bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
African Political Systems
Authors: BERG-SCHLOSSER DIRK
Published: March 2007

This article proposes an historically oriented typology of contemporary African political systems: the polyarchic, the socialist, the civil-authoritarian, and the praetorian. Their performance after independence is evaluated then in terms of Gross National Product (GNP) per capita growth, improvements in the “physical quality of life,” indicators of “dependence,” and normative standards. Closer analysis reveals a differentiated pattern that contradicts many commonly held assumptions concerning the developmental advantages of (civil or military) authoritarian rule in Third World countries. Thus polyarchic systems fare quite well both in terms of GNP growth and the improvement of the basic quality of life. They also have the best record concerning normative standards (protection of civil liberties and freedom from political repression). Socialist systems show a poorer performance in terms of economic growth, but have a good record in improving the living conditions of a larger part of the population, especially in the fields of health and education. The civil-authoritarian states do well with respect to GNP per capita growth rates, but relatively little of this growth contributes to the improvement of basic living standards. Praetorian systems have the worst records in all regards. Dependence does not turn out to be a significant factor contributing to this differentiated pattern of performance.
Inequality in the Third World
Authors: RAVENHILL JOHN
Published: March 2007

In their recent article in Comparative Political Studies, Kohli et al. (1984) attempt to test what they term “developmental,”“statist,” and “neo-Marxist” explanations of income inequalities in the Third World. They conclude that the “statist” approach provides the best explanation of short-run changes in inequality, these being the product of the nature and policies of the state in question: “Authoritarian-exclusionary regimes tend to worsen inequalities over the short run, while more democratic states tend to stabilize them” (1984: 283). Their analysis, however, presents a caricature of the developmental and dependency approaches, uses variables that do not adequately capture their hypotheses, and rejects them for failing to cope adequately with short-run changes that the approaches would not claim to explain. Support for the “statist” explanation is found only through manipulating the data in an unacceptable manner. A reexamination of the data shows that there are no statistically significant relationships between regime type and short-term changes in income inequality for the countries included in their sample.
Legislative Governing Coalitions in Parliamentary Democracies
Authors: SCHLESINGER MILDRED
Published: March 2007

A neglected aspect of parliamentary democracies that do not conform to the British model is the relation between executive and legislative leadership. In multiparty systems with strong legislative committees, committee chairmen constitute a governing coalition comparable to the cabinet. Given the coalitional nature of each leadership group, their partisan composition may not be identical; nor need they be equally stable. These are matters of importance for the operation of government. This article examines the relations between the two coalitions in the primordial parliamentary democracy, the French Third Republic. Using correlation analysis, I found a weak partisan relation between the two coalitions during the five legislatures of the interwar years. Using two measures of stability, durability and the continuity of coalitions beyond formal tenure, I found the legislative coalition always more stable. Institutional rules and the multiparty system helped account for these differences. Nevertheless, there was enough variation from legislature to legislature to show that electoral rules and results had an impact. Variations resembled those in the American republic. Periods of greater similarity in partisan composition coincided with greater effectiveness or stability for the executive; periods of divided control coincided with lesser executive stability. This was of consequence for the making of policy.
Implementing Deployment Policies in the National Youth Service Corps of Nigeria
Authors: MARENIN OTWIN
Published: March 2007

The Nigerian government established the National Youth Service Corps in 1973 as a means for furthering national unity. The program deploys Nigerian university and polytechnic graduates for a one-year period away from their home states to areas of Nigeria they might otherwise not have become familiar with. This article develops a measure of proper deployment (using the standards mandated in the establishing decree for the NYSC) and analyzes the deployment decisions made by the NYSC staff during the 1980s. Significant deviations from stated standards are found for the years 1982 to 1984, but these deviations decline during the 1985/86 year. Reasons for deviation and changes in deviations are discussed.
Constancy of Legislative Perceptions of Constituency Opinion
Authors: PIERCE ROY , ROCHON THOMAS R.
Published: March 2007

