Management innovation in the hotel industry

The study of management innovation has gained relevance in recent years, but there is a lack of empirical research analysing the factors that favour it. This article contemplates two types of antecedents of management innovation in the hospitality industry. In the internal context of the company, the influence of the employees' knowledge and skills is analysed, as well as the company's capacity to integrate this knowledge. In the external setting, an evaluation is performed of the way relationships established with tourist industry agents and external change agents affect the development of management innovation. The data obtained from 109 firms operating hotel establishments in Spain show that both the internal resources and the relations with external change agents determine the introduction of management innovations. However, access to knowledge held by tourist industry agents does not influence management innovation.