What question did this study set out to answer?

This research investigates how BSHM alumni sustain their hospitality businesses despite financial and operational challenges.

May 20, 2026Open Access

Entrepreneurial Resilience of BSHM Alumni in Sustaining Hospitality Businesses

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Entrepreneurial resilience, manifested through adaptive business strategies, financial discipline, and psycho-social support, is a critical determinant of business sustainability for small-scale hospitality entrepreneurs. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Key Points

This research investigates how BSHM alumni sustain their hospitality businesses despite financial and operational challenges.
Qualitative phenomenological approach was used to gather insights from three active BSHM alumni managing hospitality enterprises.
Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, audio recordings, and field notes for thorough analysis.
Thematic analysis framework by Braun and Clarke was applied to identify resilience patterns.
Entrepreneurs utilized adaptive strategies like menu modification and cost adjustment to navigate fluctuating sales.
Psychological and social factors, including family support and perseverance, significantly contributed to sustained business success.
Findings suggest that resilience is essential for business sustainability, extending beyond technical skills from education.

Abstract

Abstract. This study examined the entrepreneurial resilience of Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management alumni in sustaining hospitality businesses in Brooke’s Point, Palawan. Although hospitality entrepreneurship among graduates continues to grow, limited empirical evidence explains how small-scale hospitality entrepreneurs maintain business continuity amid financial instability, operational constraints, and market uncertainties in local community settings. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study purposively selected three Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management alumni from Palawan State University who were actively managing hospitality enterprises. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, supplemented by audio recordings and field notes, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework to identify patterns of resilience in entrepreneurial practice. Findings revealed that entrepreneurial resilience was demonstrated through adaptive business strategies such as menu modification, cost adjustment, and flexible operations in response to fluctuating sales and rising operational costs. Participants also sustained their businesses through financial discipline, customer relationship management, networking, and the use of digital platforms for marketing and visibility. In addition, resilience was reinforced by psychological and social factors, including perseverance, faith, and family support, which enabled entrepreneurs to persist despite recurring challenges. The study highlights that entrepreneurial resilience is a critical determinant of business sustainability among hospitality graduates, extending beyond technical competencies gained from formal education. It further emphasizes the need to strengthen experiential learning and resilience-building components in hospitality management programs to better prepare graduates for real-world entrepreneurial demands. This study contributes to hospitality entrepreneurship literature by providing contextual insights into resilience mechanisms that support the sustainability of small hospitality enterprises in local Philippine settings. Keywords: adaptability; BSHM alumni; entrepreneurial resilience; hospitality entrepreneurship; qualitative research

Entrepreneurial Resilience of BSHM Alumni in Sustaining Hospitality Businesses

Key Points

Abstract

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