This article develops the dynamic implications of the Miller-Stokes model of constituency representation by exploring the extent to which there was constancy between two “generations” of French Socialist party candidates for the National Assembly from the same constituencies, in their perceptions of the opinions of their constituents. The data derive from personal interviews conducted with the candidates shortly after the legislative elections of 1967 and 1978. The phenomena discussed include the relationship between constancy of candidate perceptions and accuracy of candidate perceptions. The authors also examine the extent to which the candidates base their perceptions of district opinion on the political composition of their constituencies. That practice has daunting implications both for the comparative study of representation and for the representative process itself.
Judicial Politics in the European Community
Authors: ALTER KAREN J. , MEUNIER-AITSAHALIA SOPHIE
Published: March 2007

Was the European Court of Justice a key actor in the “relaunching” of European integration in the 1980s? This article examines the crucial political role that was played by the Court with its Cassis de Dijon judgment in the rejuvenation EC harmonization policy and the development of the Single European Act. The authors challenge the dominant view that the Court's legal decisions in themselves create policy consequences, or that legal verdicts reflect the views of dominant member states, so as to create focal points around which a policy consensus emerges. They argue, instead, that the Cassis verdict acted as a catalyst, provoking a political response by the Commission, which attempted to capitalize on the verdict to create a “new approach to harmonization.” This political entrepreneurship by the Commission triggered the mobilization of interest groups that lobbied their national governments for and against mutual recognition. Generalizing from the case, this article concludes that the Court performs three crucial roles in the EC policy-making process: opening political access to self-interested individuals, launching ideas into the policy-making arena, and provoking political responses through bold argumentation and unpopular verdicts.
Electoral Influence and Economic Policy
Authors: PATTERSON DENNIS
Published: March 2007

The debate surrounding the role of bureaucrats and politicians in Japan's economic policymaking process has largely been advanced through the presentation and discussion of case studies. Some cases have shown that economic policy is dominated by Japan's bureaucracy, whereas others have shown that electoral politics has been the primary determining factor. To be sure, both the bureaucracy and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have been influential, and sorting out when and in what economic policy areas each has its influence remains a puzzle. This article addresses this issue by developing and testing a model of electoral influence that specifies the conditions under which one would expect electoral considerations to take precedence over more institutionalized (bureaucratic) procedures in the economic policy-making process. The model is informed by the idea that some economic policy areas are more important to Japan's previously ruling LDP than others, and what these are depends on the characteristics of the groups that support the LDP and the issues that affect their interests. Also, given that economic policy is a tool that has been available to the LDP to influence its continuation as ruling party, the timing of political intervention will necessarily revolve around the strength of its electoral majority. By examining Japan's postwar policy of providing financial aid to small- and medium-sized firms, this article will show that the timing and amount of aid extended to small- and medium-sized firms was influenced by the ruling party's attempts to ensure the partisan loyalty of this essential support constituency.
Labor Markets, Production Strategies, and Wage Bargaining Institutions
Authors: PONTUSSON JONAS , SWENSON PETER
Published: March 2007

Transformed patterns of labor market governance occupy a central place in the study of contemporary West European political economies. Here, detailed analysis of the dramatic decentralization of wage bargaining in Sweden identifies organized employers, especially engineering employers, as the decisive agents of institutional change. We argue that the employer offensive should be understood as a response to a shift in power within old wage-bargaining institutions, introducing invasive regulation of firm-level pay practices and, at the same time, as a consequence of new flexibility-centered production strategies, giving rise to demands for more firm-level autonomy in wage bargaining. The exceptional features of the old Swedish bargaining and the particular needs of different sectors come into play as we seek to explain the mixed pattern of wage-bargaining changes across Western Europe.
The Sustainability of Political Democracy
Authors: REMMER KAREN L.
Published: March 2007

Recent literature emphasizes the fragility of newly emerging democracies and the importance of economic performance to their survival. The analysis reevaluates this conventional wisdom and tests a theoretical alternative that takes into account the differential strengths and weaknesses of democracy and authoritarianism as well as institutional variations among democratic regimes. South American data for the post-1944 period form the empirical basis for the study.
Institutional Design and Democratic Consolidation in the Third World
Authors: POWER TIMOTHY J. , GASIOROWSKI MARK J.
Published: March 2007

