APPENDIX  A:  INTERVIEW   4  

Appendices

APPENDIX  A:  INTERVIEW   4  

Appendix  A1:  Development  of  interview  questions   4  

Appendix  A2:  Letter  to  Audience   5  

APPENDIX  B:  SURVEY   6  

APPENDIX  C:  DATA  ANALYSIS  MODEL   12  

Appendix  C1:  Hennink  &  Hunter  Analytical  Spiral  Coding   12   APPENDIX  D:  CODES  FOR  HOTELS  AND  NAMES   13  

APPENDIX  E:  OPEN  AND  AXIAL  CODING  CASE  1   14  

Appendix  E1:  Open  coding  interview  1   14  

Appendix  E2:  Open  coding  interview  2   17  

Appendix  E3:  Code  book  Case  1   20  

Appendix  E4:  Axial  coding  Case  1   22  

Appendix  E5:  Adjustment  Propositions   23  

Appendix  E6:  Analytical  and  descriptive  memo’s  Case  1   24  

Appendix  E7:  Methodological  memo’s  Case  1   25  

APPENDIX  F:  OPEN  AND  AXIAL  CODING  CASE  2   26  

Appendix  F1:  Open  coding  interview  1   26  

Appendix  F2:  Open  coding  interview  2   31  

Appendix  F3:  Code  book  Case  2   35  

Appendix  F4:  Axial  coding  Case  2   38  

Appendix  F4:  Adjustment  propositions   39  

Appendix  F5:  Analytical  and  descriptive  memo’s  Case  2   40  

Appendix  F6:  Methodological  memo’s  Case  2   42  

APPENDIX  G:  OPEN  AND  AXIAL  CODING  CASE  3   43  

Appendix  G1:  Open  Coding  Interview  1   43  

Appendix  G2:  Open  Coding  Interview  2   46  

Appendix  G3:  Code  book  Case  3   51  

Appendix  G4:  Axial  coding  Case  3   53  

Appendix  G5:  Adjustment  propositions   54  

Appendix  G6:  Analytical  and  descriptive  memo’s   55  

Appendix  G7:  Methodological  memo’s  Case  3   56  

APPENDIX  H:  OPEN  AND  AXIAL  CODING  CASE  4   57  

Appendix  H1:  Open  Coding  Interview  1   57  

Appendix  H2:  Code  book  Case  4   62  

Appendix  H3:  Axial  coding  Case  4   64  

Appendix  H4:  Adjustment  propositions   65  

Appendix  H5:  Analytical  and  descriptive  memo’s   66  

Appendix  H6:  Methodological  memo’s  Case  4   67  

APPENDIX  I:  OPEN  AND  AXIAL  CODING  CASE  5   68  

Appendix  I1:  Open  Coding  Interview  1   68  

Appendix  I2:  Open  Coding  Interview  2   73  

Appendix  I3:  Code  book  Case  5   77  

Appendix  I4:  Axial  coding  Case  5   80  

Appendix  I6:  Adjustment  propositions   81  

Appendix  I6:  Analytical  and  descriptive  memo’s   82  

Appendix  I7:  Methodological  memo’s  Case  5   83  

APPENDIX  J:  SELECTIVE  CODING   84  

Appendix  J1:  Selective  coding  -­‐  memoing   84  

Appendix  J2:  Selective  Coding  –  Pattern  matching  with  literature   88  

APPENDIX  K:  QUANTITATIVE  ANALYSIS  OUTPUT   92  

Appendix  K1:  Adjustment  questions  Cronbach’s  Alpha  Solidarity   92  

Appendix  K2:  Presence  Humanness  –  One-­‐Sample  T  test   94  

Appendix  K3:  Presence  Humanness  –  One-­‐Sample  T  test  results   94  

Appendix  K4:  Regression  analysis  Symbolic  capital   95  

Appendix  K5:  Regression  analysis  Cultural  capital   96  

Appendix  K6:  Regression  analysis  Economic  capital   98  

Appendix  K7:  Linear  regression  Social  capital  –  End  model   100  

APPENDIX  A:  INTERVIEW  

Appendix  A1:  Development  of  interview  questions  

Research theme Constructs Interview question Presence Ubuntu More humane, little

conflict, authoritative decision making, open communication, dialogue, family, equality, participative, collective

1. How are decisions made in your organization?

2. How do you view your employees?

3. How is the organization structured 4. How is the organizational culture?

5. What makes you a good manager?

6. How do you communicate to your employees

7. Do you believe Ubuntu is present in your hotel?

Conceptualizing

Ubuntu as

organizational culture or management style

Organizational

culture, management style

8. How is Ubuntu present in your hotel?

9. Would you say it is a management style or organizational culture?

10. How is the organizational culture formed in your hotel? What role do managers play in this?

Individual

capital of employees

Economic, social, cultural and symbolic capital

11. What do you value in employees?

12. What do you look for when you select employees?

13. Describe the typical HotelX employee?

14. How did you come to work at the HotelX hotel?

Relationship individual capital and attitudes to learning and knowledge

sharing

Employee characteristics

15. How do you encourage knowledge sharing?

16. What aspects of the employee do you think positively affect knowledge sharing? What aspects negatively affect knowledge sharing?

17. Are rewards given to encourage knowledge sharing?

Relationship Ubuntu,

individual capital and attitudes to knowledge sharing

accept/reject proposed model

18. How would you say organizational culture influences knowledge sharing?

19. How would Ubuntu influence knowledge sharing?

20. Do you agree with the proposed theoretical model?

21. How are employees molded in the

organizational culture?

Appendix  A2:  Letter  to  Audience  

Case study South African management styles and attitudes to knowledge sharing October 20

, 2013

Dear sir,

First of all I would like to introduce myself. I am a Dutch student in the last phase of my study. For my Master International Business and Management thesis I am doing research on the effect of Humanness on the relationship of individual capital and attitudes to learning and knowledge sharing. From the 6

of November until the 11

of December I will perform 4-5 Case studies in several South African hotels in Capetown. I would really like to study management in HotelX hotels because it is a very large and respected hotel chain in South Africa.

