Influence of Empirical Work on the Job-Related Ethics of Hotel Interns: A Case Study of Students in Mainland China

Abstract

This study aims to determine the extent to which empirical work influences job-related ethics by assessing interns' level of business ethics before and after an internship. Results indicate that work ethics improved after the internship. Factor analysis was used to identify 4 factors that affect work ethics: benefiting at the expense of the hotel, benefiting at the expense of guests, infringement on guests' privacy, and tips and grey areas. Interns were classified into 3 groups according to their level of work ethics: active responders, middle contradictors, and passive obligators. Hotel culture and gender influenced the interns' level of business ethics.

Keywords:

• hotel practice
• internship students
• job-related ethics
• development of ethics

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by a grant from the social culture fund of the Department of Education, Shandong Province, China (Project Code: J09WJ73). The comments made by referees are also acknowledged.