ETHİCAL ISSUES AND ETHİCAL LEADERSHİP İN TOURİSM AND ACCOMMODATİON BUSİNESSES

Erhan Kılınç; Recep Yücel; Şebnem Yücel

doi:10.36690/2674-5208-2024-4-43-52

Authors

Erhan Kılınç Selçuk University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2065-2407
Recep Yücel Kırıkkale University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4755-417X
Şebnem Yücel Selçuk University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2135-242X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36690/2674-5208-2024-4-43-52

Keywords:

tourism, accommodation sector, ethical problem, ethical leadership

Abstract

This study explores the ethical challenges and significance of ethical leadership in tourism and accommodation businesses. Recognizing the pivotal role of the tourism sector in economic development and global entrepreneurship, the research highlights the critical need for sustainability and social responsibility. Ethical leadership, characterized by guiding moral principles and fostering a positive organizational climate, is identified as a key factor in enhancing employee satisfaction, reducing turnover, and improving corporate reputation. The research aims to examine the interplay between ethical issues and leadership in the tourism and accommodation sectors, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and proposing a framework for ethical leadership. The study employs a comprehensive literature review to identify ethical concerns and assess the impact of ethical leadership. It incorporates insights from interdisciplinary research and theoretical frameworks, including social learning theory and organizational behavior models. Ethical leadership emerges as an essential component for addressing challenges such as environmental impacts, social responsibilities, marketing ethics, and workforce issues. The findings indicate that ethical leadership fosters sustainable practices, enhances employee commitment and performance, and supports responsible tourism development. The study underscores the necessity of embedding ethical leadership in tourism and accommodation sectors to promote long-term sustainability and stakeholder trust. It highlights the need for an ethical framework encompassing leadership, data management, marketing ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Further investigation is encouraged to develop practical applications of ethical leadership, explore its cross-cultural dimensions, and integrate ethical considerations into tourism and hospitality education curricula. This research could provide actionable strategies for advancing ethical practices in the sector.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Erhan Kılınç, Selçuk University

Doctor, Associate Professor, Beyşehir Ali Akkanat Business Faculty, Selçuk University

Recep Yücel, Kırıkkale University

Doctor, Professor, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Kırıkkale University

Şebnem Yücel, Selçuk University

Doctor, Professor, Health Sciences Faculty, Selçuk University

References

Aleksandrova, V., & Strygul, L. (2022). Implementing business ethics in international tourism. Bulletin of the National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute" (Economic Sciences). https://doi.org/10.20998/2519-4461.2022.3.53

Ali, M., & Hassan, M. (2023). Green management practices and trust for green behavioral intentions and mediation of ethical leadership. An attribution theory perspective in tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-04-2022-0506

Anszperger, A. (2010). Occupational ethics in tourism. Ekonomia i Prawo, 6, 459–468. https://doi.org/10.12775/EIP.2010.032

Bortnykov, Y., Zakharova, S., Marchenko, O., Verkhovod, I., & Harbar, H. (2023). Innovative tourism and hospitality marketing strategies through the social ethics and social policy prisms. Cuestiones Políticas. https://doi.org/10.46398/cuestpol.4177.38

Bowen, J., & Ford, R. C. (2004). What experts say about managing hospitality service delivery systems. International journal of contemporary hospitality management, 16(7), 394–401. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110410559078

Brown, M. E., & Mitchell, M. S. (2010). Ethical and unethical leadership: Exploring new avenues for future research. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(4), 583–616, https://doi.org/10.5840/beq201020439

Brown, M., & Treviño, L. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. Leadership Quarterly, 17, 595-616. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LEAQUA.2006.10.004

Brown, M., Treviño, L., & Harrison, D. (2005). Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97, 117-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.OBHDP.2005.03.002

Davidson, M. C. (2003). Does organizational climate add to service quality in hotels?. International Journal of contemporary hospitality management, 15(4), 206-213. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110310475658

Dust, S. B., Resick, C. J., Margolis, J. A., Mawritz, M. B., & Greenbaum, R. L. (2018). Ethical leadership and employee success: Examining the roles of psychological empowerment and emotional exhaustion. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(5), 570–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.02.002

Enghagen, L., & Hott, D. (1991). Students' perceptions of ethical issues in the hospitality and tourism industry. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 15(2), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/109634809201500206

Fennell, D. A. (2015). Ethics in Tourism. In G. Moscardo & P. Benkendorff (Eds.), Education for Sustainability in Tourism (pp. 45–57). Berlin: Springer.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47470-9_3

Fowler, D., Cheraghi, F., & Valverde, B. (2022). Ethical leadership concerning the establishment and promotion of sustainable tourism in the hospitality industry: A review of literature and qualitative analysis. Menadzment u Hotelijerstvu i Turizmu. https://doi.org/10.5937/menhottur2202121f

Gonzalez, A. C., Rodriguez, Y., & Sossa, A. (2017). Leadership and governance decisions in family business performance: An application of fuzzy sets logic. Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive only), 27(1), 51-66. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/760/635

Hamrouni, A., Karaman, A., Kuzey, C., & Uyar, A. (2021). Ethical environment, accountability, and sustainability reporting: What is the connection in the hospitality and tourism industry? Tourism Economics, 29(3), 664–695. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166211062649

Hawkins, R. (2015). Managing ethical consumption in tourism. Tourism Management, 51, 282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.05.022

Hertog, P. D., Gallouj, F., & Segers, J. (2011). Measuring innovation in a ‘low-tech’service industry: the case of the Dutch hospitality industry. The Service Industries Journal, 31(9), 1429-1449. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642060903576084

Hîncu, L. (2017). Aspects of ethics and responsibilities in the activity of promoting tourism. Ecoforum, 6(1), 1–28.

