Cornell study underscores importance of manager integrity

Cornell study underscores importance of manager integrity

Published October 16, 2008

Ithaca, NY – Different employee ethnic groups have diverse views about the importance of their manager's behavioral integrity, according to a new report from Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research. In particular, the report finds, African-American employees take notice when their supervisors' words do not match up to their actions. This can lead to numerous human resources issues in a multicultural workplace, including employee turnover, according the report.

The study, “The Importance of Behavioral Integrity in a Multicultural Workplace,” by Tony Simons, Ray Friedman, Leigh Anne Liu, and Judi McLean Parks, is available at no charge from the center's website, at http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/2008.html. Simons and his co-authors explain that “behavioral integrity” describes the extent to which one person sees another as living by his or her word. But the key to this point is the perceptions of employees. They surveyed more than 1,900 employees comprising several ethnic and racial groups at 107 hotels to determine how those employees view their supervisor's integrity. The results of this survey showed the special sensitivity of African-American employees to management's integrity failures.

Simons is an associate professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and is the author of the book, The Integrity Dividend: Leading by the Power of Your Word (Jossey-Bass), which details the importance of managerial integrity. Friedman is a professor at Vanderbilt University; Liu is an assistant professor at Georgia State University; and McLean Parks is a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Expanding on the book's findings, this study examines how different employee ethnic groups might understand and react differently to cues about their manager's consistency. The authors found that African-American employees in this study were especially sensitive to violations of behavioral integrity—and they were particularly harsh with other African-American managers. One other key point is that the study found that senior managers' integrity trickles down to influence behavior and attitudes throughout the organization.

Thanks to the support of the Center for Hospitality Research partners listed below, all Cornell Hospitality Reports and Tools are made available free of charge from the center's website, www.chr.cornell.edu.

About The Center for Hospitality Research
A unit of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center's 74 corporate affiliates, experienced scholars work closely with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial and operating practices. The center also publishes the award-winning hospitality journal, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly (formerly the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly). To learn more about center and its projects, visit www.chr.cornell.edu.

Center partners and sponsors: AIG Global Real Estate Investment, American Airlines Admirals Club, Davis & Gilbert LLP, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, Denihan Hospitality Group, Expedia, Inc., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fox Rothschild LLP, FX Real Estate and Entertainment, Inc., General Growth Properties, Inc., HVS, InterContinental Hotels Group, job.travel, JohnsonDiversey, Inc., Jumeirah Group, LRP Publications, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh's Hospitality Practice, Mobil Travel Guide, Inc., Nestlé, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proskauer Rose LLP, Smith Travel Research, Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., SynXis (a Sabre Holdings Corporation), Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Thayer Lodging Group, TIG Global, Travelport, WATG, and WhiteSand Consulting.

Center friends: 4Hoteliers.com • American Tescor, LLC • Argyle Executive Forum • Caribbean Hotel and Restaurant Buyers Guide • Cody Kramer Imports • Cruise Industry News • DK Shifflet & Associates • ehotelier.com • EyeforTravel • Fireman's Fund Insurance Company • Gerencia de Hoteles & Restaurantes • Global Hospitality Resources • Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) • hospitalityInside.com • hospitalitynet.org • Hospitality Technology Magazine • Hotel Asia Pacific • Hotel China • HotelExecutive.com • Hotel Interactive • Hotel Resource • International CHRIE • International Hotel and Restaurant Association • International Hotel Conference • International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) • iPerceptions • Lodging Hospitality • Lodging Magazine • Milestone Internet Marketing • MindFolio • Parasol • PhoCusWright, Inc. • PKF Hospitality Research • The Resort Trades • RealShare Hotel Investment & Finance Summit • Resort+Recreation Magazine • RestaurantEdge.com • Shibata Publishing Co. • Synovate • The Lodging Conference • TravelCLICK • UniFocus • WageWatch, Inc. • WIWIH.COM