Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Important for Hospitality and Tourism Management Graduates: Perspectives of Alumni

Authors

Allison Adams, Grand Valley State UniversityFollow
Lisa Sisson, Grand Valley State University

Department

Hospitality & Tourism Management

College

College of Community and Public Service

Date Range

2011-2012

Abstract

A survey of university hospitality and tourism management alumni one to five years post-graduation identified gaps in undergraduate preparation and the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) expected in entry and mid-level management positions. Many of the KSAs ranked as essential by graduates were in the soft sector of abilities: leadership, teamwork, professionalism, and stress management. These areas are frequently overlooked in management curricula that focus on the hard knowledge areas of finance, accounting, operations, and business management. Aligning a hospitality and tourism management curriculum with industry expectations is important in meeting the needs of graduates and the industry.

Conference Name

FELC Annual Summit

Conference Location

Charlotte, North Carolina

ScholarWorks Citation

Adams, Allison and Sisson, Lisa, "Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Important for Hospitality and Tourism Management Graduates: Perspectives of Alumni" (2011). Faculty Scholarly Dissemination Grants. 216.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/fsdg/216