Erwin Losekoot

Out for the count: some methodological questions in 'publications counting' literature.

Abstract This paper considers ‘publications counting’ literature, that literature which seeks to establish league tables of the published output of academics. Often justified on the grounds of benchmarking for supporting tenure and appointment decisions, publications counting literature is revealed to be methodologically flawed. This paper focuses on the major limitations of this kind of study, presenting a conceptual critique of existing ‘publications counting’ processes, and argues that the methods of such studies are neither reasonable nor consistent. This is particularly clear in areas such as the choice of journals to be sampled, the time frame established in sampling procedures, and various arithmetic procedures employed in calculating output measures. The paper concludes with discussion of possible alternative means of achieving goals of benchmarking hospitality scholarship while suggesting that publications counting should be abandoned as a sole means of determining research excellence.

The application of facilities management expertise to the hotel renovation process

This paper considers the renovation of hotels in the context of facilities management. It evaluates a study carried out in Egypt into the attitudes of hotel general managers about the importance attached to hotel renovation and refurbishment. The findings show that whilst hotel managers express a belief in the importance of hotel renovation, there is little evidence of strategic thought in the renovation process. Instead, the focus appears to be on the “softer” customer satisfaction aspects of hotel management. There is scope for a more strategic view of FM among hotel managers and owners.

An Assessment of Key Hotel Guest Contact Personnel in Handling Guest Complaints

Abstract The quality of a guests hotel experience is frequently dependent on the consistency with which hotel standards of service are applied. Where the existing systems break down, guests will complain. This should be viewed as an opportunity for the hotels management. However, some hotel direct guest contact personnel may view guest complaints as causes for panic rather than opportunities for improving the hotel operation. Guests whose complaints were resolved satisfactorily were willing to return back to the hotel. Proficiency in handling their complaints results in greater guest satisfaction and loyalty. The application of the research will be on Hotel Assistant Managers/Guest Relations Agents to investigate whether they are applying the necessary steps and techniques to solve guests complaints related either to tangible or intangible products in hotels. Results indicate that Hotel Assistant Managers and Guest Relations Agents could improve their effectiveness in handling guests complaints. Assistant Managers were found in this study to be better at handling complaints than Guest Relations Agents.

Conceptualising and operationalising the research interface between facilities management and hospitality management

This paper examines conceptual links between facilities and hospitality management in the context of customer satisfaction. In both areas, there has thus far been a lack of theorising about the subject‐matter which might legitimately be encompassed within subject boundaries. By focusing on the single area of customer satisfaction an attempt is made to show how this process might proceed, albeit in a narrowly focused manner. The paper examines “hard” and “soft” dimensions to facilities management in hotels by means of an investigative probe into the nature of customer complaints in hotels. No claims are made for the generalisability of findings, rather it is the intention to show how, in the application of facilities management concerns, it is possible to engage in conceptual development and empirical study.

Barriers and challenges in the application of Six Sigma in the hospitality industry: Some observations and findings

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present some of the fundamental barriers and challenges in the use of Six Sigma as a business improvement methodology in the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach - The approach taken was to collate data through observations made by the third author during the execution of the research project within the case study company as well as collating data from company story boards and interviewing relevant and appropriate staff members in the case study company. Findings - The challenges of “data collection”, “defining projects” and “getting group consensus” can be considered to be somewhat very challenging in the context of hospitality industry. Research limitations/implications - Due to limited time constraints, the number of people participated in the study was relatively small. Perhaps a simple survey questionnaire could also be distributed to a number of people at the top management level, middle management level and front-line staff personnel in the case study company. Originality/value - The paper provides an excellent resource for many researchers and practitioners equally who are engaged in research and applications of Six Sigma in the hospitality industry. Moreover there is a dearth of literature on the use of Six Sigma in the hospitality sector.

Consequences of empowerment among restaurant servers

Purpose – This study seeks to investigate the impact of empowerment on both organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and average check size per customer for individual restaurant servers in the United States.Design/methodology/approach – This empirical study was designed by using three different sources of information: employees self‐reports, supervisor‐ratings and system‐generated productivity indexes. The study obtained a final sample of 108 servers who are in charge of table services such as order‐taking and delivering food with a point of sales (POS) system.Findings – The results demonstrate that influence, a dimension of empowerment, has a positive effect on supervisor‐rated OCB whereas attitude, the other dimension of empowerment, has a positive impact on average check size per customer. In addition, OCB appears to be negatively related to average check size per customer.Practical implications – The findings are important given that few studies have examined the impact of empowerment on organizati...

How change does not happen: The impact of culture on a submarine base

This study was part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership project involving the University of Strathclyde and Royal Navy Base Faslane on the Clyde. The main focus was a market research study to assist in the development of a retail hub for service personnel and civilians to use while on the base. In the course of the study, it was noted how many obstacles to change there were. The researchers have used Johnsons concepts of the cultural web and organisational paradigm to identify what the ‘blockages’ to change are, and suggest a number of possible ways of addressing these issues. The research suggests that this phenomenon may become more common as more public organisations develop partnerships with private organisations, leading to the potential for clashes of corporate and personal cultures.