Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Matthew Knight

Abstract

A shortage of skilled labor could cost the tourism, hospitality, and leisure industry (THL) a loss of $610 billion and 14 million jobs by 2024. The literature contains the contributions of specialist THL institutions but not that of the industry leaders to ameliorating this human capital (HC) challenge. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore the HC productivity strategies used by THL business leaders in Nigeria that improved employee productivity despite the lack of specialist THL institutions. The human capital theory (HCT) was the conceptual framework of the study. Coding of data derived from semistructured interviews with 3 THL industry leaders followed the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method. Triangulation of the interview data, site observations and company documents resulted in 5 strategy themes. The study indicated that recruiting persons with essential social capital, inducting them into high ethical standards, providing in-house training, motivating with reward and recognition, and adoption of affordable technologies are key industry strategies for THL HC development. The study findings can be adopted into THL organizations human resource management strategies and as input for training managers in the THL industry. The results of this study may contribute to social change by keeping more people gainfully engaged, increasing the dignity and prosperity of THL employees and their families, and reducing the undesirable effects of unemployment such as the high crime rate in southern Nigeria.

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