This letter is directed to you and other possible managers in your hotel because your cooperation is essential to this study. I would like to interview 2 or 3 managers at your hotel. This interview would take about half an hour to an hour. Furthermore, I would like to distribute surveys to employees about their characteristics and their perspectives on knowledge sharing in the hotel. Of course, your identity and those of your employees will remain HotelX if you would want that.

Ultimately, by means of this research, I would like to contribute to the knowledge on Ubuntu, or Humanness in English, and its possible positive effect it could have on attitudes to knowledge sharing. It has been proven that knowledge sharing is essential in the hotel business, which is why it is so important to know what factors, whether individual capacities or management styles influence this.

I really hope you can help me, and thank you in advance for your time.

Kind regards,

Janine van Bree

APPENDIX  B:  Survey

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE

Humanness and its relation with individual capital and attitudes to learning and knowledge sharing

Created by students of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. This survey is directed to you as an employee of the HotelX hotel chain because your cooperation is essential to this study performed for the International Business and Management department of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in the Netherlands. Questions will be asked about the organizational culture, the social networks within the hotel and your individual characteristics. Ultimately, by means of this research, knowledge will be contributed to the research done on Humanness. Humanness is a management practice that originated from Africa and can be defined as an African management philosophy that emphasizes on communalism, co-operative teamwork, mythology and traditionalism (Nkomo, 2006).

This questionnaire will take approximately 15 minutes. It is not a test of ability and simply asks you to answer the questions as accurately as possible. There are three parts to this questionnaire: a part about Humanness, a part about your perceptions of relationships in the organization and a part about individual characteristics.

This questionnaire is completely confidential and will only be used for this empirical research. Thank you very much in advance for your time!

Kind regards, Janine van Bree

Continue to the next page to start the survey.

Please  fill  in  here  at  which  hotel  you  work:  

Part 1: Values of Humanness

The first part is about your behaviour and your perceptions of the organization. Please answer each question accurately. This part will take about 5 minutes.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Read each item carefully.

2. Think about how frequently you engage in the behaviour described by the item.

3. Decide whether you strongly disagree or strongly agree with the statement.

4. Please mark an “X” in the appropriate column.

Compassion strongly

disagree disagree neither agree or disagree

agree strongly agree

a. My co-workers are friendly and helpful

b. I care about the well-being of my co-workers

c. I respect the customs and beliefs of my co-workers

d. I respect the religion of my co-workers

e. All opinions have a fair hearing and consideration

f. Long discussions take place in team meetings

g. When a co-worker gets a promotion and I do not, I’m happy for him/her

h. I have the freedom to take my own approach

Solidarity

a. I am willing to give up personal needs for the good of the team

b. I always puts the interest of the whole team before my own interest

c. I see myself as an active listener towards his/her co-workers

d. I take the time to greet my co-workers

e. My co-worker is someone who I inform about my personal

life

f. My co-workers and I get together outside of work time

g. I have the right to say no to the team

Survival

a. The organization encourages teamwork

b. I have to work closely with others to do my job well

c. I have confidence and trust in the team

d. A crisis in the team will always be solved in a harmonious way

e. I value sharing what I have with my family

f. Dialogue is an important means in organizational life

g. I feel I am really part of the team

h. I enjoy, above all else, to work as part of a team

Respect & Dignity

a. In the organization all the employees are equal

b. The organization encourages diversity in opinions

c. Different ethnic groups work in harmony

d. There is open communication in the organization

e. The organization provides all employees open access to all information

f. The organization proves equal opportunities for all g. In the organization ceremonies and personnel parties are

organized

h. The organization has well-being of its employees as a major

objective

i. The organization and its employees are like a family and its members

j. My family is always welcome to visit the organization

Part 2: Relations with co-workers

This part is about your perceptions of knowledge management and your relation with others in the organization. Please answer each question accurately. This part will take about 5 minutes.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Read each item carefully.

2. Think about how frequently you engage in the behaviour described by the item.

3. Decide whether you strongly disagree or strongly agree with the statement.

4. Please mark an “X” in the appropriate column.

perceptions of knowledge sharing strongly disagree

disagree slightly disagree

moderate slightly agree

agree strongly agree a. You share knowledge with your

colleagues without their asking

b. You make recommendations for greater

effectiveness of routines

c. You share past working experiences with

your colleagues (see columns below)

i. failures

ii. successes

iii. difficulties

d. You keep colleagues up to date with

current events and work trends.

e. Guest services suffer if colleagues do not

share knowledge

f. New knowledge could be created through

sharing ideas

g. Sharing information improves daily

routines

h. You are confident in your ability to share knowledge other people in the hotel find valuable

perceptions of learning

a. You learn a lot from other staff in this

hotel

b. You invite your colleagues to provide

feedback about your performance

c. When you receive negative feedback, you work on your self-improvement rather than resort to defensiveness or anger

d. You put your heart into learning new

things

e. You continually gather information on

your guests’ needs and preferences

f. When your colleagues come up with a new idea, you want to know of and learn about it

g. You always ask and never wait until

people teach you new things

h. Sharing the knowledge amongst staff has resulted in many new ideas and solutions for this hotel

i. You help each other to learn the skills you

need

relationships with colleagues

a. When you receive help, you feel it is only

right to give back and help others

b. You return favours when colleagues are

in need

c. You assist fellow colleagues in finding

solutions to their problems

d. You want to work together with others to

improve the guest satisfaction

e. You keep up with the latest developments in order to make useful contributions to the hotel

f. You trust colleagues to know things you

do not know

g. You would base an important decision on

advice you received from colleagues

h. Colleagues have high integrity

Part 3: individual characteristics

This part is about your individual characteristics. Again, the answers will remain completely confidential and will only be used for this research. Please fill in your answer. This part will take about 5 minutes.

