Cross-Cultural Service Encounters in the Hospitality Industry and the Effect of Intercultural Sensitivity on Employee Performance

Abstract

Abstract Foreign visitors are such important contributors to the American economy that tourism officials are working hard to reassure them that the U.S. is still a safe place to visit. The significant increase in foreign visitors over the past decade caused U.S. scholars to pay more attention to the unique challenges of cross-cultural service encounters. This exploratory study adds to that trend by attempting to measure the effect of intercultural sensitivity on the performance of hospitality employees in cross-cultural service encounters. The results indicate that employees with high intercultural sensitivity scored significantly (p < .05) higher on measures of service attentiveness, revenue contribution, interpersonal skills, job satisfaction, and social satisfaction as they relate to cross-cultural encounters. There was no significant difference in scores for motivation-to-work, job tenure, and primary rewards (compensation, recognition, etc.).