Unconventional incentive schemes in tourism enterprises, does it make sense?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe the model of the most important employee financial participation (EFP) programs and give some proposals aiming at wider promotion of financial participation in tourist companies in order to show the occurring relations between the programs applied and the socioeconomic results of enterprises. The research has been based on available literature and own research conducted on the sample of Polish companies listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange. The author’s research could serve as a guide to carry out similar research in the tourist resort. Financial participation programs existing in particular countries differ because of various circumstances in which they are applied, various range and eligibility of employees, though it is possible to find such elements which they have in common. What can be expected is a radical change in workers’ attitudes towards a higher commitment, stronger identification with the company, and as a result taking responsibility for its future. It is even more important in tourist industry (in transnational tourist companies) in a comparison to the traditional one. It can be assumed that the awareness aspect plays here a vital role in the way to a success of the whole company and individual employees’ as well. Unfortunately, this is not a common condition. We can expect that EFP programs generally would have a positive influence on the functioning of the tourist enterprise. However, the effects could be rather social than economic. More rigorous statistical analysis is needed to know more about economic results in tourist industry, unfortunately such studies are not conducted in tourism, so the question in the title is still open.