Assessing the acceptability and applicability of best practice approach in hotels' recruitment and selection process

Abstract: Since best practice approach emerged and acquired legitimacy in the human resource field, prescriptive guidelines were introduced on how firms should conduct their recruitment and selection activities. The proponents of the model describe a structured process that could result in better recruitment, hiring and broader organizational outcomes. In the labor-intensive hotel industry, it is typically stated that the competitiveness of a hotel rests upon the quality of its employees (Tsaur and Lin, 2004). Despite this common notion, the issue of employee turnover is still prominent in the industry. Best practice approach is therefore supposed to attract recruiters' attention in order to improve the process and resolve the industry's enduring problems (Chand and Katou, 2007). Nevertheless, the extant literature offers limited and often contradictory indications on the model's acceptability and applicability. The present paper aims at bridging this literature gap by investigating recruiters' approach and their respective motives on implementing particular recruitment and selection practices. The study adopts a mix method design that comprises qualitative interviewing and survey research. The elicited findings prove recruiters' reactive and unstructured approach to recruitment and selection and highlight significant impediments for the implementation of best practice approach. On the other hand, hotel recruiters are proven a heterogeneous group and hence instances of formalized procedures are identified. In this regard, hotels' star rating is found to be an important discriminating factor for the adopted approach while formalized recruitment and selection practices are exercised depending on the importance ascribed to the vacant position. Accordingly, implications are delineated regarding best practice approach's appreciation and applicability in the industry.