Maureen Brookes

Evaluating quality management in university departments

Purpose – Despite the abundance of research on quality management there is no universal consensus on how best to measure quality in higher education. This paper undertakes a critical evaluation of the different methods used to assess the quality of provision in higher education departments in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on relevant literature, the authors develop a quality audit tool that incorporates all key components of effective quality management programmes and apply it to a single UK case study department.Findings – The findings suggest that the potential for quality enhancement is determined by the manner in which the evaluation is conducted and subsequent change implemented. Perhaps unsurprisingly there is currently an emphasis on internally derived quantitative data and there is potential to enhance the management of the quality of HE programmes.Originality/value – This paper concentrated on the development of a quality audit tool and tested this within one UK department.

Franchise partner selection: perspectives of franchisors and franchisees

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the partner selection criteria employed both by franchisors and franchisees in master franchise agreements and evaluate how different selection criteria interact within the selection process and influence the decisions taken.Design/methodology/approach – A single embedded case study of an international hotel firm was the focus of the enquiry. Interviews and document analysis were used as the data collection techniques.Findings – The findings reveal that the establishment of franchise partnership involves a mutual and careful evaluation between franchisors and franchisees to assess whether their partnership criteria are compatible. The partner selection approach determines the extent of importance attached to different task‐ and partner‐related selection criteria. In addition, the study identifies the role that different selection criteria play at different stages of the process.Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on a single case study in the in...

Factors influencing relationship development in franchise partnerships

Purpose – This paper aims to identify and evaluate the factors which influence relationship development between franchisors and franchisees in international service franchise partnerships.Design/methodology/approach – Case studies of two international hotel firms were the focus of the enquiry. Interviews and document analysis were used as the data collection techniques.Findings – Findings demonstrate that role performance, asset specificity and cultural sensitivity influence relationship development in franchise partnerships. The influence of these factors, however, varies in different forms of franchise partnerships, namely individual and master franchises.Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on case studies in the international hotel industry and therefore may not be generalizable to other industry sectors.Practical implications – Service firms should adopt a systematic organization‐wide approach to, and management of, relationship development in franchise partnerships. In particul...

Developing Global Perspectives Through International Management Degrees

Internationalisation has risen high on the agenda of many higher education institutions, and the need to develop graduates with global perspectives is well recognised. Much attention has been given to institutional strategies for internationalisation, international students, and dealing with culturally diverse learning styles. To date, however, there have been limited efforts to consider what internationalisation means in practice at the programme level. This article reports on a case study that investigates the internationalisation of undergraduate hospitality management degree programmes in the United Kingdom. Through the development and application of an internationalisation framework, the study reveals the perceived importance of shared cross-cultural experiences to the internationalisation of programmes and the different approaches adopted within programmes. It also highlights current constraints in internationalising degree programmes and the subsequent challenges faced by educators in developing graduates’ global perspectives.

International master franchise agreements: An investigation of control from operational, relational and evolutionary perspectives

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the inter‐organisational processes used to control international master franchise agreements from operational, relational and evolutionary perspectives.Design/methodology/approach – The research is undertaken through a qualitative, in‐depth case study in the international hotel industry. The case comprises an international master franchise agreement between a large US‐based hotel franchisor and its European master franchisee.Findings – The study identifies the inter‐related nature of operational and relational control processes and how these evolve over the life of a master franchise agreement. It reveals how the perceptions of franchise members serve to enhance or inhibit the development of relational norms and how these, in turn, impact on the predominant type of control and the specific inter‐organisational processes employed.Research limitations/implications – The research is based on a single in‐depth case study within one industrial context and the universality ...

The impact of entry modes on the organisational design of international hotel chains

This paper reports on a study of organisation design within the international hotel chains that simultaneously employ multiple market entry modes. A multiple case study reveals the use of different divisional designs for different types of entry mode within individual chains. These are driven by the desire to maintain strong control over hotel brands. The study concludes that current designs may inhibit the international hotel chains from achieving their organisational potential and recommends that managers look to break down these ‘communities of design’ barriers.

The multi-cultural management of international hotel groups.

Abstract This conceptual paper examines the cultural influences that impact on international hotel groups based upon the premise that effective harnessing of cultural diversity should lead to success in the global marketplace. Pizams ‘hierarchy of cultures’ is applied to demonstrate how and where the national, personal, professional and industry backgrounds of founders, key decision-makers, management and employees influence practices in hotel groups. A framework is presented to demonstrate the various levels in organizations where culture has an influence and where a higher degree of cultural awareness is essential. Recognizing that hotel groups are part of an extended value system (including suppliers, buyers or customers, and relationships with other business partners), the paper assesses the cultural impact of these networks on hotel groups.

Franchisees’ perceptions of relationship development in franchise partnerships

Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate the antecedents of franchise relationship development from the perspective of a sample of Chinese and Turkish franchisees. Design/methodology/approach – This study explores relationship development through semi-structured interviews with Chinese and Turkish franchisees. Findings – The findings of the study demonstrated that both the culturally adapted role performance of franchisors and communication geared towards knowledge transfer contribute to relationship development with franchisees. Research limitations/implications – This exploratory study evaluated the influence of role performance and communication as factors influencing relationship development. Further research could explore other factors in other countries and industries. Practical implications – To build and develop long-term relationships with franchisees, franchisors need to invest in continuously improving their franchise infrastructures and enhancing their brand reputations. Communication and knowledge transfer between the franchisors and the franchisees are crucial for the management of dynamic relationships. Originality/value – This paper advances franchising literature by offering a combined and complementary theoretical perspective to our understanding of the influence of power and social investments in relationship development between franchisees and franchisors. In particular, the study identifies role performance of franchisor and communication with franchisees as the key antecedents of relationship development.

Theory and reality of interdisciplinary research

Argues the case for interdisciplinary research in hospitality management. Education in the industry, by and large, does take this more holistic stance. Using a case illustrates the value and benefits of interdisciplinary research. One of the biggest problems is finding a suitable vehicle for presenting the research findings. Current journals tend to be too narrow in discipline focus. However, there is a growth in conferences etc. which take a more interdisciplinary approach and these are a possible solution. Hospitality management transcends many other subject boundaries, so it is important that research in these areas is made more accessible and credible to the world at large.

Investigating the centric profile of international hotel groups: A pilot case study

Abstract This paper reports on the pilot stage of an inter-disciplinary research project that aims to assess how far a global/local perspective is being utilised by international hotel groups and the impact this has on the groups’ performance. A research instrument has been developed to assess the ‘centric profile’ or dominant attitude of international hotel groups to foreign cultures. The findings of the pilot case study of one international hotel group are reported and analysed, together with recommendations for refinements to the research instrument.