International Hospitality Management Research Articles

Embedding sustainability education into hospitality, tourism, and events management curricula - a preliminary best practice model

With over seventy percent of millennials preferring to spend disposable income on experiences rather than consumer goods, organizations operating in the tourism, hospitality, and events sectors are predicted to see increasing demand. Despite being recognized as a major contributor to economic activity, these sectors have been criticized for being a root cause of environmental degradation, acculturation, economic leakage, and migration. The recent collapse of international travel firms with far-reaching consequences for employees, suppliers, and destinations has highlighted the vulnerability of organizations to volatility in the business environment and calls for a reassessment of business and leadership models. Since the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, sustainability initiatives are becoming more embedded into corporate strategies with an increasing focus on the triple bottom line. Following the creation of the Global Reporting Initiative Standards and sector-specific standards, there is a growing expectation that organizations demonstrate accountability for their sustainability initiatives. In Western societies, this reflects a shift away from the liberalist notion of the “Theory of the Firm” towards the sustainability paradigm. The purpose of this exploratory paper is to propose a preliminary framework for embedding innovative sustainability education in undergraduate degree programs. The paper first reviews UK-based guidelines for sustainability education at the university level. It then proposes a framework for the development of a corresponding curriculum audit tool that assesses how comprehensively sustainability education is embedded into undergraduate curricula. The University of Gloucestershire’s degree programs in International Hospitality and Tourism Management and Event Management are used as case studies to demonstrate how an audit tool design based on relevant principles can be used in practice for assessing and enhancing sustainability education. The paper recommends the further development of the tool into a best practice model integrating graduate attributes, key learning outcomes and skills, and an appropriate learning and teaching infrastructure. Transferability across subjects and transnationally is identified as an area for further research.

Perceived Skill Gaps among Students Due to Reduced Onsite Laboratory Activity

This study investigates skill gaps in the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management due to reduced onsite laboratory classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant correlations reveal interventions needed in specific courses, while students in Tourism Management report positive responses to virtual learning opportunities. Data from 65 respondents were gathered using a researcher-made survey. Descriptive methods and statistical analyses, including weighted mean and Pearson correlation, were employed to examine the research objectives. The study emphasizes the importance of hands-on experiential learning in Tourism and Hospitality programs and proposes guidelines to address skill gaps effectively. Further research is recommended to support identified gaps, expand to other programs, enhance guidelines, and explore technology for remote laboratory activities. Key Words: COVID-19, Online classes, Distance Learning, Laboratory, Instruction, perceptions of online learning, education during COVID-19, blended learning, Hospitality Education

Assessment of student outcomes for bachelor of science in international hospitality management specialized in Hotel and Restaurant Administration (HRA) of academic year 2013-2017

Assessment of student outcomes for bachelor of science in international hospitality management specialized in Hotel and Restaurant Administration (HRA) of academic year 2013-2017

Employees’ metacognitive knowledge and skills assessment in tourism and hospitality

This research explores academic knowledge, cognitive, emotional, and soft skills, according to the employees’ perceptions, that lead to better service provision and career development enhancement in the tourism and hospitality industry. Moreover, the research explores the possible differences and correlations in reference to five individual traits: the educational background, the tourism and hospitality sectors, the seasonal or full-time character of the organization, the location of the organization, and the working experience derived. In order to investigate the perceptions of employees, 102 online questionnaires were fully completed. Cronbach’s Alpha index, descriptive statistical analysis, correlations between first-ordinal factors, and several MANOVA tests provide information regarding the metacognitive assessment of the above-mentioned domains. According to their responses, the most important academic knowledge that entails the international nature of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, is ‘International Hospitality Management’. English is the most important foreign language, and Tourism Business Management is the most essential academic knowledge. The most important skills for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry that arise from the research are those of ‘problem solving’, ‘dealing with clients’, ‘customer service’, ‘crisis management’, ‘self-control, and ‘empathy’. The research concluded that, according to employees’ responses, skills and knowledge in the tourism and hospitality industry are generic and universal in their nature and applicability, and they do not differ regarding their individual characteristics. The analysis of the research data provides fruitful information regarding the most important and essential skills and knowledge for the tourism and hospitality industry.

