On the Move

Abstract

The hotel industry is characterized by managers' transferring between jobs. A case study of one prominent owner-operator of U.S. hotels shows that corporate policies regarding transfers are often honored in the breach rather than in practice. For example, some top managers hide information about transfers to keep a top performer from leaving, and other managers give potential transfers virtually no time to decide whether to accept a move. Managers with some bargaining power received better benefits than those who are in no position to bargain. Moreover, the unwritten code that effectively blackballs people who refuse to move still seems to apply in some cases. Such a gap between espoused policy and actual practice can only serve to encourage middle managers to seek employment elsewhere.