomic diversity in the hospitality industry by examining the relationship between social class background, family expectations and career outcomes of Generation Z employees. The relationship was further tested by investigating job titles and perceived prestige.
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies were developed to test the research questions – first, the social prestige of hospitality jobs compared to other industries with similar skill sets. Second, a between-subjects experimental design was used to examine the moderating effect of job title on the relationship between social class background, family expectations and career decisions.
Findings
The findings of the first study confirm the negative perceptions of the hospitality industry. Study 2 demonstrated a negative relationship between social class background and intentions to choose hospitality through family expectations among Generation Z. The negative effect was attenuated when a manager position was offered. However, college students majoring in hospitality reported positive intentions to accept a job in the hospitality industry for both frontline and managerial positions.
Research limitations/implications
The findings emphasize the importance of extending organizational diversity beyond traditional demographics like race, gender and age by examining socioeconomic factors that influence career decisions among Generation Z employees. By considering social class background as a dimension of organizational diversity, the hospitality industry can cultivate a more inclusive culture and enhance recruitment and attraction efforts.
Originality/value
Examining the relationship between social class background and career decisions through the lens of social cognitive career theory provides insight into the social cognitive process of career development among Generation Z. The unique contribution of this study extends beyond observable dimensions of diversity to challenge the socioeconomic composition of the hospitality industry.