Managing CSR in Croatian Hospitality: The Case of Luxury Boutique Hotels

Despite the vast research in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), little has been done to analyze luxury hospitality. The overall image that emerges from literature is negative, presuming that hotels use CSR often as greenwashing or marketing tool. This study is not about its procedures, it goes one step further, putting participants in the spotlight. Both guests and hotel workers are involved in the research through interviews (group interviews and in-depth interviews with hotel managers). One of the authors was involved as participant observant and interviewer/moderator. The analysis of field work conducted in a couple of boutique luxury hotels in Croatian coastline shows diametrically opposite results. Having regard that this is an exploratory study, the intent was not to generalize but to provide an insight into better understanding of how guests’ expectations change the hospitality industry and managerial challenges during that process. This project will contribute as a relevant starting point for future researchers in the area of sustainability in luxury hospitality