Understanding the Gap between University Revenue Management Courses and the Job Market

ABSTRACT Revenue management (RM) is vital for a hotel’s success. Qualified revenue managers are required to maximize the hotels’ profit. Hospitality schools’ RM courses are critical for preparing students for these roles. Even though hospitality schools and associations provide RM classes, lack of qualified candidates is considered a significant challenge. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to revisit this issue and identify the gap between the competencies needed for RM professionals and the RM courses offered by universities. A descriptive analysis was conducted comparing the competencies described in job descriptions with the competencies described in the course catalog descriptions for hospitality RM courses (undergraduate level). Interpersonal communication, communications, marketing, and strategic management are frequently mentioned in the job descriptions but are not mentioned in the course descriptions. Risk management emerged as a new competency from the interviews but was not in the job descriptions or course descriptions.