Innovation in the Venetian Hotel Industry: A Qualitative Analysis of Its Drivers and Obstacles.

The aim of this thesis is the one of understanding the characteristics of the innovation process in the Venetian hotel industry. There will be an introduction to the trends dominating the hotel sector at the moment, both locally and internationally. The research will then present the characteristics of the Venetian hotel industry. It will also be analysed the importance of creativity and innovation in this industry globally, through the review of the existing literature. We will then present the role of human resources into the innovation process, describing both drivers and obstacles to innovation in the hotel industry. Soft skills will be introduced as an important element to understand the role of people in the firm and they will be presented as one possible driver to innovation. The focus will then shift to a more general picture of the actors, the objects, the drivers, the results and the obstacles to innovation. Through interviews and one questionnaire to owners, general managers and middle managers of 4 and 5 stars Venetian hotels, it will be presented the approach of these hotels to innovation. The research will be concluded with the presentation of questionnaire and interviews results, and with the attempt to delineate a model to define the innovative behaviour of Venetian hotels.