Recent scholarship on democratization has produced several dominant hypotheses concerning the role of institutional design in promoting stable democracy. This article tests these hypotheses by examining the outcomes of 56 transitions to democracy in the Third World between 1930 and 1995. The authors' analysis contradicts recent scholarship on institutional design by finding that the choice of constitutional type (presidential or parliamentary) is not significantly related to the likelihood of democratic survival in less developed countries. It is also found that in the context of the Third World, the combination of multipartism and presidential democracy does not appear to lessen significantly the likelihood of democratic consolidation, nor does parliamentarism evince any obvious superiority in sustaining competitive multiparty regimes. The findings are sufficiently strong to warrant a rethinking of some of the dominant hypotheses on the institutional design of democracy.
Political Change in the European Community
Authors: PEDERSEN THOMAS
Published: March 2007

This article should be seen as a contribution to the new pluralistic debate on integration theory focusing on the problem of political change in integration systems. It departs from the assumption that no single integration theory can account for all aspects of European Community (EC) development. There would seem to be a considerable complementarity between individual integration theories; not only do they often study different dimensions of integration, it could be argued that they also focus on problems relating to different stages in the evolution of an integration system. Viewing the EC as a political system, the author elaborates on Lindberg and Scheingold's observations in Europe's Would-Be Polity (1970) regarding patterns of political change in the Community. The article suggests a wider set of categories of political change, distinguishing between the nature of integration dynamics (directed/undirected) and the degree of change (marginal/incremental/dramatic). A second section looks in more detail at the category of system transformation, stressing the importance of the international environment in explaining such transformations. A final section examines the extent to which the adoption of the Single European Act can be said to have constituted a system transformation.
The Foreign Policies of the Baltic States: Interwar Years and Restoration
Authors: KNUDSEN OLAV F.
Published: March 2007

The article surveys and analyzes the foreign policies and relevant domestic political conditions of the Baltic states since 1918, emphasizing the period after 11 March 1990. The general argument is that small states located near a great power can choose between alliance with their more powerful neighbor, alliance with his chief rival, or some kind of neutrality. Above all, rim states must pay attention to great-power diplomacy. In the interwar years none of the Baltic states seemed to appreciate that their situation necessitated such thinking and such choices. None used the Western powers to counter-balance the Soviet Union or Germany. Only Lithuania drew on the Soviet Union as a partner. A policy of neutrality remained untried. Between the wars, what governed their foreign policies, besides their lack of appreciation of great power politics, was a concentration on their own local affairs. After March 1990, an `interregnum period' followed, with internal strife about the proper direction of foreign policy. Four phases of alternating confrontation and negotiation characterized Moscow-Baltic relations in the period up to the aborted coup. The achievement of independence in September 1991 brought a concentration on domestic concerns. Today the unintegrated Russian-speaking and Polish minorities contribute to domestic instability, which easily spills over into foreign affairs. The last section discusses the Baltic states' security policies and possible future security arrangements, accentuating the need for a subregional solution including all coastal states on the Baltic Sea.
International Society
Authors: DUNNE TIMOTHY
Published: March 2007

In a recent issue of Cooperation and Conflict, Ole Waever argued that `theoretical progress is hard to find in the work on international society'. This article seeks to challenge this verdict by reasserting the continued relevance of the international society tradition to contemporary international relations thinking. In the first instance, an analysis of the evolution of the tradition demonstrates the movement of the English School from realism to a more normative view of international relations grounded in the vindication of the idea of international society. The second part of the article examines the contribution of international society thinking to academic international relations in the 1990s. Here we see the bifurcation of the English School into classical international society theorists who exhibit a high degree of continuity with the British Committee era, and critical international society theorists who take the work of Wight and Bull as their point of departure but who see their task as deepening the notion of community in the society of states and extend it beyond the society of states. Finally, the article concludes by suggesting that the English School's use of theory is implicitly constructivist, thereby aligning the School with progressive developments in social and political theory.
Risky Business: Defining the Concept of Environmental Security
Authors: TENNBERG MONICA
Published: March 2007

