Demographic Change: The Role of the Hospitality Manager

The article aims to consider the management challenge presented to the hospitality industry by the demographic changes now being encountered. Organisational culture is discussed as a vehicle by which more effective management of the human resource may be achieved. Information Technology is also discussed as a possible contributor to improved human resource strategies with examples from recent industrial research being used to highlight areas of resistance and attitudinal barriers. The emerging theme concerns the need for a re‐casting of the role of hospitality manager, whose skills will of necessity be called upon to guide the industry through the crisis precipitated by the labour shortage. Ideas regarding the type of manager required to execute the new role are therefore explored.