Innovation Barriers and Proactive Work Behaviour: Lessons from Selected Hotels in Nairobi City, Kenya

Proactive work behavior and innovation in hotels may bring about positive changes in work environment which may include improved quality products, increased efficiency, a cut on costs and a greater market share. Despite these benefits, hotels seem to struggle to be proactive and innovative; this challenge may be attributed to innovation barriers such as governmental constraints, incompetence and risks of failure of innovative ideas. These barriers lessen employees’ personal initiative, ability to take charge, voice views and sell issues to others. This book makes a significant contribution to innovation in hospitality management. It examines innovation barriers which affect proactive work in the Kenyan hotel industry. The book contends that endogenous barriers stifle proactive behavior. Conversely, exogenous barriers breed proactive behavior. Lastly, gender diversity at workplace creates a broader search base for proactive and innovative employees. This book is useful to university students in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, managers in the industry, consultants, senior government officers working in tourism and hospitality public institutions and anybody interested in training staff on innovation and proactive behaviour at the work place. The book will strengthen the reader’s ability to critically evaluate barriers which stifle the performance of hospitality innovations in Kenya and the world.