Research proposal; Entrepreneurial success and human resources in tourism sector

Research background: McDougall and Oviatt (2000) reflect that the entrepreneur is the activity associated with the start-up of the new firms or the businesses. Today, entrepreneurship has to an increasing extent become accepted as a firm level phenomenon and relevant to managers of firms. Who is the entrepreneur and what constitutes entrepreneurship has been centric to the debate in the context of the entrepreneurship literature since the literature and the entrepreneurship itself began to be developed. Lee and Peterson (2000) define the entrepreneurship as The creation of the new enterprises. McDougall and Oviatt define that The entrepreneurship is the process of creating and seeking an opportunity and pushing it regardless of the resources currently controlled. The research on the European enterprises exhibits that if the managers or the businessmen in the general companies adopt the entrepreneurial behaviour while formulating the strategies, the present and the future of the businesses can become brighter than it seems to be and expected (Lee and Peterson, 2000). Tang et al (2009) refers the entrepreneurial behaviour as combining the innovation, proactivity and the risk taking etc. The tourism entrepreneurs are very significant for the development of the tourism and to supply the tourism products and services very close to the consumer market needs and expectations, because the entrepreneurs are often concentrating on the niche or narrowed markets and thus the supply of the tourism products and services is probably more close to the customer needs and expectations. The wide integration in the travel and tourism sector has caused the emergence of the wide range of the entrepreneurial enterprises such as travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, motels, restaurants, transport transfer service providers, house boats, boat stations, adventure facilitators, riding & safaris facilitators, botanical gardens, museums, bird and animal centuries etc. McClelland (1961) states that the entrepreneurship is not just the emergence or the birth of the new enterprises or the firms or the self-employment, it also allows then enterprises or the firms to function effectively. Thus, the entrepreneurship is much more than just starting the new business, and hence, it differentiates the modern and proactive management from the traditional management. The entrepreneurial behaviour or the attitude is highly significant for the success and the accomplishment of the competitive advantage of the entrepreneurial enterprise and Hitt et al (2001) reflects that it is highly influential for the success of the enterprise that what the leadership styles, behaviours, and attitudes the entrepreneur have.

Zahra et al (2001) reflects that the entrepreneurial behaviour is significant for the results obtained by the organisation or the enterprise such as profitability and the growth of the enterprise etc. McClelland (1991) proclaims that the entrepreneurs need to have some sociological, psychological and personal qualities and traits such as proactiveness, creativity, willingness to take the risks, autonomy etc. Stearns and Hills (1996) also adds the certain traits of the entrepreneurs significant and influential for the success of the enterprise such as teamwork, competitive aggressiveness, leadership, boldness, adaptability, self-confidence and ability to manage the people effectively etc. Lee and Tsang (2001) state that along with the personal traits of the entrepreneurs, the political, cultural and economic environment factors etc. re also significantly influential for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise. Research question: What are the entrepreneurial characteristics for achieving the success in the travel and tourism sector? Research objectives: To contribute to the academic literature in the context of the entrepreneurship in the travel and tourism sector. To contribute through providing the valid direction to the entrepreneurs in the travel and tourism sector through the valid findings To analyse the characteristics of the entrepreneurs most significant and important for the success of the entrepreneurs Rationale for the chosen topic: My intention to open an entrepreneurial enterprise in the tourism sector is the most influential reason for pushing me to choose this topic or the domain for the research. Secondly, i am keen to know that which characteristics or the attitudes of the entrepreneurs are most significant for the success of the entrepreneurs. Finally, my personal interest in the research domain or the research area motivated me to select or choose this topic for the research.

