Modeling the selection of high customer-contact personnel: An application of behavioral decision-making theory

The purpose of this study is to explore the utility of behavioral decision-making theory in differentiating potential high customer-contact employees with passions for service and working with people from those who have motivation to work in positions that require less customer interaction. Specifically, a multiple criteria decision-making instrument was developed based on a set of performance and motivational criteria relevant to the hospitality industry. The data were gathered from a group of college students attending a hospitality school in the northeastern part of the United States. Although the research effort described in this study is exploratory in nature, the results revealed that application of behavioral decision theory is possible. The most prevalent motive for this sample of hospitality students in choosing high customer-contact jobs was their need for affiliation (n-Aff).