1. At what age did you start working in the hospitality industry?

2. How did you get into the hospitality industry? (please pick one) Ο accidental opportunity

Ο purposefully planned

3. Length of time spent working in the hospitality industry (in total): year(s)

4. Duration of employment with HotelX hotels: year (s)

5. Duration of employment with this hotel: year (s)

6. Department of your current job:

7a. Before you started working in the hospitality industry, was anybody in your family or any close friend of yours working in the hospitality industry? (please pick one)

Ο Yes, my parents à please continue to question 7b Ο Yes, relatives à please continue to question 8a Ο Yes, close friends à please continue to question 8a Ο No, nobody à please continue to question 8a

7b. If your parents were working in the hospitality industry, at what age did you become interested in this industry?

8a. Have you been nominated ‘’employee of the month’’?

Ο Yes

Ο No (please continue to 9a)

8b. If yes, how often have you been nominated ‘’employee of the month’’?

Ο 1 time Ο 2 times Ο 3 times

Ο More than 3 times

9a. Have you been nominated ‘’employee of the quarter’’?

Ο Yes

Ο No (please continue to 10a)

9b. If yes, how often have you been nominated ‘’employee of the quarter’’?

Ο 1 time Ο 2 times Ο 3 times

Ο More than 3 times

10a. Have you been nominated ‘’employee of the year’’?

Ο Yes

Ο No (please continue to 11a)

10b. If yes, how often have you been nominated ‘’employee of the year’’?

Ο 1 time Ο 2 times Ο 3 times

Ο More than 3 times

11. Are you a member of the executive team?

Ο Yes Ο No

12. Which aspect is most important in selecting an employer? (Please pick one) Ο Reputation of the company

Ο Job security 13. Gender:

Ο Male Ο Female

14. Age: (Please pick one) Ο below 18 years old Ο 18 – 29 years old Ο 30 – 39 years old Ο 40 – 49 years old Ο 50 – 59 years old Ο above 59 years old

15. What is your nationality?

16. Marital status: (Please pick one) Ο Married

Ο Widowed

Ο Divorced / Separated Ο Single

17. What is the highest level of education you have completed? (Please pick one) Ο Ph.D. / Master’s degree

Ο Bachelor’s degree Ο Diplomas / Certificates

Ο Secondary school diploma or below

18. What is the highest level of education your father has completed? (Please pick one) Ο Ph.D. / Master’s degree

Ο Bachelor’s degree Ο Diplomas / Certificates

Ο Secondary school diploma or below

19. What is the highest level of education your mother has completed? (Please pick one) Ο Ph.D. / Master’s degree

Ο Bachelor’s degree Ο Diplomas / Certificates

Ο Secondary school diploma or below 20. Employment status: (Please pick one)

Ο Full time Ο Part time Ο Contracted Ο Internship Ο Casual / On call Ο Other

21. Annual personal income: (Please pick one) 1 = Less than 200,000ZAR

2 = 200,000ZAR to 299,999ZAR 3 = 300,000ZAR to 399,999ZAR 4 = 400,000ZAR to 499,999ZAR 5 = 500,000ZAR to 599,999ZAR 6 = 600,000ZAR to 699,999ZAR 7 = Over 700,000ZAR

This is the end of the survey. Please hand this is survey back in to your supervisor. Thank you very

much for your time and appreciation!

APPENDIX  C:  Data  Analysis  Model  

Appendix  C1:  Hennink  &  Hunter  Analytical  Spiral  Coding  

APPENDIX  D:  Codes  for  Hotels  and  Names  

The results of the interviews have been made anonymous for the privacy of the hotels and the managers. The list below shows the replacement codes for the different cases and names.

Hotel X: South African international hotel chain Hotel X1: Hotel Case 1

Hotel X2: Hotel Case 2 Hotel X3: Hotel Case 3 Hotel X4: Hotel Case 4 Hotel X5: Hotel Case 5

Anonymous: All names of managers  

APPENDIX  E:  Open  and  Axial  coding  Case  1  

Appendix  E1:  Open  coding  interview  1  

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m room’s division manager and also the assistant to GM. So, I cover house keeping, front office, security, reservation, and maintenance. Almost everything besides food and beverage How long have you been working here?

2 years

Can you explain the business model of your hotel?

We call it for those who are young at heart. It is something between work and home. Our clientele is more the younger generation and technology inclined. Whatever you want, you can have it. A lot of Wi-Fi. It is funky in design with quirky elements. Any new ideas are implemented in our hotel, any new projects. The hotel is kind of a pilot and based on if the ideas work, it is implemented in other HotelX hotels. So besides being a busy hotel, we are always busy implementing new ideas. It is very lively and attracts local market. We are known for our burgers and milkshakes, also for locals. Very busy also on Friday and Saturday. On Friday we have DJs. It is very alive. We do corporates; we have 201 bedrooms, of which 12 suites. We have 2 groups of accommodation and conferencing. Government travellers, company travellers. We have camps by the beaches and Table Mountain.

Is this hotel managed/franchised?

HotelX is a management company. It is a brand. Only 8 properties are owned, the rest are just managed. This hotel is one of the 8 hotels that HotelX manages and owns. It makes a difference because a lot of attention is paid to this hotel. Because this is the baby. This is the same for the other HotelX1 hotel. They are currently busy with the third one.

What I want to talk about now is organizational culture. You already told me something about this. Do you know the concept Ubuntu?

Humanity.

Yes. Would you say it is present in this hotel?

Yes, definitely.

Would you say it is more a management style or organizational culture?

It is part of the culture in HotelX because we all undergo these traditions. Because it is our

mission and our vision and our principles and things that we live by. That is just the culture

now. And respect for human dignity.

Can you give me an example?