The article discusses the way global environmental problems have been included in the concept of environmental security. The concept has been developed as an alternative to the traditional concept of security, which emphasizes the security of the state and the military means of securing it. The discussion on the concept of environmental security has concentrated on the unit of analysis: it has been suggested that an environmental component be included in the concept of national security, global security or societal security. However, the problem in the concept of environmental security is that the referent object of security, the environment, has not been given enough attention. The relationships between the man, the environment and globalization of environmental problems require more thorough study in order to develop the concept.
Russia's Kaliningrad Exclave at the Crossroads
Authors: WELLMANN CHRISTIAN
Published: March 2007

The article stresses the potential for conflict stemming from the realities as given with respect to Russia's exclave in the Baltics, the Kaliningrad region. The perspectives for the region's future development are discussed against the background of a number of factors: its existence as an exclave; its ambiguous history and therefore still widely questioned status; the peculiarities of its economy; the disputed transit issues; its sensitive role with respect to the debate on Russia's integrity and future political orientation; and, not least, its security-political significance with regard to the Russian defence posture, the CFE arms control regime and the debate on an enlargement of NATO. It is argued that the idea, pursued by the regional administration, to develop the exclave as a free economic zone has no chance of materializing in coexistence with the region's present high military profile, the latter being both a cause for and an effect of unsettled international relations with respect to the region. However, it is also argued that a solution is not only the responsibility of Russia but also a matter for Baltic Sea regional cooperation and European multilateralism. If the Baltic Sea region neighbours want a `merchant's scenario' to prevail over a `warrior's scenario', they too have to move considerably.
Creating Visible Customer Value
Authors: Dubé Laurette , Renaghan Leo M.
Published: March 2007

Hotel guests seek value, and hotel managers seek to provide that value. The matter is not that simple, however, because the hotel attributes that create value depend on the reason a guest is traveling (e.g., for business or for pleasure). Moreover, the value-creating attributes that guests consider in the decision to book a hotel are not necessarily the same attributes that create value during the hotel stay. In particular, guests seem to consider only an outstanding performance as value laden. Only half of the 469 frequent travelers surveyed by a Cornell University study, for example, could recall an instance of outstanding value in their most recent hotel stay. Travelers were able to identify well over 1,000 hotel attributes that help to drive their purchase decision. Fortunately, those attributes can be aggregated. The top attributes driving the guests' purchase decision were: location, brand name and reputation, physical property (exterior, public space), guest-room design, and value for money. Some of the same attributes also created value during the stay. The top five were: guest-room design, physical property (exterior, public space), interpersonal service, functional service, and F&B-related services.
Managing Hotel Brand Equity
Authors: Prasad Keshav , Dev Chekitan S.
Published: March 2007

Here is how marketers can build a numerical index to gauge customers' perceptions of a hotel brand.
New Zealand Bets on Event Tourism
Authors: Gnoth Juergen , Anwar Syed Aziz
Published: March 2007

Like many other nations, New Zealand wants to pursue the potential rewards resulting from event tourism, or attracting visitors with major events. Part of that strategy is dictated by New Zealand's location, at a distance from many of the tourist-generating countries. Even as they plunge forward, though, the nation's tourism officials should consider how to measure the effects of event tourism, the better to determine what works and what doesn't. The authors offer a framework for developing such a strategy. Gaps that now exist in the nation's event-tourism strategy include, for instance, the lack of coordination among most of the hotel organizations, restaurants, tour operators, and theme parks, and the lack of planning for event-tourism opportunities. Moreover, the government is unable to commit adequate resources to build up the system necessary for promoting event tourism due to uncertainty of desired return on investment. Rather than go event by event, New Zealand would be well advised to take a long view on its strategic approach for attracting international tourists and making event tourism profitable.
Hotel Managers' Executive Education in Japan
Authors: Taylor Masako Shibata , Berger Florence
Published: March 2007

Executive education, or "management development," is not a new concept in Japan, although formal hospitality management-development programs there face a variety of challenges because Japan is a country where inhouse management training has been the norm. In fact, few Japanese universities offer executive-education programs of any kind. Executive education in Japan is for the most part limited to in-house efforts, private training and development companies, and consultants, and focuses heavily on the individual rather than on strategically influencing the organization. Still, Japanese corporations must find, hire, and develop people who are capable of leading their organizations through times of cultural changes, economic uncertainty, and technological advancements. Three forms of training in Japanese companies continue to dominate: on-the-job, off-the-job, and self-development. Among the three, on-the-job training has been the most prevalent. Among outsiders, private training firms have the competitive edge relative to consultants, while university-based resources are essentially nonexistent.
The Law(s) of Cyberspace
Authors: Wilson Robert H.
Published: March 2007

