DiPietro, Robin

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Honorary Professor
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Last updated September 19, 2024
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Robin DiPietro is an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies at the University of Aruba. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She then went on to get her Ph.D. in Community and Human Resources from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well. She has 20 years of restaurant experience with a Burger King franchisee, Horizon Holding Inc. based in the Midwest. Since 2003, she has taught at the University of Central Florida, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of South Carolina where she has been since 2009. Her research areas include multi-unit restaurant management and human resource issues in food service operations. She currently teaches Strategic Management, Training and Development, and Advanced Foodservice Operations courses at the University of South Carolina.

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    Perceptions and implications of implicit gender bias in the hotel sector in Aruba
    (Emerald Insight, 2024) Jadnanansing, Madhu; DiPietro, Robin; de Droog, Mieke
    Purpose: This study aimed to collect data on the perception of top executive women in the Aruban hotel sector regarding implicit gender bias. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study on the metacognitive processes of awareness, evaluation and autocorrection was utilized. Through purposive sampling women in the top two leadership levels in Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association (AHATA) member-hotels were selected. Findings: Results showed that a third of the top female executives experienced implicit gender bias career barriers. Different types of bias were identified such as: judgments regarding pregnancy, unequal pay and obstructions by the male general manager. How the women dealt with this bias depended on the type of bias and their personality. The identification of bias and its effects on the career trajectory were also influenced by characteristics of the work setting such as the size of the hotel and functional area. Research limitations/implications: The research limitations include the chosen scope, the impediment of the generalizability of the findings due to the nature of the study, self-perceived data and possible researcher and respondent bias. Practical implications This study added to the existing body of leadership development literature with a focus on the effects of implicit bias on female leadership advancement. Some specific theoretical concepts that were combined in this study are organizational leadership, metacognition and the unconscious mind. The important role of personality was also confirmed in this study however one element that stood out in the current study was the effect of resilience in overcoming perceived barriers and attaining personal career goals. Suggestions and directions for future research are provided. Originality/value Despite the fact that gender bias was not observed in an explicit form, participants advised to be aware of the existence and effects of the implicit form and to seek education and guidance from female mentors and to remain goal oriented when confronted with this bias. Since female under-representation in senior leadership positions in other economic sectors is not observed this advice serves as a significant practical implication for the development of female leadership in this important sector in Aruba.