The aim of this study is to surface the hospitality management students’ image of the hospitality industry and the consequent effects on graduate recruitment and retention.
A survey of students, from a number of higher education institutes, on their hospitality management courses in 2001 was undertaken. The response rate to the pilot questionnaire was satisfying (86%), due to the self-administrative style.
Responses to the main survey (in May 2001) was encouraging with 216 completed questionnaires, which were used for the analysis, representing a final response rate of 86% (216 out of 250 questionnaires distributed). Representing 9% out of the total sampling population are students enrolled on hospitality management programmes at the Blackpool Flyde College, 43% were hospitality management students from Salford University and finally 48% representing students enrolled on hospitality management courses at Hollings Faculty (MMU). Due to the controlled nature of administering questionnaires, a total response rate of 86% (n=216) was achieved.The result of the survey seems to suggest that students with no-experience of the industry appear to have positive views of the industry and these views contrast with those who have experience in the industry. It is argued the responsibility of improving these images in terms of graduate recruitment and retention rates lies in the hands of employers and hospitality management educators.
