Assessing intercultural competence of front office employees: the case of hotels in Slovenia

Romana Korez-Vide (), Vesna Tanšek () and Borut Milfelner ()
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Romana Korez-Vide: Faculty of Economics and Business, Department of International Economics and Business, Maribor, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Vesna Tanšek: Faculty of Economics and Business, Maribor, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Borut Milfelner: Faculty of Economics and Business, Department of Marketing, Maribor, University of Maribor, Slovenia

Tourism and Hospitality Industry from University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Abstract: The growth of companies in the tourism and hospitality industry is becoming dependent on the successfulness of intercultural interactions between their employees and culturally diverse visitors. Since the front office employees in hotels are the first and sometimes the only representatives of the company with whom guests interact, it is particularly important that they develop intercultural competence. Purpose – The purpose of our research is to find out the level of intercultural competence and relationships between specific dimensions of intercultural competence of front office employees in hotels in Slovenia. Methodology – Our empirical research is based on Reisinger's conceptual model of intercultural competence. We explored the levels of cognitive, emotional and behavioural dimensions of intercultural competence, and the relationships between these dimensions. Findings – The results of our study indicate that the levels of cognitive, emotional and behavioural dimension of intercultural competence of front office employees in hotels in Slovenia are high and that both, the cognitive and the emotional dimension, are positively related to the behavioural dimension. Contribution – Our study contributes to the empirical validation of the particular conceptual model of intercultural competence and to the empirical research on the relationships between certain dimensions of intercultural competence. As regards practical and social contributions, the study raises awareness of the importance of being interculturally competent in the period of intense international social and business interactions and indicates the requisite skills and capabilities to increase the level of intercultural competence.

Keywords: tourism; intercultural competence; front office employees; hotels; Slovenia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-04
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Published in 23rd Biennial International Congress Tourism & Hospitality Industry 2016, April 2016, pages 158-173

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