Gender disparities and positioning in collaborative hospitality and tourism research

Purpose: This paper aims to explore gender disparities in the production of tourism knowledge with particular reference to academic journals. Design/methodology/approach: Authorship and co-authorship analyses were conducted of data extracted from articles and research notes published between 1965 and 2016 in 25 hospitality and tourism journals. Findings: Gender imbalances are evident in the production of knowledge, though the disparities appear to be decreasing. While heterophilic research collaborations (those between men and women) show some evidence of higher productivity, homophilic collaborations (between males) have greater impact. The findings highlight gender imbalances in international collaborations, in SSCI listed journals, in first authoring and by country. There is evidence of higher collaborative levels among male authors and the differences have increased over time. The positioning of men and women within tourism scholarly networks shows no marked differences. Practical implications: This data-driven analysis provides decision makers and policymakers with evidence to support well-targeted programs that advance female contributions in hospitality and tourism research collaborations. For example, senior academics and University administrators might offer support for female researchers to become more actively involved in hospitality and tourism research groups and projects. Universities or schools might also seek to encourage collaborations between male and female researchers in their performance indicators. Originality/value: This study is one of the first to examine gender disparities and positioning in collaborative hospitality and tourism research.