Ehm.. To be honest with you. We spend more time here than at home. Like the managers here.. I work 6.30 to 6.30 everyday and on Saturday from 9 to 3 or 4. So I’m only free on Sunday. Once a month I will get a Saturday off. So when I’m off, I want to spend it with my loved ones. So I don’t socialize with them. It’s also my position. If I let my hair loose, its at home, away from my colleagues. We do a lot of activities and team building with each other, though.

With the managers or also the employees?

The employees they socialize amongst themselves. I mean I worked in the restaurant before, and then you go out for drinks after that. Managers, its different, you stick with the managers.

How are decisions made?

Discussed, it is generally a consensus. We have a management meeting every morning and we discuss what to do during the day. We discuss guest feedback and comments and how to improve it and change it, yea. Most of the time the general manager is the key-deciding factor, but it is open for discussion. And then it gets folded down.

So you have respect for your manager.

Your team is only as strong as a manager. It’s more about leadership than management.

Because what we try to install in this hotel is the fact that people. If you manage people it is only because you are entitled. If you lead people it is because they choose to follow you. And you want people who want to follow you. And that is a skill, leadership.

So you managed that knowledge sharing is very important. How do you encourage knowledge sharing?

You have staff meetings. Every day you have a briefing or a handover. You discuss in the morning what is happening that day. We have what is called memos that you put on the notice board. Important things and then also emailing form of communication. Communication is key to the hotel. When something goes wrong, it is due to bad communication. This is for hall hotels in general. Very important.

I’m researching characteristics of employees as well and their attitudes to knowledge sharing. What characteristics do you think are important to have?

What I’ve noticed is, it’s not just this hotel. I’ve worked at 5 different hotels and see the

trend. People generally don’t necessarily share the information to the team. The manager is

responsible for knowledge sharing and making sure that it is shared. As a manager you need

to complete the circle and make sure everyone shares knowledge and is in place. The

characteristics… we generally select people that fit into our culture. You have to be lively and

energetic and have to have passion for service and exceed expectations. Anticipating, meeting

and exceeding expectations. You need a bit of stamina because it is a very busy place. The general manager interviews all staff members I employed here also. We know exactly who will fit into this mould and who won’t. You have to have an outgoing personality to communicate nicely with guests.

Is it true that a lot of relatives are employed?

At HotelX hotels, yes. In the group, yes. Because that is how you normally… my father worked for HotelX for 33 years, from the beginning. Then I went overseas and studied in Africa hospitality with HotelX. I also travelled to England and worked abroad there for five years and then went to study with HotelX. I have been working here for 7 years. My wife is in the hotel industry also, but soon I will pull her into HotelX also. The people we interview and recommend are usually relatives and friends. Everyone is recommended by someone in HotelX. A lot of people are related to someone in HotelX

So that is also how the organizational culture is maintained?

I think so, yes. The one thing in HotelX: something my dad will say. You call it camaraderie, brotherhood, togetherness, family. When people leave HotelX they say that is the one thing they miss about HotelX that everyone is very close and camaraderie.

Are you formed by the organization?

Yes. We always say, you are HotelX-rized. That is why we are so successful and why we are largest in South Africa. Give or take 140 hotels in total. So yea it is a special culture.

Do you think this culture has such a positive effect on knowledge sharing

We are big on growing from within. We develop form within. I have been trained in HotelX. I have been moulded in this style and now I’m working up the ranks. I want to grow people, it is different from when someone is taken from outside. Knowledge is imported into me and that is knowledge I will give to others. All the managers have this vision. We are always sharing the knowledge. What is given to me is free, so I need to sustain our group, and need to pass on as much as I can to the next. That’s my belief, it is a universal law. Once I give, I will receive. I have to give knowledge to the bottom. That is my outlook and that is what my mentor told me. If people don’t have this mentality they leave. People should not look out only for themselves. It is not really a passion or a lifestyle. We need to maintain our group and stay number one. So we do a lot of training. Especially this hotel because we want the leaders to come here. All HotelX1 hotels are owned by HotelX.

I have a model I want to show you. Do you see it this way? (Explaining the theoretical proposed framework).

I think this is true. Absolutely. Because other organizations where they are not big on

growing from within, you become another number. If the whole culture is about training from

within, you have to conform to it.

You told me you went to England and learned hospitality there. Is it different than here?

The most important thing I took home from England is service. Because the level of service there is so high in western. In South Africa you can’t afford this. I took this service with me and that is a direct implication of my rapid growth because I learned about service. It’s all about service. That was a really good thing I learned over there and how to deal with complaints. And South Africa is getting there. HotelX2 used to be owned also, but now is managed. When I went there I saw that the UK culture exists there also. Wow culture of service does exist in South Africa. It is very much in HotelX owned properties. More than managed companies.

Is Ubuntu typically African?

It’s all over the world. I’m an Indian. My mother is colored in South Africa. The Jews and Muslims have the spirit of togetherness also. It is in the world. Same as Europeans will click.

It is more about sharing as well. I think in poorer countries it might be more.

In this industry we spend so much time together, then there is more a spirit of togetherness.

I’m with my colleagues all the time. We are like family. I think everyone understands this concept. It really comes down to leadership and set an example. If you love people, they love you. I think we build a good relationship when we share knowledge. As a manger it is really rewarding to see people grow. And that can be bored down to the individual. Culture influences individual. It is the culture of growing people and wanting to move forward in HotelX. If someone has that same outlook as the culture than that is good. Individuals need to have the same outlook as the culture also when they are selected but then that grows through the organizational culture.

Mary McGuire has a saying. See looks after the quality prospect of our business plan. She has been with HotelX many years. See looks after all HotelX trainees. She says: what if we train them and they leave? And we say what if they don’t, and then they stay. We rather invest in you and you put it back or you go. If you go, then it is too bad but if you stay it is worse because then you don’t stay in the organizational culture.

Appendix  E2:  Open  coding  interview  2  

Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Anonymous and am front office supervisor. I just started working here 15

of October.