Career adaptability of international hospitality management students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Focus on the role of language communication competence

In addition to dealing with language, communication and cultural barriers, international students in hospitality management were suddenly confronted with bleak career prospects in a sector crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, little is known about how international students in hospitality management mobilize personal resources to cope with sudden career shock events. We address this question by developing and testing a model of career adaptability of international hospitality management students during the COVID-19 pandemic that focuses on the role of language communication competence. We draw from communication theory to argue that language communication competence enables international hospitality management students to appraise COVID-19 as presenting career opportunities that in turn motivate career adaptability contingent on cultural distance. Our results, based on a sample (n = 290) of international hospitality management students in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, support our contention. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings of the role of communicative behavior and cultural competence for coping with career transitions in periods of crises are fully discussed.

Predicting locally grown food purchase intention of domestic and international undergraduate hospitality management students at a Canadian University

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how domestic and international undergraduate students from a university in Ontario, Canada, defined locally grown food and examined the factors behind their locally grown food purchase intentions.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaires were distributed in the School of Hospitality, Food, and Tourism Management undergraduate classes. A total of 196 complete surveys were returned. Using multiple regression analysis and theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework with an additional construct, moral norm, proposed hypotheses were tested.FindingsDomestic students narrowly defined locally grown food based on distance (e.g. food grown/raised within 100 km of where a person lives) compared to international students (e.g. food grown in Canada). The multiple regression analysis revealed that 36% of variance in purchase intention is explained by the four independent variables (i.e. student status, attitude, perceived product availability and moral norm), with perceived product availability as the strongest predictor of intention to purchase locally grown food.Research limitations/implicationsThe convenience sampling method limitations are as follows. First, the sample size was small for international students. Second, there was a possibility of underrepresentation of certain origins of international student populations. Third, the undergraduate respondents were from the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism. Finally, another limitation is that the four variables in this study (i.e. attitudes, subjective norms, perceived product availability, and moral norm) only explained 36% of the variance of this model.Practical implicationsPerceived product availability, moral norm and attitude constructs positively influenced the locally grown food purchase intention. A perceived product availability construct revealed the strongest influence in locally grown food purchase intention of students. Particularly, five key questions were created based on the major research findings of this study, which can be used as a guideline for locally grown food providers and farmers when promoting locally grown food to students. These questions include: Where can I find it? When can I find it? Who grows it? How can I benefit others? Why is it good for me?Social implicationsThe results of this study shown that which factors influence locally grown food purchase intention of students. Hence, local restaurateurs and university dining facilities may incorporate these factors in their marketing message to serve students population better who might be interested in buying food products using locally grown ingredients. Research results also allow local farmers to communicate and inform their current and potential student consumers about the advantages of locally grown food. Overall, findings can contribute to economy and business of local community.Originality/valueCurrent research findings verified that there is a significant use of a moral norm construct to predict locally grown food purchase intention of students. The moral norm construct positively influenced the locally grown food purchase intention in this study, and this construct seemed useful to predict locally grown food purchase intention of students. Additionally, the research discovered that there were differences in domestic and international undergraduate students' perception in the locally grown food definition.

Hospitality graduates career pathways: an analysis of LinkedIn profiles

Hospitality graduates career pathways: an analysis of LinkedIn profiles

Teaching Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions: Assessing Hospitality Students’ Sustainability Literacy

ABSTRACT Currently, higher education (HE) institutions include sustainability concepts into their programs. Previous literature examined the opportunities and challenges of integrating sustainability at an institutional, curricular, and instrumental level. We administered the Sulitest (sustainability literacy test) and a survey to first semester students at one international hospitality management school in Switzerland. While our students scored slightly higher than the Swiss average, the lowest scores recorded derived from the category knowledge – role to play, individual & systemic change. The survey demonstrated students’ high interest and strong support of sustainability in their academic and professional careers. Over 67% of respondents rated sustainability for their professional lives as extremely important. HE institutions have the opportunity to teach sustainability concepts that resonate with students. While research promotes embedding sustainability in all courses, our results show that students’ sustainability knowledge can improve in one intensive course. Further studies must be conducted to confirm retention and engagement.

Hospitality Faculty Member Perceptions of the Role of Faculty Development for Their Teaching

ABSTRACTThis research note aims to explore hospitality faculty member perceptions on the purpose of faculty development while bringing increased awareness to the overall significance of educational development to the hospitality education discipline. The study examines the three dimensions of faculty development – faculty development, instructional development, and organizational development, in the context of data collected from a survey of hospitality management faculty members at one international hospitality management school in Switzerland. Analysis of the initial findings indicates that these faculty members view faculty development in the more traditional sense as a resource for supporting their teaching activities opposed to a strategic change agent within the institution. Areas for future research include expansion of the study to multiple institutions, the consideration of the needs of industry-centric and traditional academic faculty members, and shifting perspectives of stakeholders within the three dimensions of faculty development.

