Managers' perceptions of tacit knowledge in Edinburgh's Indian restaurants

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to explore tacit knowledge and managers’ supervision styles in a sample of Edinburgh's Indian restaurants. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports a qualitative fieldwork of managers’ perceptions of their role in directing tasks, supervising operations and staff recruitment. Findings The research findings describe tacit knowledge contexts derived from restaurant owner‐managers directing operations. Research limitations/implications This is an exploratory study of views and perceptions of a small sample of ethnic managers. It asks questions of tacit knowledge within Scottish‐based Indian restaurants, and attempts to place these within a cultural context of kinship networks. Practical implications The research questions how academic researchers may make nebulous concepts such as tacit knowledge accessible to practical hospitality managers, policy‐makers, students and teachers. Originality/value The research findings describe the context to relationships in small ethnic hospitality businesses. Conceptual development emerges from deductions made from literature, fieldwork, shadowing, interviews, and by asking questions.