Holjevac, I. (2008). Business ethics in tourism – As a dimension of TQM. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 19(10), 1029–1041. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783360802264103

Hultsman, J. (1995). Just tourism: An ethical framework. Annals of Tourism Research, 22(3), 553–567. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(95)00011-T

Kanungo, R., & Mendonca, M. (2012). Leadership, Ethics of. Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (Second Edition), 843-857. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-373932-2.00272-6

Kaptein, M. (2019). The Moral Entrepreneur: A New Component of Ethical Leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 156, 1135-1150. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10551-017-3641-0

Khan, S. (2014). Tourism business: An ethical dimension. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Systems, 7(1), 63–70.

Knani, M. (2014), Ethics in the hospitality industry: review and research agenda. International Journal of Business and Management, 9(3), 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v9n3p1

Lashley, C. (2016). Business ethics and sustainability. Research in Hospitality Management, 6(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.2989/RHM.2016.6.1.1.1289

Lea, J. (1993). Tourism development ethics in the third world. Annals of Tourism Research, 20, 701-715. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(93)90092-H

Lominé, L. (2012). Ethics of Global Tourism. 200-209. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61350-332-4.CH013

Lussier, R. N. (2017). Management fundamentals: Concepts, applications, and skill development. Sage Publications.

Lussier, R. N., & Sherman, H. (2013). Business, society, and government essentials: Strategy and applied ethics. Routledge.

Madanaguli, A., Srivastava, S., Ferraris, A. and Dhir, A. (2021), Corporate social responsibility and sustainability in the tourism sector: a systematic literature review and future Outlook. Sustainable Development, 29, https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2258

Madera, J. M., Yang, W., Wu, L., Ma, E., & Xu, S. (2023). Diversity and inclusion in hospitality and tourism: bridging the gap between employee and customer perspectives. International journal of contemporary hospitality management, 35(11), 3972-3989. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-04-2023-0450

Megheirkouni, M. (2023). A systematic review of ethical leadership in tourism and hospitality settings. International Journal of Tourism Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2596

Moscardo, G. (2018). Ethical issues in tourism and hospitality research. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781785366284.00050

Myung, E. (2018), Progress in hospitality ethics research: a review and implications for future research, International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, 19(1), 26-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/15256480.2017.1305309

Özdemir, O., Kızıldağ, M., Doğru, T., & Madanoğlu, M. (2022). Measuring the effect of infectious disease-induced uncertainty on hotel room demand: a longitudinal analysis of US hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 103, 103189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103189

Payne, D., & Dimanche, F. (1996). Towards a code of conduct for the tourism industry: An ethics model. Journal of Business Ethics, 15, 997-1007. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705578

Resick, C., Hanges, P., Dickson, M., & Mitchelson, J. (2006). A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Endorsement of Ethical Leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 63, 345-359. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10551-005-3242-1

Ruiz-Palomino, P. , Ruiz-Amaya, C. and Knörr, H. (2011), Employee organizational citizenship behavior: the direct and indirect impact of ethical leadership, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 28 (3), 244-258. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.221

Shafique, I., Kalyar, M., & Ahmad, B. (2018). The Nexus of Ethical Leadership, Job Performance, and Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems, 16, 71-87. https://doi.org/10.7906/INDECS.16.1.5

Sharma, A., Agrawal, R., & Khandelwal, U. (2019). Developing ethical leadership for business organizations. Leadership & Organization Development Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/lodj-10-2018-0367

Stevens, B. (2011). Hotel managers identify ethical problems: A survey of their concerns. Hospitality Review, 29(2), 22–36.

Swanger, N. and Gursoy, D. (2010), An industry-driven model of hospitality curriculum for programs housed in accredited colleges of business: E-assessment tool (e-AT)–Part IV. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, 22 (2), 5-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2010.10696972

Tuan, L., & Ngan, V. (2021). Leading ethically to shape service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior among tourism salespersons: Dual mediation paths and moderating role of service role identity. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 60, 102421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102421

Walumbwa, F., & Schaubroeck, J. (2009). Leader personality traits and employee voice behavior: mediating roles of ethical leadership and work group psychological safety. The Journal of applied psychology, 94 5, 1275-86 . https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015848.

Wheeler, M. (1995). Tourism marketing ethics: an introduction. International Marketing Review, 12, 38-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651339510097720

Yallop, A., Gica, O., Moisescu, O., Coroș, M., & Séraphin, H. (2021). The digital traveller: Implications for data ethics and data governance in tourism and hospitality. Journal of Consumer Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-12-2020-4278

Zhu, Y., Sun, L., & Leung, A. (2014). Corporate social responsibility, firm reputation, and firm performance: The role of ethical leadership. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 31, 925-947. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10490-013-9369-1