Social networking sites versus professional networking sites: Perceptions of hospitality students

ABSTRACTCollege age students make up the largest segment of social networking populations, with 75% of adults between the ages of 18 and 24 participating to some degree. Previous research has shown that people are often exposed to social networking sites during their college years. This study examines hospitality students' perceived benefits and drawbacks of social networking sites versus professional networking sites. The sample consisted of students in undergraduate hospitality classes. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple regression methods were utilized. This study found that Facebook was perceived to have no significant benefits and several drawbacks; whereas LinkedIn was found to have several significant benefits and no drawbacks. Implications are provided for the hospitality industry, as well as for business, human resources, and education.