Hotel general manager profile in China: a case of Guangdong Province.

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate general managers' (GM) demographic characteristics and career paths in China's indigenous economy and budget hotels.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was chosen as the most appropriate means of obtaining information from 104 general managers in Guangdong Province, China.Findings – The data from this study indicate that the majority of general managers are between ages of 31‐51, predominantly males with three‐year vocational college educations, and trained in either a hospitality/business‐related major or totally non‐business‐related major. The career paths of younger general managers show more similarities with their counterparts on the international market. However, some unique differences are identified. General managers in China have more years of non‐hotel experiences and pursue more diversified experiences. Experience in marketing and sales and human resources are considered particularly important in qualifying them for the GM posit...