Linguistic labour: International hospitality employees’ use of non-English native language in service encounters

The enduring growth in the international hospitality and tourism sector, in conjunction with an increasingly globalised labour market, has increased the chances of tourists being served by staff using their shared non-English native language. Numerous studies have explored the use of native language in service encounters, with customer perceptions widely investigated [1,2]. However employees’ perspectives of non-English native language use in the servicescape are under-researched. This study is a part of an AUT Master of International Hospitality Management dissertation. The study applied a qualitative methodology, interviewing eight international employees in New Zealand hotels with long-term experience of speaking their non-English native language in service encounters.
 Results of the study indicated that employees are well aware of the demands for employers to provide customer-oriented service by speaking their non-English native language; however, in any service encounters with customers speaking the same native language, staff have a strong preference for initiating service communication in English. The interviews showed that this preference was a result of workers experiencing considerable concerns, stress and anxiety around the use of their non-English native language. Specifically, a complex series of considerations and decisions occur when staff are faced with customers who might want to use shared non-English native language, suggesting employees experience ‘linguistic labour’, similar to the constructs of emotional [3,4] and aesthetic labour [5].
 Participants indicated that the choice of using non-English native language may be passive (i.e. following the lead of a guest who recognises the staff member as a fellow speaker), or proactive when workers recognise a customers’ poor English and use their native language to minimise guest embarrassment. Given the complexity and distinctiveness of each service context, participants suggested they had principles that underpinned their choice of language in the service space. Firstly, that English is the default service language and should be used as such; secondly, that participants did not want to assume guests’ ethnic/language identity and so avoided using their non-English native language; thirdly, participants avoided using non-English native language so as to not be identified as a particular ethnicity. Crucially, participants sought to avoid being ethnically/linguistically pigeonholed, because engaging in shared native language in the servicescape was perceived to lead to significantly increased customer service demands and thus increased workload. In essence, participants stated that using shared language in the service space immediately engaged cultural norms from their home countries that they would rather avoid; notably increased workloads, guest expectations of subservience and a perceived loss of status and respect for the participants.
 The study makes an original contribution to management studies, showing that managers and owners should consider the impacts of linguistic labour on employees in the servicescape. What can appear as a simple request to speak a certain language can engage employees in a complex process of choices and considerations as they try to avoid the perceived work intensification that comes with speaking their non-English native language.
 The full dissertation can be accessed here:
 https://aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10292/10877/ChenT.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y
 Corresponding author
 David Williamson can be contacted at: david.williamson@aut.ac.nz
 References
 ((1) Holmqvist, J.; Van Vaerenbergh, Y.; Grönroos, C. Consumer Willingness to Communicate in a Second Language: Communication in Service Settings. Management Decision 2014, 52(5), 950–966. http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-3214078
 (2) Kang, S.-J. Dynamic Emergence of Situational Willingness to Communicate in a Second Language. System 2005, 33(2), 277–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2004.10.004
 (3) Hochschild, A.R. Emotion Work, Feeling Rules, and Social Structure. American Journal of Sociology 1979, 85(3), 551–575. https://doi.org/10.1086/227049
 (4) Hochschild, A.R. The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling; University of California Press: Berkeley, CA, 1983.
 (5) Warhurst, C.; Nickson, D. Employee Experience of Aesthetic Labour in Retail and Hospitality. Work Employment & Society 2007, 21, 103–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950017007073622

Comparing online and professional restaurant reviews: What can we learn?

