Sustained Performance through Entrepreneurial Leadership and People Management: Case Study of a Hotel

Abstract

The hotel industry in Sri Lanka is one of the country's most important foreign income generators. In this regard, Rajarata Hotels in Anuradhapura is one of the city's largest hotels, with over a hundred rooms. The hotel opened in 1970 and was incorporated in 1974. As a result of the hotel's refurbishment, significant changes occurred after new management took over in 2013. Rajarata Hotels Ltd.'s consistent performance is evident from both a financial and non-financial perspective. The authors cited numerous research articles to articulate the theoretical underpinnings of sustained performance-financial performance is defined in this study in a variety of ways, and it is linked to monetary aspects such as profitability and revenue, as well as other elements such as organisational volume, employee attraction, adaptability, employee attitude, and organisational culture. However, in this study, sustained performance is examined from a non-financial standpoint, alongside continuous growth, which is influenced by the company's management and employees' skills and capabilities. It is directly related to achieving sustained performance. Most importantly, the study identifies three key motivators: demonstrating entrepreneurial leadership, creating value, and implementing people management strategies, all of which result in sustained performance. To keep the focus on the case study, a conceptual framework was established. Aside from secondary sources, the authors conducted 10 in-depth interviews, six diverse focus group discussions based on a structured interview guide, and direct observations of hotel staff to support and validate study findings. The study findings will be useful for future research, and other hotels can apply the practical implications to their operations. At the same time, leadership styles can be varied with the different personalities of the leaders having for their organizations.