Research methodology: Research methodology is the way or the procedure to conduct the research (Kothari, 2002). The research methodology planned to adopt in this research project is the mixed research approach i.e. both the quantitative research approaches will be made while conducting the research for the collection and analysis of the data for the desired outcomes. Creswell (2009) states that depending only upon the quantitative results it is difficult to gain the efficacy of the resources and thus the qualitative flesh needs to be added the quantitative bones to overcome such challenges during the research and to reach the exact desired outcomes and the findings. The inductive and deductive approaches are also planned to be made effectively for the effective use of the theory from he findings and statistical results and to utilize the theory to reach the findings and conclusion during the research project. The secondary research approaches to review the literature in this research domain will be made effectively and the strong base of the knowledge and understanding will be built on the basis of the secondary data analysis. The sources of the secondary data will be both the electronic sources and the published sources, where the electronic sources would be such as the e-books, articles, websites of the associated entrepreneurial bodies and the e-journals etc. such as Emerald management e-journals, SAGE journals and the Google scholar etc. The published sources of the secondary data will also be accessed such as books, journals, research reports, business magazines etc. from the college and the local libraries. Initially, the qualitative interviews with the entrepreneurs will be made to after developing the rough questionnaire or the set of questions, which then will be refined through making the required changes. Then the well defined and well piloted questionnaire will be distributed by the both ways hard copy and electronically according to the suitability of the approach, and the respondents will be asked to respond the questions in the questionnaires on the voluntary basis. The collected quantitative data will be analysed through the various quantitative data analysis approaches such as factor analysis, ground approach and the regression analysis etc. to analyse the correlation between the different factors and the success of the entrepreneurs in the travel and tourism sector.

Timescale (Gantt chart): Work commencing Oct Nov 2011 Dec2011 W4

W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 Reviewing the literature Finalize research questions Develop Proposal Planning the research strategy Feedback on Proposal Developing rough questionnaire Conducting the interviews Preparing final questionnaire Distributing questionnaire Getting response on questionnaires Analysing the data Draft findings Draft to supervisor for feedback Revise draft Submit X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

X X X

Ethical considerations: The ethical considerations are very significant for conducting the research fairly having the moral touch. The research is planned to be following the guidelines and regulations of the national research ethics committee. The participants in the research will be prior informed for any harmful proportion of the research or the risk of the harm while participating in the research. The confidentiality of the response and the identity of the respondents will be ensured and will not be disclosed without any solid reason. The participants or the respondents will not be coerced or forced to participate or take part in the research project.

Resources required: The research cannot be conducted without the resources required such as financial resources, human resources, and the other research equipments and materials etc. The human resources are required for the collection of the data from the field, preparation of the questionnaires, and conducting the interviews etc. The other equipments and materials required during the research is such as access to the library, computer, software for the data analysis, scanner, printer and other such materials etc. The financial resources are the essential ingredient of the research project and thus the finance is required as the costs of the above discussed human resources and the other equipments and materials etc. References: Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., Camp, S.M. and Sexton, D.L. (2001), Guest editors introduction to the special issue strategic entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial strategies for wealth creation, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, pp. 479-91. Lee, D.Y. and Tsang, E.W.K. (2001), The effects of entrepreneurial personality, background and network activities on venture growth, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 38, pp. 583-602 Lee, S.M. and Peterson, S.J. (2000), Culture, entrepreneurial orientation, and global competitiveness, Journal of World Business, Vol. 35, pp. 401-16 McClelland, D.C. (1961), The Achieving Society, Van Nostrand, Princeton, NJ. McDougall, P.Ph. and Oviatt, B.M. (2000), International entrepreneurship: the intersection of two research path, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 43, pp. 902-6 Stearns, T.M. and Hills, G.E. (1996), Entrepreneurship and new firm development: a definitional introduction, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 36, pp. 1-4 Tang, Z., Kreiser, P.M., Marino, L., Dickson, P. and Weaver, K.M. (2009), A hierarchical perspective of the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 181-201 Zahra, S.A., Hayton, J., Marcel, J. and ONeill, H. (2001), Fostering entrepreneurship during international expansion: managing key challenges, European Management Journal, Vol. 19, pp. 359-69

Research project; Entrepreneurial success and human resources in tourism sector

Methodology (Participants): The research project aims at the analysis of the human resource management factors that have an influence on the success of the entrepreneurs. The sample of the population is selected on the basis of the convenience and ease in access and is the mix of the entrepreneurs whose businesses are independent (non-subsidiaries), family owned firms, whose decision making is centralized at the single place and are recognized as the innovative small-medium enterprises in the UK. Thus the total of questionnaire was sent to about 200 entrepreneurs, from which the 78 are received back having the response rate of 39%. The all entrepreneurs or the smallmedium enterprises are in the tourism sector and are having the entrepreneurship in the areas such as hotels, motels, picnic spots, private museums, travel agencies, tour operators, massage shops, adventure facilitators etc. Survey development: Initially using the draft questionnaire, 5 interviews were conducted to make the pathway clear and the sound through the supportive knowledge. The literature review also has enabled the effective preparation of the final questionnaire. The questionnaire was then revised and refined using the pilot interviews and evaluating with the research findings existing in this research domain. To get the maximum response rate, the request to respond the survey was also accompanied by the commitment of sending the copy of the results or the findings of the research project. The mission and objectives of the research was clearly states along with the request for responding the survey.

