Gender Equity in Hospitality: The Case of India

Research on gender and leadership has historically been dominated by the Global North, where there tend to be more woman leaders than in the Global South. However, scholars are increasingly questioning the generalizability of the results of such research, while at the same time highlighting the importance of contextualizing leadership studies within distinct socio-cultural frameworks.

Understanding the contextual differences at play, Gender Equity in Hospitality: The Case of India showcases the barriers, both systemic and individual, to woman leadership in the hospitality sector in India, including cultural discouragement, training, and development gaps as well as commonly held prejudices. On the other hand, Dr Payal Kumar also details HR policies, such as flexi-timing, that have successfully benefitted women in hospitality, and which have the potential to serve as future models for implementing systemic change.

Providing important insights for critical management scholars and educators around the world, Gender Equity in Hospitality: The Case of India offers an ideal case study for examining the barriers to woman leadership in India. For leaders across the sector, this monograph provides private industry and public policy recommendations for transforming the country into a top global hospitality destination.

Payal Kumar is Dean of Research & Management Studies, Indian School of Hospitality, India, Emerald Brand Ambassador and the Academy of Management Discoveries South Asian Ambassador. In addition to being an award-winning academician and prolific writer, she is also a passionate teacher of doctoral and postgraduate students. Payal is also a co-author of Gender Equity in the Boardroom: The Case of India (Emerald Group Publishing, 2020).