By maintaining a web site a hotel or hotel-management company may subject itself to being sued by an injured guest in the guest's home state (rather than in the state where the injury is alleged to have occurred). When web sites first appeared, there was some initial confusion in the courts regarding how to establish jurisdiction. Today most courts make distinctions among web sites based on whether they are passive (where the court will not exercise jurisdiction), conducting business (where the court will exercise jurisdiction), or interactive (where the court determines whether to exercise jurisdiction based on the facts). Some courts, however, cling to the idea that jurisdiction exists over any nonresident defendant who maintains a web site that is accessible in their state. The U.S. Supreme Court has confirmed that so-called "forum selection" clauses can be used successfully to avoid being dragged into a distant court. Such clauses that are contained on an internet web site and which define where dispute settlement must take place will frequently be given full force and effect in a lawsuit.
Refining Estimates of Hotel-financing Costs
Authors: O'Neill John , Rushmore Stephen
Published: March 2007

An analysis of the relationship between corporate "A" bond rates and hotelmortgage-interest rates found that the two are related. Specifically, bondrates in one quarter are a reasonably accurate predictor of interest ratesin the following quarter. The most effective analysis involves a curvilinearmultiple-regression equation that accounts for federal tax policy as wellas bond rates to estimate the interest rates in the subsequent quarter.
Airline Feeding Today
Authors: Vernay Laurent D.
Published: March 2007

If you think managing a restaurant is demanding, consider the requirements ofinflightfood service
Games Nobody Wins
Authors: Villere Maurice F. , O'Connor Thomas S. , Quain William J.
Published: March 2007

Understanding the principles of transactional analysis will help you and your staff head off negative interactions- with each other and with customers
Designing and Delivering Effective Presentations
Authors: Brownell Judi
Published: March 2007

You can "MAPP" out a presentation using the following set of concepts: Be Motivated, have a positive Attitude, understand the basic Principles of speaking, and Practice your speech. Making a good speech involves first listening and understanding the speaking occasion. Next you establish a purpose, collect and organize information, and develop your main points. Finally, you create an introduction and a conclusion. In delivering your presentation, you must choose the appropriate style of delivery, overcome nervousness, use appropriate body language or nonverbal communication, and control the environment to the extent possible. Prepare for questions by anticipating them.
Assessing Customer Contact
Authors: Kimes Sheryl E. , Mutkoski Stephen A.
Published: March 2007

Contact between servers and customers is an important element of the dining experience, but managers may not realize exactly how much (or how little) contact actually occurs during the course of a meal. By using a technique called work sampling, managers can determine exactly how their servers spend their time, minute by minute. A study conducted by the authors, for instance, showed that customer contact was higher in mid-scale restaurants than in family restaurants. While such a result might be predicted, individual restaurateurs found that their operations varied substantially from the norm. In one case, that deviation was intentional, but another operator wanted to reexamine lunchtime service when he found servers off the floor for an unexpectedly long time.
Travelers' Choice
Authors: Morgan Michael S.
Published: March 2007

This research report article explores the effects of adver- tising and prior stay on travelers' choices of lodging products. Since most travelers make their own overnight arrangements, a traveler's decision regarding which hotel to use is directly related to that traveler's ability to recall specific brand names, which in turn is influenced by previous experience (both good and bad) and advertising. Surprisingly, there is little influence on chain-name recall of either prior stay without ad exposure or ad exposure without prior stay. In the case of frequent travelers, ad exposure alone can have a negative effect on the evoked sets of brand names. But the combined effect of ad exposure and prior stay is great, in favor of recalling the product name. Since a satisfied guest is more likely to be a customer in the future than is a traveler who has never stayed at a particular chain, the lessons to be learned are: (1) it's worth pursuing repeat business, and (2) it's worth offering inducements to encourage first-time stays. Spending on advertising alone may not be effective.
Rule Out Fraud and Theft
Authors: Geller Neal
Published: March 2007