Social media and review websites such as Trip Advisor are emerging as important platforms for restaurant reviews. The tendency of consumers to seek out electronic word of mouth before deciding where to dine has increased rapidly, with online content being shown to significantly impact purchasing decisions. Practitioners have indicated they are keenly aware of the importance of online reviews, but there is almost no research that looks at this phenomenon in the New Zealand context, and no research that compares traditional, print-based reviews with online content. In order to address this gap, a recent Auckland University of Technology master’s thesis applied content analysis to compare online and published restaurant reviews of restaurants in Auckland, New Zealand. Three hundred reviews from TripAdvisor website, Cuisine Magazine and the New Zealand Herald newspaper were analysed, and some results are presented here.
 Traditional print reviews (Cuisine and the Herald) tend towards a more ‘specialist’ approach, including detailed information about the chefs, the owners and the restaurants’ histories. They also use more ‘fancy’ language in their food descriptions, including very detailed menu ingredients. TripAdvisor reviews, by contrast, tend towards non-specialist, ‘plain language’ reviews, with simple menu descriptor words and little attention on ingredients. When discussing price, print reviews take an ‘objective’ stance, listing the price but rarely making a personal judgement about value; whereas the online reviews feature prominent personal judgements about value for money. In addition, online reviews emphasise the social aspects of dining (who they are dining with, the social nature of the event, e.g. birthday, interactions throughout the meal), often spending as much time discussing their companions as the products and service involved in the experience. By contrast, print reviews tend to focus more on the ‘physical’ aspects of dining (the wine, the food, the decor). Finally, both platforms strongly emphasise food and service as the main criteria for judgement, accounting for almost half the word counts in both styles of reviews.
 What can the practitioner take from this research? Firstly, the fact that food and service are the predominant criteria for both online and professional reviewers serves as a reminder for restaurant operators that, no matter how exquisite or stylish the restaurant is, well-cooked food and attentive service are significantly emphasised as the primary criteria by reviewers. Moreover, both review formats stress that the reliability of the booking system and efficiency of the service staff tended to enhance all reviewers’ satisfaction.
 However, there are clear differences in the review styles that represent the different audiences they are addressing. Each format attempts to recognise the perceived social identity of their audience, with the print reviews taking the ‘insider expert’ voice and appearing to speak to a more sophisticated upmarket, product-focussed audience. The print reviews also assume their readers are less sensitive to price, rarely discussing the perceived value of the meal. By contrast, the online reviews are more ‘plain language’, discuss value directly and are socially driven. By being aware of these differences in reviewing approaches, restaurant operators’ can finesse their marketing strategies. By reading and reflecting on the link between the contrasting review styles and the social identity of the respective readers, practitioners can consider how their offering ‘fits’ with their target markets. Finally, as online review platforms become increasingly important, practitioners should engage with the content they find there, ensuring they take time for reading, reflecting and responding.
 If you would like to read the original thesis this article is based on, please email: david.williamson@aut.ac.nz
 Corresponding author
 Ziye is an emerging researcher in the field of hospitality management. She received her bachelor’s degree from Beijing Union University in 2015 and her master’s degree from Auckland University of Technology in 2017, majoring in international hospitality management. Her research focusses on user-generated content in restaurant reviews, a relatively new data source for analysis in this area. Ziye also researches electronic word-of-mouth, online restaurant reviews and writers’ criteria for restaurant measurement.
 Ziye Zhang can be contacted at: ziye0927@outlook.com

Attracting and retaining female chefs

Attracting and retaining female chefs

International Hotel Strategy and Institutional Distance: A Conceptual Framework

In recent international hotel strategy literature, institutional differences between home and host country have been mostly neglected. Although concepts such as institutional distance have become more prevalent as analytical tools in the mainstream international business literature, not much of it has so far been adopted in the wider field of international hospitality management. The objective of this article is to propose a conceptual framework that is based on insights from new institutional economics in order to further our understanding of international strategies for hotels. It introduces the concept of institutional distance as a supplement to Yip’s popular global strategy framework. This article aims at providing a template for active researchers in the field to embed their empirical contributions within the wider international business literature.

International Hotel Strategy and Institutional Distance: A Conceptual Framework

In recent international hotel strategy literature, institutional differences between home and host country have been mostly neglected. Although concepts such as institutional distance have become more prevalent as analytical tools in the mainstream international business literature, not much of it has so far been adopted in the wider field of international hospitality management. The objective of this article is to propose a conceptual framework that is based on insights from new institutional economics in order to further our understanding of international strategies for hotels. It introduces the concept of institutional distance as a supplement to Yip’s popular global strategy framework. This article aims at providing a template for active researchers in the field to embed their empirical contributions within the wider international business literature.

Increasing students' safety awareness in a teaching hotel

During the past years the attention for safety and health at work has increased, partly through the influence of European law and labour agreements and by acknowledging the huge economic impact of accidents and calamities. It is notable that companies are more and more aware that it is necessary to put more energy into promoting safety awareness among their staff. Since the International Hospitality Management School is training students for future leading positions within the hospitality sector, it is of the utmost importance that safety competences are included in the curriculum. Particularly the four-star teaching hotel, which is run by students under supervision of practical instructors, offers a perfect context for training these safety competences and increasing students' safety awareness.The following problem statement was taken to guide the research: What is the impact of safety training on the safety competences (knowledge, awareness and behaviour) of students working in the kitchen of the teaching hotel? In total, 140 students from the first, second and third years have been involved in this study, which was conducted in the kitchen department of Stenden Hotel. The results of this study indicate that training does improve safety competences of students. Since this study was limited to the kitchen, we recommend replication in other departments and other institutions. Next we suggest additional research to figure out which educational format is most effective and efficient in bringing about a significant change in safety awareness and safety-related behaviour.