Questionnaire: 1. What is your aim for developing the entrepreneurial enterprise? Independence Fulfilment of an idea earn money Professional fulfilment

2. What is your educational qualification? Basic or elementary training University education Vocational training

3. Does the specific department of human resources exist in the enterprise? Yes No

4. Please rate the characterization of the entrepreneurs according to their significance for the success of entrepreneurial enterprise: (5- extremely significant, 4- highly significant, 3- significant, 2-least significant, 1-not significant) 5 Self confidence Creativity Dynamism & energy Leadership Experience Flexibility Ability to calculate risks Initiative Perception Optimism Need to achieve
8

Ability to get on well with people Perseverance and determination Versatility Direct towards profits Independence (own boss) Receptivity to suggestions and criticism

The questions in the questionnaires are set towards assessing the significance of the different factors influencing the success of the entrepreneurship, where some of the questions demonstrates the factors in the context of the abilities, traits, qualities and characteristics of the entrepreneurs and rest of the questions are in the context of the HR functionalities influencing the success of the entrepreneurship such as to identify the effective strategies, policies and practices in the context of the HRM, the question is asked that whether the HR department is existing or not in the enterprise. The respondents are asked to rate the different characteristics and traits of the entrepreneurs on the Likert scale from 5 to 1, where 5 reflects the extreme significance of the entrepreneurial trait or the characteristic for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise, whereas the 1 exhibits the no significance of the trait or the characteristic of the entrepreneur for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise. The sample is selected on the basis of the characteristic of the innovation, creativity and the proactiveness, which are used as the parameters of the success for the enterprises. Thus to find out the correlation between the study level and the success of the entrepreneurs the question is linked to the entrepreneurs themselves by asking their educational qualification. Similarly, the purpose of the development of the enterprise is also linked with their personal purpose of the development of the entrepreneurship enterprise to analyse and assess the significance of the purposes of pursuing the entrepreneurship and the success.

Results: Table-1: Measurement reliability: (p < 0.05) Characterization entrepreneur Experience Initiative of an Correlated item; total correlation 0.60 0.81 0.029 0.03 p-value

leadership Independence (own boss) Ability to get on well with people Need to achieve Ability to calculate risks Creativity Dynamism and energy Perception Receptivity to suggestions and criticism Direct towards profits Flexibility Self-confidence Versatility Perseverance determination and

0.83 0.75 0.67

0.00 0.007 0.030

0.69 0.48 0.69 0.63 0.75 0.61

0.038 0.181 0.016 0.039 0.027 0.252

0.80 0.74 0.51 0.75 0.59

0.038 0.277 0.028 0.031 0.007

Through using the multiple statistical techniques it is determined that which factors allow us to explain and predict the entrepreneurial success and involved the analysis of the ration between fixed costs and variable costs or minimum cost output. To evaluate the reliability of the indices, the Cronbachs alpha and the item-total correlation coefficients are computed to analyse the characterization of an entrepreneur. Internal consistent reliability i.e. Cronbachs alpha was 0.89. An alpha level of 0.70 or above are accepted or recognized as the acceptable. Correlated total item correlations are in the range from 0.48 to 0.53 and the most of the correlated item total correlations are above 50 which indicates the high level of variance with respect to the other constructs. If the p value id more than 0.05 the factors are considered as the significant factors. Each contrasts p-value is calculated for continuous and discrete variables respectively. Table -2: Cruscall Wallis test: Factor Minimum cost output

10

Qualifications

University education Vocational training Basic or elementary training Aim pursued

0.003 0.017 0.367

Professional fulfilment Fulfilment of an idea Earn money Independence The existence of the specific department for human resources

0.278 0.021 0.017 0.000 0.041

The Kruskal Wallis test is applied to assess which variable has the influence on the minimum cost output i.e. the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise we can say in the other words.