Did a 4-year course with HotelX. First year is orientation year and then they decide if you can stay for your course and if they will pay for you. And after four years they will look for a job for you. You need to stay at the HotelX hotels for a full year after you are done. That is what I am doing now. I don’t know if I stay yet.

How would you describe the organizational culture of this hotel?

Because I’m already 4 years with HotelX. I am very lucky to be with them because of the

growth of the hotel industry within HotelX as well as more opportunities for those who are

qualified. Also many opportunities for jobs as well as training to enhance my career in the

future. HotelX I find, you learn a lot. The course that I’ve been on. It is 6 weeks that you only

go to school, the rest of the year you have the practical experience as well. That is what I liked as well

How do you view your colleagues?

I don’t see them after work. Not here now. I made different friends at each hotel. Because lots of people know different HotelX's. Rumours go around quickly, everyone within HotelX knows each other.

So your friends are your colleagues?

Not really. Because I am here so much. When I go out, it is not with my colleagues. We go out for drinks after work then we do it. But in the weekend I rather go with other friends.

What is different about this hotel?

I’ve been with 3 other hotel. First year also with HotelX1 because I really enjoyed it. It is very hip and different clientele and more relaxed. Not always the best either. We are allowed to have piercings tattoos. On Friday we have a DJ playing and the staff is dancing. HotelX3 is more proper. Rooms are way different. They are smaller. Guests don’t complain because they just want to go out and explore Cape Town. The hotel has so much to offer, things to do so that guests don’t complain.

Were you a trainee before? And now a supervisor. Do you notice a difference?

Yes, very much. Because before, they would just tell me ‘do this’ because they know because we are there to learn. We get minimum wage and minimum wage. If there are double shifts or triple shifts, they just get the trainee to do it. And now I can tell trainees to do that. I've been trough all the labour. Washing floors, cleaning toilets.

Are you at the manager meetings also now?

Ehm yes, sometimes/ you get supervisor then the assistant and then the front office manager.

So I am the lowest level manager. I am more with dealing with getting the staff to do the work. When nobody is there, then I go to the manager meetings, but I don’t go that often. But I’m not involved with decisions. I just need to implement the decisions with the staff.

Why were you selected? What characteristics?

I think I was selected because I am a people person and really want to make people happy.

How can I improve your experience with us as well as.. My dad is German and my mom is Capetonian so I am very mixed. I love learning new cultures and meeting people from different cultures. I just, because I am always concentrating on people’s happiness more than anything.

Do your relatives work here?

No. Not at all. After my gap year to Germany and I worked in a hotel there. My dad’s family stays there. Afterwards I wanted to study tourism. My dad’s friend is Tim brown and he told my dad about the program and then I applied.

In the hotel industry knowledge sharing is very important. How is that encouraged here?

It is encouraged very much. Very focused on training because it makes us sell the product and know our guests. HotelX is very keen on lots of training and pay a lot of money for it. The general manager and Andrew are doing courses in the weekend now to hype up the brand and get everyone to know the brand again. Spiking the staff up again. We are always training; it is always good.

How is your contact with your manager? Is it hierarchical?

Yes, we know that the manager is higher than you, so you need to respect them. Of course I respect them. For that they got there. And I know that I will get there someday too. Everyone here knows to respect the manager above him or her. Because they will show them how it is done. We don’t have stupid managers where the staff is not goanna learn from them. The managers know what they are doing and then the staff will respect you if you know what you are doing.

What makes a good manager?

One thing, to train your staff and show them how things are done. Show them that you can improve them so you can grow their career as well for them. Good managers need to listen, solve problems.

Andrew just said that culture is caring, sharing, and family. Would you say your characteristics are formed by HotelX?

I know that they hire for your personality sort of thing, not really the knowledge. More if you are going to fit into the group and if you are able to learn the knowledge. You need to have some brain. And then the training comes afterwards.

What aspects of the personality do you think fit?

You need to be able to speak to guests and you need to know that this is a life. It is not a career. Hotel industry is your lifestyle. You need to live around your work shifts. You need to be flexible. I think that is what they look into, if you can adapt to things like that.

What kind of people would not fit into this culture?

People that are shy? People that ehm/ I don’t know. I’m a shy person, so it’s not actually. But as soon as I am with the guests I speak with them. You can’t be self-centred. You need to worry about your guests, they come first.

What makes the HotelX culture unique?

Ehm… I have never worked for other hotels. The HotelX group is ehm.. I don’t know. The training is good. You have to have it. I know that a lot of people prefer to go to the HotelX course. Other hotels are trying to be different. This is the third HotelX1 that we are opening.

So we are trying to adapt to changes and want our hotels to be amazing. We are always keeping up with the times. Not being slow or old fashioned. Adapt to the ages. Very important.

Do you know Ubuntu?

Coming together.. united things. So you know about BEE? Black empowerment … so how many black people we need to hire how many white peoples how many males, females. That is what Africa has what we need to do. HotelX keeps up with this as well. At HotelX5/5 you would rather employ black people, not being racist. You have to have metric, its like grade 12. But we take black people even if they haven’t done anything beside that. They make sure they have enough black and white people. Everyone is so friendly, and now we have a lot of different languages. With us you have the African menu. Things like that are also very nice to have. Over here we always high five, how are you doing, asking the other staff how was your day. This is very important, so the managers know that we care and share. That is very important, because we live at the hotel and spend a lot of time together. We just care about each other so that is very good.

