A Study of the Perceptions of the Labour Market by Human Resource Managers in the UK Hotel Industry: A Cognitive Approach

Abstract

It is reasonable to assume that if the labour market is the dominant force in labour management then the significance of the role of the human resource manager lies in the position it holds at the intersection between the external and the internal market, with recruitment as the joining process. This paper describes a qualitative investigation of hotel human resource managers' perceptions of their labour market environment using the process of recruitment as a vehicle to explore cognitive processes. A cognitive task analysis was completed which utilised four interview methods: task diagram; knowledge audit; simulation interview; and repertory grid. The findings show that the HR managers conform to the appellation of ‘expert’ in that they would use few and simple rules in making decisions. They also assume that the labour market will always provide and that perceptions of what goes on inside the organisation are quite separate. In other words there is both an industry and in organisational perspective at work.