The only group of “new managers” who have been extensively researched are
women. Whilst our understanding of the ways in which the culture of the industry has
historically excluded women from senior management has increased (Guerrier, 1986;
Hicks, 1990; Purcell, 1993), there are few signs that women are smashing the “glass
Ceiling” in the hospitality industry. Even in the States the number of women hotel
general managers remains low (Nebel, 1991) although Brownell (1994) is relatively
optimistic about the future even if she concedes that “the majority of women...
confront significant challenges to their career development” (p. 115).