The evaluation of priorities in the selection of top managers in city hotels with AHP method: The case of Eskişehir

Businesses must develop their ability to operate on a long-term basis and to stand out in an intense competitive environment. Developing business skills is possible only if the existing employees have the appropriate positions and job competencies. Managerial performance is very important in increasing the performance of a bussiness, bringing customer satisfaction to the highest level and providing quality services and products. Hotel managers manage the existing employees in line with the mission and vision of the enterprises in the best way and try to make the best management of the hotel by making right and quick decisions in the planning and decision stage. Choosing the right manager for the job is one of the critical decisions. Thus, the competencies of a hotel manager are important. The aim of this study is to determine the most important competences of the top hotel managers in city hotels in Turkey. Within the scope of the study, 71 competencies -33 technical competence, 38 general competence- were collected by a literature analysis. The validity ratios of the assessed competences were calculated by applying the Lawshe technique and the required competencies were determined. As a result of the expert evaluations, six competences were identified as unnecessary and 65 competencies as required, four of which were technical competence and two were general competence. Required competencies were weighted and ranked by AHP method as the result of evaluation of 10 hotel managers. As a result of the study, customer relationship management and financial management are seen as the most important competencies from the technical competencies and problem solving and crisis management within the general competencies category emerged as the most important competencies. Keywords: Human Resources Management, Hotel Management, Management Competencies, Analytic Hierarchy Process