Case study: Diyas placement experience

Diya was an international student from Hong Kong who was studying for a degree in hospitality management at a university in the south of England. She was a bright and intelligent and spoke good English. She had achieved good grades in the first two years if her course and was expected to achieve a 2.2 degree and possibly a 2.1 degree. Although she had experienced a little culture shock on the first arrival in the UK, she had settled in well and made friends in the course. She was eager to embark on a career in the hospitality industry and to learn more about the industry in the UK. She was there delighted to be offered a placement opportunity in a four-star hotel in a famous and popular international tourist destination in central England. She was interviewed and offered a placement program for a year. This was going to provide her with a varied experience in many departments. She already had some experience of the industry back in Hong Kong so had a good idea of the nature of work in the industry. She was a long way from home, needed staff accommodation. This was provided in a staff house a few minutes from the hotel, where she lived with other hotel staff. It was a little basic but soon made it feel like home. She started work in the housekeeping department. The work was very physical, as is expected when cleaning rooms, making beds and cleaning bathrooms. She appreciated this was all part of leaning about the industry. She worked alone as a room maid, again recognizing this as normal practice. What she was not expecting was that the majority of staff were from eastern European country and spoke very little English. They also formed a large group and all sat together at coffee break. Diya sat alone. In the evenings she went back to her accommodation and was again alone. On one occasion, she was asked if she would like to go to the pub with few British staff. She did not like to drink alcohol, wanted to save money for the final year of the study and was anxious about visiting pubs having been warned about them by her parents. She had also been a little embarrassed by some of the comments that another member of staff had made to her when they returned from the pub after few drinks one evening, waiting to save money in order to take pressure off her parents, who were supporting her through the degree, she preferred to stay in her room rather than spend her money on socializing, She felt desperately homesick. In her days off she occasionally went down to London, where she visited a few friends, also from Hong Kong. She became so unhappy she wanted to leave her placement and if necessary change her course but did not want to let her parents down and bring shame to her family. Eventually her period in housekeeping ended and moved to the restaurant. Here she worked with staff who spoke English. She also worked in the evening, so she felt less alone. At last she could begin to enjoy her placement experience. Answer all of the following questions (20 marks)

1. Using Trompenaars model, identify the dimensions of culture differences that Diya was encountering. (8 marks)

2. What kind of leadership is needed as a manager of Diya? Why? (based on chapter culture and leadership) (6 marks)

3. What should be done to ensure a better integration of international staff in future? (6 marks)