What skills do hospitality executives need for better financial outcomes from internationalization?

This study examines how characteristics of top executives moderate the effect of internationalization on hospitality firms’ performance. Using US publicly-traded hospitality firms, this study conducts hierarchical linear modeling to investigate how executives’ functional background and operating ability influence the relationship between internationalization and financial outcomes. Findings of this study indicate that the functional background and operating ability of top executives significantly affect internationalization’s impact on firm performance. This study also reveals different measurements of internationalization and a firm’s financial performance matter for the relationship of interest. Considering the lack of research on the moderating effects of hospitality executives’ characteristics and how they connect to internationalization and firm performance, this study bridges this gap in the literature.