Appendix  E3:  Code  book  Case  1  

Descriptive - Function

- Tenure HotelX hotel

- Business model: owned/managed - Function: front office supervisor - Did HotelX course

Humanness as organizational culture - Funky

- Modern - Pilot

- Relaxed, hip, different clientele -­‐ Training

-­‐ Lot of people prefer HotelX course -­‐ Up to date, adapt to ages

-­‐ Presence Humanness as organizational culture -­‐ Respect for human dignity

-­‐ Activities with team and teambuilding

-­‐ No socialization with employees outside work -­‐ Employees socialize amongst themselves -­‐ Decision making as a consensus

-­‐ General manager is key deciding factor -­‐ A lot of relatives were employed -­‐ Brotherhood, togetherness, family -­‐ Camaraderie

-­‐ Found all over the world

-­‐ Sharing might be more in poorer countries -­‐ Culture influences individual

-­‐ Culture of growing people

-­‐ Individual needs to have same outlook as culture

-­‐ Bad if you stay when you don’t fit with the organizational culture

-­‐ Provide opportunities -­‐ Training

-­‐ Friends within HotelX hotels -­‐ Don’t see much outside work -­‐ Go out for drinks after work -­‐ Very hierarchical

-­‐ Decision making folded down by managers -­‐ Hierarchy through respect

-­‐ -Respect because of management expertise -­‐ HotelX through reference father

-­‐ Black empowerment – BEE -­‐ Friendly

-­‐ Multicultural

-­‐ Always greet employees -­‐ Care about each other -­‐ HotelX via father’s friend Management style

-­‐ Leadership more important than management -­‐ Training

-­‐ Listen

-­‐ Problem solving Attitudes to knowledge sharing

-­‐ Knowledge sharing through daily staff meetings -­‐ Communication is key

-­‐ Always training to know guests and to sell Relationship individual capital – knowledge sharing

-­‐ Management responsible for knowledge sharing Individual characteristics

-­‐ Cultural fit – lively energetic -­‐ Passion for industry

-­‐ Stamina -­‐ Outgoing

- Social, approachable - Flexibility

- Hotel industry is lifestyle - Cant be self-centered - Social characteristics - Making people happy

Relationship humanness-individual capital-knowledge sharing -­‐ Employees formed into organizational culture

-­‐ Growing from within -­‐ Training

-­‐ Reciprocity of knowledge sharing

-­‐ People leave if they don’t have mentality of learning and sharing knowledge -­‐ Theoretical framework is accepted

-­‐ Whole culture is about training -­‐ Culture of service

- Hire for personality, then train

Appendix  E4:  Axial  coding  Case  1  

Presence Humanness in HotelX culture

• Respect for human dignity

• Team building

• Having drinks after work

• Relatives employees

• Brotherhood & togetherness

• Decision making as consensus with manager key deciding factor

• Found all over the world

• Culture of growing people from within

• Providing opportunities

• Friends within HotelX hotels

• ^Hierarchy

• Respect for management expertise

• Black empowerment (BEE)

• ^Friendly

• Multicultural

• Caring for each other

• Always greet employees Strengthened by;

Hiring on attitude

• Hire for personality

• Individual needs to have same outlook as culture

• Cultural fit – lively energetic

• Passion for industry

• Stamina

• Outgoing

• Social, approachable

• Flexibility

• Hotel industry is lifestyle

• Cant be self-centered And;

Training individuals into the culture

• Culture influences individual

• Culture of growing people

• Bad if you stay when you don’t fit with the organizational culture

• Invest

• Provide opportunities And;

Leaders

• Leaders more important than managers

• Management responsible for knowledge sharing

• Listen

• Problem solving Leads to;

Motivated staff

• Opportunities to grow

• Willingness to grow

And;

Positive attitude to learning and knowledge sharing

• Reciprocity of knowledge sharing

• People leave if they don’t have mentality of learning and sharing knowledge

• Knowledge sharing through daily staff meetings

• Communication is key

Appendix  E5:  Adjustment  Propositions  

Proposition 1: Humanness will be present as organizational habitus in South African organizations.

The Rooms Division manager was very big on Humanness in the hotel and he understood the concept well. He was big on family, brotherhood, respect and togetherness.

Decision-making was made as a consensus and there was a natural respect for management.

The supervisor manager mentioned the BEE (black empowerment) requirements of the hotel in which a certain percentage of each race needs to be employed. Employees care for each other and always greet each other. Furthermore, the manager seemed to be very big on growing from within and training people. Employees don’t see each other outside work, but this is due to the long hours the employees make in the hospitality business.

Proposition 2: Individual capital will have a positive effect on attitudes to learning and knowledge sharing

When employees are employed, they are employed for a cultural fit and a big thing managers look for when employing is that individuals need to be social and willing to learn.

The cultural capital of the employee is taught through training and becomes important mostly when the employee is selected. HotelX believes on growing from within and on reciprocity of sharing knowledge. They learn a lot from managers above them and then naturally teach it to those under them.

Proposition 3: Humanness will have a positive moderation effect on the relationship between individual capital and knowledge sharing

The theoretical framework is generally accepted, however there are some modifications (see model above). The organizational culture affects whether management selects the employees. The employees are then further moulded into the HotelX culture. So it is really a cyclical process through with the organizational culture is created. Humanness is a big aspect of the culture within this hotel. Employees are part of a team and they work together to get the best result. Because Knowledge sharing is enhanced through the presence of Humanness dimensions (reciprocity learning, leadership, respect, dignity, being social).

Individuals say that their superiors have given them opportunities and that is how they moved forward and have respect for their managers. Attitudes to knowledge sharing should be positive because managers at this hotel have named the importance of it. Employees learn to share knowledge through their managers and the trainings that have been given to them.

According to this manager, employees don’t generally share knowledge without them being

told to share knowledge. So they have to be trained to fit this culture by their managers.

Appendix  E6:  Analytical  and  descriptive  memo’s  Case  1  

Open Coding Concepts/phenomena Description codes and

relationship Presence Humanness as

organizational culture;

respect for human dignity;

team building; having drinks after work; relatives employees; brotherhood &

togetherness; decision making as consensus with manager key deciding factor;

found all over the world;

culture of growing people;

grow from within; friends

within; providing

opportunities; friends within HotelX hotels; hierarchy;

respect for management

expertise; black

empowerment (BEE);

friendly; multicultural; caring for each other; always greet employees

Presence of Humanness as

organizational culture Humanness is present as organizational culture.

