HRM Practices and Customer Satisfaction in the Hotel Industry: The Mediating Role of Service Quality

Customer satisfaction has garnered considerable attention in both academic research and practical implementation, given its established importance for the success of hotel establishments. This research contributes to the services marketing within the hotel sector by deepening the understanding of the relationships among human resource management (HRM) practices, service quality, and customer satisfaction in the context of a developing nation’s hotel industry. Data collection involved the administration of paper-based questionnaires to 367 guests staying at 4-star hotels located in Kish Island, Iran. Utilizing the partial least squares (PLS) method, data analysis was carried out, employing Smart PLS for hypothesis testing and model validation. Results of the analysis underscored the significant impact of HRM practices on service quality and customer satisfaction, highlighting the mediating role of service quality in the relationship between HRM practices and customer satisfaction. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to devise effective strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction within the hotel industry of developing nations.