Resilience and individual competitive productivity: the role of age in the tourism industry

Organizational resilience, the ability to adapt to changing environments, is crucial for achieving organizational goals. Previous research highlights the positive relationship between organizational resilience and employee resilience, yet the impact of employee resilience on business competitiveness remains under-explored. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between individual resilience and Individual Competitive Productivity (ICP). ICP, defined as the attitude and behavior aimed at outperforming competition through pragmatism, incorporates elements like flexibility and adaptation, which align with the characteristics of resilience. The study focuses on the tourism industry due to its recognized vulnerability to crises and the consequent need for resilience. The research investigates how individual resilience, potentially influenced by age (used as a proxy for life experience), relates to ICP components and proposes implications for recruitment policies that can enhance organizational resilience.

The literature review explores the concepts of individual resilience and its connection to ICP. Resilience is defined as the ability to positively adapt to adversity and thrive in new environments. Previous studies show a positive relationship between employee resilience and job performance, suggesting that resilient employees contribute to a more resilient organization. In the context of organizational competitiveness, the management of a quality workforce, including employees' skills, has become a key factor. Moreover, organizational ambidexterity—the ability to pursue both exploration (innovation) and exploitation (efficiency)—is crucial for superior performance. Studies show that a diverse workforce, combining the perspectives of young and experienced employees, can promote ambidexterity and resilience. The tourism industry's particular vulnerability to crises, due to its reliance on people movement, intangible products, and image, underscores the importance of resilience in this sector.

To measure individual resilience in the tourism industry, the study adapted existing scales from Lee et al. (2013) and Orchiston et al. (2016), focusing on planned and adaptive resilience. The study employed a quantitative online survey with 425 tourism professionals and students in Spain during the COVID-19 crisis. The survey included 13 items measuring individual resilience using a 5-point Likert scale, along with two items assessing competitive versus collaborative attitudes in normal and crisis situations (9-point differential scale). Sociodemographic data (sex, age, education, profession, nationality) were also collected. Data analysis involved exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify underlying dimensions of individual resilience, addressing missing values through listwise deletion. A z-test was used to compare resilience levels across three age groups: juniors (17-28 years), mid-career workers (29-39 years), and seniors (40-53 years).

The study's sample consisted predominantly of men (62.6%) and employed individuals (54.1%). EFA revealed two factors of individual resilience: 'Openness & Ideals' (solidarity, communication, collaboration) and 'Competencies' (decision-making, planning, leadership, preparedness). Cronbach's alpha showed strong internal consistency (0.92). The z-test revealed statistically significant differences (*p* < 0.05) between senior and mid-career respondents, and between juniors and mid-career respondents, in most resilience items. Seniors generally exhibited higher resilience levels than mid-career workers, while juniors showed higher scores in 'leveraging knowledge.' Across all age groups, the 'Competencies' factor showed lower mean values than the 'Openness & Ideals' factor. Respondents generally displayed more collaborative than competitive attitudes, with mid-career workers showing the highest level of collaborative attitudes both in normal and crisis conditions. Seniors, surprisingly, displayed the lowest level of collaborative attitudes.

The findings support the hypothesis of a close link between individual resilience and ICP, both conceptually and in terms of measurement. The identified resilience dimensions align with previous research, while age appears to significantly influence resilience levels. Older workers show greater resilience and a tendency towards competitive attitudes during both normal and crisis situations. Conversely, younger workers display higher collaboration and a willingness to assist the organization. The study highlights a tension between the advantages of experience and diversity. A strategy that leverages both might yield optimal resilience. A diverse workforce, incorporating both young and experienced individuals, fosters integrative thinking, leading to organizational ambidexterity and sustained competitiveness.

This study contributes to understanding the relationship between individual resilience, ICP, and age in the tourism industry. The findings underscore the importance of enhancing both internal and operational aspects of resilience through targeted talent management. Organizations should foster a diverse workforce that balances experience and innovation, leveraging the strengths of each age group. Future research could investigate the impact of specific HR practices on fostering resilience, explore other factors influencing resilience beyond age, and extend the study to other industries and crisis contexts.

The study's limitations include a heterogeneous sample combining professionals and students, the influence of the COVID-19 crisis on responses, and the use of age as a sole proxy for life experience. Future research should use a more homogenous sample, explore the influence of different types of crises, incorporate other variables like managerial level, and collect objective measures of productivity. The analysis of worker attitudes during normal conditions should also be considered.