This study is an investigation into women receptionists' experience in the provision of accommodation in the contemporary hospitality industry. It uses a phenomenological and interpretative inquiry to 'illumine' this experience and offer plausible insights. The guiding research questions are: What is the experience of hospitality reception practice like? What sense do receptionists make of their experience? What is the significance of the experience in the light of sociological discourses? What are the implications of their experience for practice and professional development? / The experience of hospitality reception practice is given through an 'expressive' based phenomenological approach that portrays the experience through narrative, poetry and metaphor. The portrayal composed of reflective accounts of ten episodes of practices that are typical of hospitality reception work. The personal episodes are situated within different social, cultural, personal and occupational settings. These accounts of the practice are then interpreted for meanings, juxtaposed to unravel themes and discussed for their significance and implications. The discussion of significance involves examining the themes through the discourses of culture, feminist theory, power and labour relations, consumerism and notions about the home environment. The themes are then considered in terms of implications for practice and professional development. / The study shows the conversional nature of hospitality reception work, which invites 'strangers' to become 'guests'. This means to carry out practices which invite these strangers to be compliant, disarmed, integrated, valued, pampered and enriched guests. There are also other conversional challenges, such as inviting prudent guests to be generous spenders, travellers to be vacationers, and visitors to be tourists. Receptionists and guests also often expect to form meaningful personal connections with each other which can enrich their experience further. / Receptionist is the human face of the company. As the go-between for management and guests there is an element of being the meat in the sandwich. Reception work has also been interpreted as jujitsu of control and power. The context of the work has been described as highly pressured, uncertain, chaotic, stressful and challenging in which the work is experienced in peaks and valleys. The requirement for receptionists to perform a fine balancing act, where they are expected to juggle, synthesise and accommodate many tasks is also illuminated. The seamless multiplex relations of receptionists and the effect of competing priorities are also highlighted. One of the important elements in the experience is the way in which the industry, by employing well-presented, young attractive women receptionists has implicitly sexualised the interaction, exposing receptionists to a risk of sexual harassment. Another significant element in the experience is management's lack of support for and appreciation of receptionists who are the 'flak catchers' of the organisation. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2007.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267083 |
| Creators | Wijesinghe, Gayathri T. M. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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