Ethical decision making is a critical component of managing a restaurant as well as a hotel. This is so because of the far reaching impact of those decisions as they not only affect the relevant stakeholders but also the community that resides around that particular establishment (Brymer, 2001)
The job of a restaurant or hotel manager entails creating and maintaining a budget, planning staff schedules, filling in for the kitchen or wait staff when they are short on staff. Other responsibilities include; determining menu items and pricing with the help of the executive chef, managing customer relations, dealing with staff issues, motivating, managing and training employees, marketing, ordering supplies and ensuring that the establishment complies with health codes (John, 2004).
A restaurant or hotel manager needs to make a lot of decisions in the day to day running of their establishments. This is because of the fast-paced nature of the industry that they are in. For everything to run efficiently, the manager needs to be someone with the capacity of making practical decisions and fast if the need arises.
It is also quintessential for him to posses the ability of thinking strategically and make not only short- term but long-term decisions. The afore mentioned decisions have to made in such a manner that they impact positively on all the relevant stakeholders. For those decisions to have a positive impact, they have to be made with regard to ethics (Starkey, 2002).
Ethics refers to a concept that addresses questions of morality, for example good and bad. Therefore ethical decision making refers to managers making decisions that will be beneficial not only to their respective establishments but also to all parties they deal with directly or indirectly.
Ethical decision making has become an integral part of management practices that are used within the hospitality industry. There are numerous reasons as to why this is so. The following are some of the ethical principles that have been inextricably infused in today’s management practices within the hospitality industry and why they are so important (Rutherford, 2010)
All managers have to be honest in their dealings with all the relevant stakeholders in their industry. Clients and suppliers alike prefer dealing with an honest individual and will feel duty bound to return the favor. This will go a long way towards fostering a harmonious relationship between all parties thus furthering their respective interests.
If customers get the impression that a manager is honest in his dealings, they will pledge their loyalty to that establishment and will even go as far as referring other prospective customers to that establishment. The end results are going to be the increase in sales. On the other hand, if customers get the impression that you are not being honest with them, they will go to great lengths to discourage prospective customers from seeking your services (Bosselman, 1999).
As a manager of a restaurant or a hotel, infusing honest practices among your staff members is paramount if you are to remain in business. Dishonest business practices have no place in today’s hospitality industry. Overpricing of services and food is considered to be dishonesty. Such a thing will inevitably drive the customers away in search of a place that offers better prices (Pizam, 2010)
Integrity is paramount for an establishment to run efficiently. Integrity refers to acting in consistence to the values and principles that one professes. An establishment that claims to adhere to the highest health standards and goes ahead to offer its customers services or meals that leave a lot to be desired with regard to hygiene with the full knowledge of the manager is considered to be lacking in integrity.
The repercussions will inevitably be dwindling of sales due to the customers shunning that establishment for an alternative one with a little more integrity. Suppliers too are not going to be amused with a manager who comes off as lacking in integrity.
They would rather deal with someone who is straight forward; one who walks the talk rather than a hypocrite. A manager with integrity will endear himself to his staff thus fostering a harmonious working environment that is beneficial to both the establishment as well as its customers (Chmelynski, 2004).
Fairness is also another principle that is of essence in the hospitality industry. In the day to day running of the business, the manager will have to make certain decisions that will require him to exercise his sense of justice. The manager has to apply fairness across the board when carrying out his daily duties.
For instance, it is unfair for a manager to overwork his/her staff when they are short of manpower. The logical thing for him to do, if at all he/she has any sense of fairness would be to fill in for the person who is not there. This will go a long way in enhancing his reputation in the eyes of his staff. They will in turn spare no effort in carrying out their respective duties with minimal resistance on their part and minimal supervision on the part of the managers (James et al 2003)
Any manager worth his salt should give the people that serve under him, customers and suppliers reason enough to trust him. Trustworthiness on the part of the manager is critical if their establishment is to thrive in the face of competition. The manager has to be someone who is worthy of trust from all the parties that deal with him either directly or indirectly.
The customers should be able to rest assured that any decision that the manager makes is in the best interest of all the parties involved. The same should apply to his subordinates as well as suppliers.
If the manager sees it fit to change some of the items in the menu, the reception by the customers should be one to suggest that they trust his judgment. If that is the case, then the manager is best placed to run the affairs of that particular establishment since all the parties are sure that he cannot do anything to harm them. This will reinforce their loyalty to that entity (Sterecky, 2009)
Managers should be accountable for all their decisions. If as a result of his decisions losses are incurred, an ideal manager should be able to account for his actions and bear the brunt that comes with them. A good manager should ensure that in all the decisions that he makes, the loyalty to his establishment, staff and customers supersedes everything else.
The logic behind this principle is simple but effective in equal measure. If you are loyal towards someone it is only natural for them to return the favor. Therefore one is going to have staff and customers who are unquestioningly loyal to them (Friedberg 2010).
Finally, part of being a good corporate citizen is ensuring that all the activities that go on in and around your establishment do not affect the surrounding communities and environment adversely. A responsible manager will not only ensure that harm done to the ecosystem and communities around them are kept at barest minimum if it cannot be completely done away with, but also ensure that the people living around them are empowered.
This can be done through sourcing for whatever the establishment needs from the locals if it is available, sponsoring the needy but talented local students, ensuring that the locals have access to the most basic amenities like clean water and medical facilities. The above mentioned steps are few among the many that can be implemented to foster a harmonious relationship with the locals and being good corporate citizens.
References
Bosselman, R., et al., 1999. Hospitality management education. New York, NY: Routledge
Brymer, R., 2001. Introduction to hotel and restaurant management: a book of readings. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co.
Chmelynski, A., 2004. Opportunities in restaurant careers. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Professional
Friedberg, A., 2010. Hospitality and Personal Care. New York,NY: Infobase Publishing
James, J., et al., 2003. Streetwise restaurant management: a comprehensive guide to successfully owning and running a restaurant. Avon, MA: Adams Media.
John, W., 2004. Hotel And Restaurant Management. Houston, TX: Mohit Publications
Pizam, A., 2010. International Encyclopedia of Hospitality Management. Indianapolis, IN: Butterworth-Heinemann
Rutherford, D., 2010. Hotel Management and Operations. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
Starkey, L., 2002. Hotel/ restaurant management career starter. Glen Ellyn, IL: LearningExpress
Sterecky, D., 2009. Business Managers. New York, NY: Infobase Publishing