Different ways of measuring performance in the service industries:: application in Spanish small and medium-sized hotels

There is no suitable unit of analysis for explaining the profitability and competitiveness of the company, as typically pointed out in the debate between the disciplines of economics and management. After a study of the possible variables, we opted for those of minimum cost output and productivity, using these two measurements to analyse their application to Spanish hotels. The subsequent objective was to attempt to identify general strategies that could be applied to any SME within service industries. In situations where time and resources are not readily available to create action plans for each of the different types of SME, there is a need for incentives that can be applied to the creation of new business opportunities. The outcomes could be key for public administration and political policy makers in their effort to support businesses.