ONLINE HOTEL RESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT (CITHM)

This study aims to develop and design an on-line hotel reservation and management system for the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management of the Lyceum of the Philippines University, Batangas Campus. It presents user-friendly features that will familiarize CITHM students on the online hotel reservation system, evaluate it and highlight the benefits it can provide to the college and staff. In addition, it will purvey supplement material in their front desk operation course. The researchers used the System Development Life Cycle and Microsoft Web Developer 2008 as the programming language. The developed software served as a tool for the students of CITHM to familiarize them on how to operate an online hotel reservation system. The developed software was an effective aid for the instructors in teaching the basic operations of hotel reservation system to their students. It also provided online security to protect privacy and financial information of clients.Â

English Proficiency of Non-Native Speakers as a Predictor of First-Year Performance in Undergraduate Hospitality Management Courses

The predictive value of the English level on entry of non-native international hospitality management undergraduates recruited into a Swiss hospitality course that is taught in English is examined in relation to the students' 1st-year undergraduate leadership program (LP) achievement and their cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Using secondary data relating to 349 students, we tested 3 hypotheses. Level of English on entry to the institution was found to be a statistically significant predictor of LP achievement at the 1st attempt and was positively associated with CGPA. Students who achieved the LP at the 1st attempt had statistically significantly higher CGPAs than their counterparts. The importance of achieving at least 1 grade above the minimum requisite entry English level is emphasized.

Tourism Industry of Batangas Province, Philippines: Basis for Improved Tourism Program

The goal of this research is to help improve the tourism program of Batangas Province and evaluate competitiveness of the tourism sector companies by helping them on their environmental performance and engage them in community action. The LPU’s College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (CITHM) being the most awarded hospitality school in the country today aims to produce globally competitive graduates who will be able to contribute to the expansion, enrichment and preservation of the tradition and culture of the Batangueños. This research was conceptualized to help develop the tourism industry in the province of Batangas. This study used the descriptive research design and respondents were different local and foreign tourists who visited destinations in the province of Batangas from January -December, 2008. A self- made questionnaire was used as the basic tool of investigation and interview was also done. Results revealed that the most frequently visited attraction are beach resorts for it is a venue for diving and aqua sports activity. Majority of the local and foreign tourists who visited Batangas are male. Batangas is visited due to the affordability of the tourist attractions and destinations including the amenities offered. Either local or foreign tourists were satisfied and enjoyed visiting beaches due to the warm accommodation of the Filipino staff and personnel. Keywords - Tourist, Tourism, Destination

CULTURE DIFFERENCES AFFECT PERFORMANCE AND ASSESSMENT ACCEPTANCE OF CHINESE STUDENT

Stenden University is an international hospitality management university in Leeuwarden, Netherlands which the major Asian student is from China. Thus, cultural differences might stimulate an influence towards Chinese students’ daily performance and assessment acceptance. Throughout in-depth interview with the Chinese students, it reveals that there are some culture barriers for Chinese student during their practice. These affect in their basic skill, relationship, communication, and language. These matters also affect Chinese student’s assessment acceptance that they tend to accept, even though they do not agreeing with their assessment.

Internationalising hospitality management degree programmes

PurposeThis paper aims to identify the extent to which hospitality management degree programmes are internationalised to develop graduates capable of working within the global hospitality industry.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative multiple case study approach was adopted for a UK study of undergraduate international hospitality management degrees. Interviews and document analysis were used as the data collection techniques.FindingsThe findings reveal the importance of the development of graduates' cross‐cultural competencies within international hospitality management programmes and the methods used to develop these. The study also reveals further opportunities to enhance the internationalisation of degree programmes.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are based on a case study research strategy set within the context of the UK and as such, the generalisability of the findings may be limited. In addition, the study sample contained only undergraduate international hospitality management degree programmes.Practical implicationsThis paper reveals a number of opportunities to enhance the internationalisation of hospitality management programmes and the challenges currently faced by academics and students.Originality/valueThe paper provides a framework comprising internationalisation at home (IaH) and internationalisation abroad (IA) dimensions for academics to assess the internationalisation of degree programmes and the extent to which cross‐cultural competencies are developed among graduates. The framework can also be used by graduate recruiters seeking candidates with the requisite cross‐cultural understanding, attitudes and skills to work within the international hospitality industry.