Managerial Competencies and Organisational Performance in Wildlife Tourism Hotels: Evidence from an Ecologically Sensitive Tourism Destination

Abstract

This study examines managerial competencies among hotel managers operating in the wildlife tourism context of the Jim Corbett National Park region, India, and investigates their relationships with financial and non-financial organisational performance. Data were collected from 344 hotel managers using a structured questionnaire assessing cognitive, functional, meta, social, and environmental behaviour competencies. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Meta competency emerged as the highest-rated competency dimension, whereas environmental behaviour competency received the lowest rating. The regression results indicated that competency dimensions were associated differently with organisational performance. Cognitive and meta competencies were significant positive predictors of financial performance, whereas social and environmental behaviour competencies were significant positive predictors of non-financial performance. Environmental behaviour competency, however, demonstrated a negative relationship with financial performance. The findings highlight the multidimensional and context-dependent nature of managerial competencies and their differential associations with organisational outcomes. By extending an established hospitality competency framework to include environmental behaviour competency, the study provides context-specific evidence on managerial capabilities in ecologically sensitive wildlife tourism destinations.