Findings: According to the evaluations the most often characteristic attributes of the entrepreneurs having accomplishing the success are self-confidence and the initiatives i.e. these are the most significant for the success of the enterprise. After these two characteristic attributes, the dynamism, leadership, perseverance, creativity and energy, receptivity and the ability to get on with the people take place respectively as the most significant to less significant factors or the attributes for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprises. The higher most cost output is reflected by the Entrepreneurs having the post graduate educational qualification. In the context of the purpose for pursuing the entrepreneurship, the intention to accomplish an idea reflects the higher level of the minimum cost output then the other constructs i.e. the entrepreneurs having the intention to fulfil an idea are having the higher levels of the success than the other purposes of engaging with the entrepreneurship.

11

The enterprises, which have existing their own HR departments have the higher minimum cost output i.e. the availability of the HR departments is also significant towards the success of the entrepreneurial enterprises.

Discussion: The findings reflect that the self-confidence of the entrepreneurs has the highest influence on the success of the enterprise. Lee and Tsang (2001)s statement in the direction of this finding seems to be solid that the self-confidence enables the entrepreneur to take the bold decisions and the quick reactions proactively or reactively in the entrepreneurial enterprise. It is apparent that the self-confident in the entrepreneurs is dependent on the strong base of knowledge, experience and expertise in the specific contexts toward which the decisions or the actions are to be made by the entrepreneurs. Thus the expertise, experience and the knowledge potential of the entrepreneur is also highly significant for the success of the enterprise along with the self-confidence of the entrepreneurs. (Hitt et al, 2001) The initiatives of the entrepreneurs are also exhibited as the most significant entrepreneurial characteristic equal to the self-confidence in the evaluations made in the research. The initiatives are also associated with somewhere the leading roles in the enterprise and the confidence on the initiatives to be taken by the entrepreneurs (McDougall and Oviatt, 2000). The initiatives may be in the different contexts in the tourism entrepreneurial enterprises such as the adoption of the change in the business processes, values and the strategies etc. and the initiatives to the change in the organisational culture etc. The dynamism is also reflected as the highly significant characteristic attitude of the entrepreneurs for the success of the enterprise though the awareness, sensitiveness, intelligence etc. are seems to be supportive terms to the dynamism which is important for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise. (Lee and Peterson, 2000) The leadership is also shown as the highly significant factor or the variable for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise in the research findings. Zahra et al, (2001) says that the effective leadership competency in the entrepreneurs is centric to the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise though the leaders can lead the people and the whole organisation to the desired and specified situations in the different circumstances. According to Stearns and Hills (1996), without the effective leadership it is un-usual to cope with the crisis and chaos in the enterprise and hence, the effective leadership can enable the enterprise to solve the problems effectively and especially the adoption of the change in the organisational culture, values, strategies and the business process reengineering etc. is highly dependent on
12

the effective leadership, or it can be said that without the effective leadership, the change cannot be adopted effectively and strategically in the entrepreneurial enterprise and the adoption of the strategic change is supportive to the success of the enterprise. (Tang et al, 2009) Creative and energetic behaviour is also stated as the highly significant variable for the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise in the research findings which seems to be the valuable finding though the creativity enables the entrepreneur to build the short-cuts in the entrepreneurship context, effective problem solving, effective strategic making etc. which are the indications toward the success of the enterprise (McDougall and Oviatt, 2000). The energetic behaviours are also displayed as the important variables for the success of the enterprise, which enables the entrepreneurs to be reliant on the compassion, highly committed and involved to the enterprise. Hitt et al, (2001) reflects the energetic behaviour of the entrepreneur enables the entrepreneur to make the long time spending in the enterprise towards the success of the entrepreneurial enterprise. The findings demonstrate that the educational qualifications are also influential for the success of the enterprise i.e. the entrepreneurs having the qualification of the post-graduate level is correlated with the success of the enterprise positively. It is apparent that the educational entrepreneurs have the strong base of the knowledge and intelligence, which is appreciative towards the accomplishment of the success in the entrepreneurial enterprises of the travel and tourism sector (Lee and Peterson, 2000). The findings also demonstrate that the intention of the entrepreneurs to fulfil the idea as the purpose of pursing the entrepreneurship is more significant variable for the success rather than the other purposes such as earn the money, fulfilment of the professional needs etc. The findings show that the purpose to be just independent for pursuing in the entrepreneurship has no correlation with the success of the enterprise though it doesnt demonstrates the valid attempts or the efforts when the entrepreneurs are just limited to be independent. (Lee and Tsang, 2001) The research findings also reflect that the entrepreneurial enterprises having the separate existing HR department are more influential to accomplish the success that is the correlation between the availability of the HR department and the success of the enterprise are significant. Lee and Peterson (2000)s assumption seems to be in the direction of the research finding that the availability of the effective HR strategies, policies and practices enables the entrepreneurs to manage and lead the human resources in an effective way and effective utilization of the human resources leads the enterprises to the fruitful situations, because the human resources are the only active resources. Hitt et al (2001) reflects that
13

