Abstract
This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how management-level Ethiopian hotel employees experienced job satisfaction while working under expatriate general managers in the Ethiopian hotel sector. The research question guiding the study was: How did management-level Ethiopian hotel employees experience job satisfaction while working under expatriate general managers?Seven management-level Ethiopian hotel employees from four internationally branded hotels in Addis Ababa were recruited using criterion-based purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted in Amharic via Zoom, transcribed using ElevenLabs and analyzed in MAXQDA, resulting in six themes and two sub-themes.
Findings revealed a mixed picture of job satisfaction. Cultural divides, perceived compensation inequities, and language barriers often reduced local employees’ job satisfaction. In contrast, transformational leadership behaviors by expatriate general managers - particularly teamwork promotion, training and development, and employee recognition - increased job satisfaction.
The study proposes five solutions to narrow these gaps: mandatory pre-arrival cross-cultural and adaptive leadership training, transformational leadership development programs, transparent compensation communication protocols, comprehensive language support systems, and local workforce cross-cultural orientation programs. These recommendations can strengthen the Ethiopian hotel sector by improving employee satisfaction, retention, and performance under expatriate leadership.