Managers have to enforce this however and people will follow. There is a culture of growing from within, equality, respect, togetherness and caring for each other. There is a multicultural workforce.

No socialization with employees outside work;

employees socialize amongst themselves; don’t see much outside work

Humanness is less present in the hotel

This can be seen as an anti- proposition. Humanness dimensions are found to a lesser extends regarding seeing employees outside work. However, employees spend so much time at work that they want some free time

from employees.

Furthermore, management doesn’t mix with employees.

They socialize amongst themselves.

Culture influences individual;

Culture of growing people;

individual needs to have same outlook as culture; Bad if you stay when you don’t fit with the organizational

culture; provide

opportunities; training;

employees formed into organizational culture; hire for personality, then train

Organizational culture is maintained through employing individuals with a cultural fit and training by management

Individuals are employed because they have the right attitude and fit with the organizational culture. Then, they are trained to fit the organizational culture and have the right attitudes to knowledge sharing. HotelX is big on growing from within, and that is how the culture is maintained.

People leave if they don’t have mentality of learning and sharing knowledge;

The right management and organizational culture positively influences

Managers enhance

knowledge sharing through

training and daily meetings.

management responsible for knowledge sharing;

reciprocity of knowledge sharing; knowledge sharing through daily staff meetings;

communication is key;

always training to know guests and to sell; Leadership more important than management; managers listen and solve problems

attitudes to knowledge sharing

Knowledge sharing is part of reciprocity. What you learn you pass on to the next.

HotelX has a culture of training, which is how individuals are developed and knowledge is shared.

Furthermore, daily meetings make sure communication is being done. Good managers are natural leaders and listen and solve problems.

Cultural fit – lively energetic;

Passion for industry; stamina;

outgoing; social,

approachable; flexibility of staff; hotel industry is lifestyle; cant be self- centered

Individuals need to have to right attitude that matches the organizational culture. And then they are modified to fit the culture more and trained to share knowledge.

Individuals are hired for attitude and then trained.

They need to be social and flexi bible. This fit is then enhanced through training.

Furthermore, then training is performed to make sure knowledge sharing is done throughout the hotel.

Appendix  E7:  Methodological  memo’s  Case  1  

This was the first interview. The Rooms Division manager especially was very big on

Ubuntu. For the interviews, I chose to use the word Ubuntu instead of Humanness, since

South Africans know more about this concept. During this interview, I chose to use open

questions. This research is more explorative on the concepts and then mostly on the concept

of Humanness and its effect on attitudes within an organization and therefore open questions

seem more appropriate. The hotel was very busy but the managers both were very willing to

help and most of the surveys were returned within a week.

APPENDIX  F:  open  and  axial  coding  Case  2  

Appendix  F1:  Open  coding  interview  1  

Maybe you can introduce yourself?

Anonymous room division manager at HotelX2. This is my first time in this function. It is new to me. I started in May here. Before here I was reservations manager at break water lodge and I was the reservations manager there for 4 years.

Did you do the course?

No I did private hotel school called institute for hospitality training in Durban How did you end up here

I used to work here with.. I saw the ad online for assistant front-end manager. At the time I wasn’t working and looking for something urgently. I used to work with the front office manager and she knew me and by accident we started working together again. Then I took the function as reservation manager and that is how I ended up there.

This hotel was owned until 2007 and now managed?

Yes it was built in 1996. Owned by hospitality property fund and HotelX is managing it for them.

How would you describe organizational culture in this hotel?

I am not new anymore but still new in the position. With the whole management team turnover in the beginning of the year. In the middle of December the GM resigned. She left the group. She moved to president and the HotelX GM moved here. A lot of positions opened up because a lot of people left. There are a lot of new front office managers. The whole management team changed. You can look at it in a positive way because a lot of new information comes from outside of the team. The management structure is there, but everyone is still growing in his or her positions. Trying to figure out how we are going to get up the department where it should be. There are standards and procedures at HotelX that you must follow but you have to change it so it fits your property. So the management structure is there but trying to get the hotel where it should be according to the 4 star property standards. With my personal opinion is, we are owned by different owners. It is difficult to change especially when it comes to spending money. With standards and procedures things have to change but hard when money is involved. With different owners we have to give a very good reason for a certain item why we want to implement it. It is very difficult to update the service level to where it should be and improve working conditions for the staff. At my previous hotel we had top of the range equipment, furniture chairs computers. Here, everything is old, mismatched furniture and uniforms. It is very difficult when the owners don’t want to spend. To up the standards and up the service level. To spend money it is hard because owners don’t want it that is also demotivating. If you look at the staff, they are demotivated. You need computers so you can do your working conditions.

How would you describe the HotelX culture?

You have to do the juice course at HotelX. You will be juiced in HotelX. How many hotels, core values, mission, vision everything that has to do with HotelX. When you wear the batch you show that you know everything about HotelX and that means your HotelXrized. When you wear the batch it means that you have done the juiced course so.. Understand the way that you need to approach guests and also.. Ehm difficult. There is a certain, with being juiced, you need to be enthusiastic have right attitude

What is that?

Just to be. It depends what brand: HotelX5/5, HotelX1 and HotelX. It all depends on what group you belong to. HotelX1 is more funky, up to date modern, relaxed, hip. They wear Anonymouss, they are casual. Outrageous stuff happening in hotel. Stiff person will not fit there. The people need to fit within the hotel. In HotelX5/5, HotelX5, it is very proper, you need to behave in a certain way and treat guests in a certain way. With HotelX, it is all those factors together. So, they believe if you have the right attitude, then you can teach the skills ehm..

What is the attitude here?

It is just a mixture of everything. We are trying to.. We are also very relaxed and casual here.

We try to find staff more towards HotelX1. You know… very difficult.

You hire on attitude

Yes. When you do interviews, you see if the person fits in or not. This is also new to me. In front office. We need people who can approach the guests, not wait for guests to approach them. Need to feel confident to make small talk. Guests should feel comfortable with them.