skilled, talented and experienced workplace, when effectively managed and leaded is the most valuable asset of an organisation. The present research seems to be having the limitations in the two broad contexts; one is the sample used and other is the magnitude used for analysing the entrepreneurial success. The sample used for the research project is completely convenient and UK based and thus the results or the findings may be biased if are applied on the whole tourism entrepreneurial sector, because the nature of the characteristics & attitudes of the entrepreneurs may have the different levels of the correlation with the entrepreneurial success. Secondly, the magnitude used for the entrepreneurial success i.e. the selection of just those enterprise in which the entrepreneur has re-invested the profits. These investments may be short term and just situational and there may not be the real and effective effort of the entrepreneurs behind these profits.

Conclusion: It can be concluded from the findings that the self-confidence and the initiatives as the characteristic attitudes of the entrepreneurs have the most significant correlation with the entrepreneurial success followed by the variables or the characteristic attitudes of the entrepreneurs such as leadership, dynamism, perseverance, creativity and the energetic behaviour etc. The finding also conclude that the entrepreneurial enterprises having the effective separate HRM functional area or the department are more likely to attain the success than the other ones where the HRM department is unavailable. It can also be concluded from the findings that the purpose of the accomplishment of the idea is more significant to achieve the success than the intention of the entrepreneurs to earn money, professional accomplishments and the intention to be just dependent. Overall it can be concluded from the research findings that however the research findings are in the direction of the previous assumptions, research findings and the academic approaches, and reflect the sound perspective of the findings, but the findings seems to be limited to the regional entrepreneurs and the criteria to measure the entrepreneurial success also exhibits somewhere the risks of the biased findings.

Recommendations:
14

The further research approaches in this research domain can be made through choosing the large sample from the different regional areas which may provide the more sound perspective of the research approach. The further research approaches in this context also need to use the solid magnitude or criteria for measuring the entrepreneurial success or to identify the succeeding entrepreneurial enterprises. The integrated research approaches in this research domain can also be made through assessing the correlation and influence of the different entrepreneurial traits, qualities and attitudes separately to reach the more solid conclusions or the certain findings.

References: Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., Camp, S.M. and Sexton, D.L. (2001), Guest editors introduction to the special issue strategic entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial strategies for wealth creation, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, pp. 479-91. Lee, D.Y. and Tsang, E.W.K. (2001), The effects of entrepreneurial personality, background and network activities on venture growth, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 38, pp. 583-602 Lee, S.M. and Peterson, S.J. (2000), Culture, entrepreneurial orientation, and global competitiveness, Journal of World Business, Vol. 35, pp. 401-16 McClelland, D.C. (1961), The Achieving Society, Van Nostrand, Princeton, NJ. McDougall, P.Ph. and Oviatt, B.M. (2000), International entrepreneurship: the intersection of two research path, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 43, pp. 902-6 Stearns, T.M. and Hills, G.E. (1996), Entrepreneurship and new firm development: a definitional introduction, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 36, pp. 1-4 Tang, Z., Kreiser, P.M., Marino, L., Dickson, P. and Weaver, K.M. (2009), A hierarchical perspective of the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 181-201 Zahra, S.A., Hayton, J., Marcel, J. and ONeill, H. (2001), Fostering entrepreneurship during international expansion: managing key challenges, European Management Journal, Vol. 19, pp. 359-69

15