ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, HOSPITALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: THE DILEMNA OF THE MOUNTAIN HUT

In alpine regions, mountain huts have been built and managed since late 19th century to offer hospitality to people that want to experience wilderness. These huts have provided during all this time a simple form of accommodation in the most remote places, offering all year round some comfort and security to mountaineers, hikers and skiers. Traditionally, mountains huts have been operated by institutions such as alpine clubs or tourist associations and are, depending on the season and the type of hut, guarded or non-guarded. This study explores the organizational culture of two of these membership-based organizations: the Swiss Alpine Club (CAS) regrouping 153 huts located in the Swiss Alps and the Swedish Tourist Association (STF) regrouping 53 huts located in North Sweden. The analysis explores a dilemma that these two institutions are facing: preserving as much as possible mountain wilderness while operating an infrastructure, the mountain hut, which could potentially threaten all the efforts they both make in terms of preservation. Embracing this dilemma, both CAS and STF have developed a unique organizational culture that attempt to achieve a balance between protecting nature from people’s abuse and offering it for people’s pleasure.