MEASURING HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE IN KERALA: SCALE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Purpose: This research has two objectives: firstly, it develops a reliable and valid scale for measuring human resource management practices (HRM) influence responsible tourism enterprise performance (RTEP) in the state of Kerala. Secondly, efforts were made to refine this research instrument.

Design/ Methodology/ Approach: A total of 30 responsible tourism enterprises filled the questionnaire through which 18 HRM practices and five organizational performance measures and some demographic variables were measured. In this research confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted for all the research variables and correlation was employed to test the association of demographic variables (as Control variables) with independent and dependent variables of the research. In this research the scale for measuring HRM practices and responsible tourism performance was developed and refined.

Findings: The scales adapted from previous well-known researches to measure Human resource management practices and responsible tourism enterprise performance. The scales included HRM practices such as recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, training and development and Career and  benefits.

Research Limitations for Implications: This research may suffer from single respondent bias as one respondent from a responsible tourism enterprise was allowed to give their responses and they provide information on HRM practices and perceived measures of responsible tourism enterprise performance. The study has small sample size as it is intended to develop a scale on the basis of pilot testing, the results of this study cannot be generalized to all responsible tourism enterprises.

Practical Implications: The study advocate that responsible tourism Enterprise should achieve higher performance levels by adopting human resource management practices indicated in the study.

Originality/ Value: This research make an honest attempt to comprehensively review the literature in the area of Human Resource Management practices and organizational performance and open the way for conducting empirical researches by developing and refining a research instrument for human resource management practices and responsible tourism enterprise performance.