Informal learning research in hospitality and tourism: A systematic literature review

Authors

Justice K. Kodom-Wiredu, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Alan Coetzer, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Janice Redmond, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Jalleh Sharafizad, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Volume

52

First Page

13

Last Page

28

Publisher

Elsevier

School

School of Business and Law

RAS ID

52070

Comments

Kodom-Wiredu, J. K., Coetzer, A., Redmond, J., & Sharafizad, J. (2022). Informal learning research in hospitality and tourism: A systematic literature review. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 52, 13-28.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.05.011

Abstract

Informal learning (IL) in hospitality and tourism (H&T) is a significant contributor to improving individual and organisational performance. However, prior research in this field is fragmented and there is a need to assemble and evaluate these studies. This paper presents the first known systematic review and critique of the literature in this field. A filtered search resulted in 70 empirical studies published in ABDC ranked journals. Analysis of the studies revealed the following: (1) concentration of research in developed-country contexts, (2) limited exploration of theories that encapsulate both personal and work environment factors that might influence participation in informal learning, (3) lack of research designs that incorporate rigour such as multi-source data, mixed-methods, causality testing, or multilevel analysis, and (4) limited exploration of the antecedents and outcomes of employees’ engagement in IL activities. Drawing on these findings, the paper provides several suggestions for future research.

DOI

10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.05.011

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