Emotional intelligence in the hospitality industry: A comparison study

Abstract

With the popularity of the Emotional Intelligence (EI) construct in current research and leadership publications today, a study to determine what EI traits are prevalent in hospitality industry professionals today could impact the focus of future hospitality education, recruiting, and training.

The relationship between socio-demographic variables and EI levels of hospitality industry professionals was examined. Although little significance was found between the groups, the research revealed this group of professionals possesses above average levels of EI, which may be indicative of their achievement and longevity in a service-based industry.

Including EI into academic curricula for hospitality undergraduate students seems essential to better prepare them for their career choice. The current study compared scores of hospitality industry professionals with hospitality undergraduate students to determine what difference may exist. Significant differences between the groups gave credence to the view that curricula inclusion would be a beneficial concept for preparing students for a more seamless entrance into leadership positions within the industry.