Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

LITERATURE REVIEW 
Hotel General Manager 
Most past research regarding hotel general managers focused primarily on jobs held within hotels prior to 
reaching the GM position. The most prevalent previously held positions were those in “operational” departments 
such as food and beverage or front office (Nebel, 1995; Ladkin, 2000). Studies verified that typically 40% to 45% 
of GM respondents previously held food and beverage positions (Nebel, 1994; Ladkin & Juwaheer, 2000; Ladkin, 
2000; Ladkin, 2002). By contrast GMs had minimal if any experience in housekeeping, accounting, human resource 
management, and marketing (Ladkin, 2000; Ladkin, 2002). Drawing from previous studies, it can be hypothesized 
that non-operational positions are unlikely routes to the general manager position. 
On average, managers held 6.8 jobs prior to becoming GMs and changed jobs every two or three years 
(Ladkin, 2002). According to Harper et al. (2005) the average age achieved by GMs in UK hotels was 29 years of 
age. Therefore it took those managers who had college or university degrees to obtain the GM position in nine years 
and two months, compared to non-college educated managers whose mean time to becoming GM was eleven years, 
ten months. These results were similar to those of Ladkin & Riley (1996), however Australian GMs who were 
found to achieve the GM position in approximately fourteen years (Ladkin, 2002).
In terms of education and demographics the majority of GM respondents were college-educated males 
(Nebel, 1995; Ladkin, 2000). Some research yielded respondents, primarily middle-aged, (Nebel, 1995) while others 
were of a wider age range (Ladkin, 2000). According to Ladkin (2000), and supported by previous research by 

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