Remember the guests and pick up, build relationships. We have guests here who are staying with us for th6 66ht time. We have a brilliant front office team. They remember the name family etc.

How are decisions made?

With HotelX, like I said, they have set standards on Internet. Decisions are made based on this. I think in the hotel itself, we give free range to the front office team. We employ them to make decisions. So if they make a decision and it’s the wrong one. My general manager, Anonymous says if we make the wrong one, we will back you. I’ve known my general manager from HotelX. I’ve known him for 5 years and I know his management style, he will not look over our shoulders and let everyone run their department as he thinks. When we step out of line he will tell us how it’s supposed to be. That is also how I run my department.

However when they need guidance then I will give it to them. I will also not know everything because I’m new to the position. But then I will go to my gm.

How is your relationship with him? Is he your friend?

No we are definitely not friends. I wasn’t brought up that way. He is still my GM and I will

not speak to him in a rude manner. We will joke around. He is a very open person and we will

talk about anything. I know when I need to stop joking; I will always have respect for him

because he gave me the opportunity so I kind of owe it to him. I’ve got a huge amount of

respect for him. If I don’t know how to handle a situation, hew will guide me. He is sort of a

mentor.

How do you view your colleagues?

More colleagues than friends. Some of the management team are my friends. But with different cultures there are very big differences. Some cultures don’t want to mingle with each other. I know whom to tell about my personal life and I know where I can’t go and do that. It is not just the culture, it is the way they accepted me when I started here. I am a very organized person and have a lot of standards and procedures that I follow. So with new management comes change and some accepted it and some didn’t. I know the relationship is not that great so with them I will not joke around. I have like 3 people that I speak with and tell what I did last night. But other than that, it is strictly colleagues. Its just culture.. They just didn’t accept me as a manger. I will not discuss my personal life with them. I will only discuss it with people who are interested and will do the same back for me. Some managers will come to my office however and I will give them advice and be there for her, and she does the same for me. That is how it is everywhere. You go to a culture that you know so you can speak your own language. I discover that it is here in this hotel. I think it is everywhere like that, you find comfort more with people who speak your mother tongue.

Do you say culture differences lead to problems?

No, it doesn’t affect work. Only on personal level. If it does affect work, I will go to them. I have a son, and I talk about him with other mothers in the hotel. It is just what you have in common with people and then you share it more. It depends on the subject of the conversation. At reservation office, they are all mothers.

How do you handle a conflict within a team?

First, if they have a problem with me, I’m open; they should come and tell me. If they don’t come and tell me if they’re upset with me then I feel very offended. Like a said, I have a very good relationship with my front office manager and he will come to me always. With my reservations manager I do not have such a good relationship, and I will not hear it from her but via the grape vine. The same with staff and their manager. If they feel comfortable to address the problem they will. If they are not comfortable, they are more than comfortable to speak to me. I was a normal staff person, I understand them but they need to speak up. The problem can’t be solved if they don’t speak up.

Would you say the organizational culture helps attitudes to knowledge sharing? What aspects make it more positive?

How the hotel is run. If you’ve got a very ehm... stiff GM that doesn’t speak to you in the correct way, then the staff is very demotivated. We have an excellent GM, you will never find a better one. He will set a standard and management will follow. Some managers put staff down and that does not help the hotel. It is very difficult because every manager has his or her own management style. I can just go to the FMB manager because he is the same level. The GM will step in them

Would you say the organizational culture is based on the management style?

Managers set example and it is also based on how the staff accepts it. Old staff doesn’t accept

change. But we want to show them that with time things change. Its yes managers, but also

the staff.

Do you select staff based on organizational culture?

I can only speak for my department. I don’t think so. We go for attitude. But also for experience. Everyone resigned so we had to employ new people and then we had to find people with experience because we were so short staff. We had to find people with great attitude and experience. It all depends on where you are and how much time you have to hire.

We have hired without experience, but then we had more time. And then you have to be formed into HotelX culture. By training, guiding and that is why managers are there to guide and mould them. Staff will feel they don’t fit in and then the will resign

What is your management style?

Ehm, very hands on. Not as I would like to be yet. I am a very.. I follow standards and procedures. I’m very open with my managers. I’m very strict as well. I was a reservation manager for 4 years, so to oversee the reservations department I expect a standard because I have been there before. For them, it has been difficult. They have an expert here; I am the expert on reservation. In front office, whenever there is a situation we have to fix it. It all depends on which side you are looking at. You need to focus, do at front office. At front office we do as it comes. You pass the knowledge on. So yes I am very strict with standards and procedures. But I want my staff to make suggestions on how to improve but within the standards. There is a line. If I tell my staff to do something they have to do it within respectable time. Not just answer me tomorrow.

How would you encourage knowledge sharing and learning?

That is the only way you can grow people. I am today where I am because room’s division manager saw potential and passed me on the knowledge. I took notes and I still have the notes with me today. If it weren’t for her and my GM, I wouldn’t be here and wouldn’t have the knowledge. That is exactly what I tell my staff. If you want to grow your career, you have to share knowledge. You can’t just keep it for yourself. Because at the end of the day, when you leave, you have to have a person who will replace you and they have to have the same standards. When we select people, we don’t want people to only take from HotelX. I fully believe in knowledge and I love training. I train my staff. I learn a lot of things to my staff.

Previous mangers here didn’t share knowledge. When the person left, it all went downhill. It was chaos. With my GM and me it is important to share knowledge. It doesn’t matter where it comes from. We all need to share it together to bring up the knowledge.

How would you encourage this?

If I discover something I will put it in email. I fully believe that my manager should train my team. When a mistake happens and I will take action. Put it on the intranet. Check whether they do it, if they don’t do it, hands on show it. When I hear something on the phone, I will tell them how to do it.

Would you say this hotel has an African culture?

Difficult question. Ehm. I don’t know. Each hotel has own culture and vibe.

What makes this culture at the hotel different?