Internal control is the set of policies, forms, and procedures that management establishes to prevent fraud and theft by employees or guests. Controlling food-service outlets presents special challenges, because a single person (the server) can control so much of the transaction. The key to effective internal control of food-service transactions is to divide these four functions among as many people as possible: (1) taking the order, (2) preparing the food, (3) delivering the food, and (4) settling the bill. Proper forms (e.g., guest checks that are accounted for by serial number after each shift) will help managers determine whether any revenue or food items are being diverted. While internal- control procedures can be used to detect fraud, the key to internal control is to prevent fraud or theft in the first place with effective and consistent policies.
Yield Management
Authors: Jones Peter , Hamilton Donna
Published: March 2007

This article proposes a seven-stage model for a yieldmanagement system, emphasizing the role that people have in making the system work: (1) Develop a yield culture; (2) Analyze overall demand; (3) Establish the pricevalue relationships; (4) Create appropriate market segments; (5) Analyze the pattern of demand; (6) Track declines and denials; and (7) Evaluate and revise the system. Yield management has to become an integral part of the daily work routine. A successful yield-management system depends on people as much as on sophisticated technology. Employees at all levels within the hotel property have something to offer. The quality of information, analysis, forecasting, and performance is greatly improved when as many people as possible are involved in the process.
Opening Up Eastern Europe
Authors: Bell Charles A.
Published: March 2007

The risks are great, but the rewards can be substantial for operators willing and able to negotiate hotel deals in the former communist states of East Germany Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. Here are some of the potentials and pitfalls for would-be developers
Child-Care Programs
Authors: Marler Janet H. , Enz Cathy A.
Published: March 2007

The best employers provide child-care resources to their employees because it makes good business sense to do so. There are three approaches to providing child-care resources: offer services, supply information (the most popular method), and offer financial support. “Sponsored services” may include on-site day care, after-school care, summer camp, or sick care. Other options include joining a day-care consortium and using governmental and public-agency incentives. Instead of child-care services, a firm may elect to provide information on available resources. Organizations can assist financially by setting up flexible spending accounts and cafeteria benefit plans for employees. Firms may also subsidize employee child-care costs by paying child-care providers directly or by reimbursing the employee an agreed-upon amount. Sometimes the benefit takes the form of a discount that is negotiated between a company and community centers or child-care chains.
Dalmahoy
Authors: Kaven William H. , Allardyce Myrtle
Published: March 2007

This example of a classroom case study introduces Dalmahoy, the family estate of the Earl of Morton, located near Edinburgh, Scotland. Dalmahoy has been leased to an outside management firm that has successfully operated similar properties; nevertheless, Dalmahoy's numbers have not met expectations. Beyond its picturesque appearance, the property's chief attraction is golf, although it has a health club and other facilities. Competition from other golf courses, large and small, seems to be a factor.
Making Computers “People-Literate”
Authors: Kasavana Michael L. , David Julie Smith
Published: March 2007

Computer-system development has shifted so that new system design incorporates advanced user interfaces that take advantage of natural and intuitive operating commands, thereby allowing inexperienced operators access to the power of computing. Products that rely on an individual's touch, speech, and handwriting are available and are influencing the marketplace. These revolutionary operating-command systems are rendering computers more user-friendly than ever before, so that people need not be computer-literate to operate them.
The Special-Interest Travel Market
Authors: Sorensen Lynne
Published: March 2007

Adventure travelers constitute a relatively small but growing market segment. Moreover, the persons who package adventure travel do not normally do business with major hotel chains. This is the hotels' loss, because adventure travelers generally are affluent and travel often. Adventure expeditions usually comprise small groups who go to a specific destination for a specific purpose, say, kayaking the Snake River. Those travelers may “rough it” during their trip but expect first-rate accommodations with plenty of amenities before and afterward. Hoteliers who want to connect with this market segment may start by purchasing a copy of the Specialty Travel Index.
Thailand's tourism and Hotel industry
Authors: Chon Kye-Sung , Singh Amrik , Mikula James R.
Published: March 2007

Thailand enjoyed a healthy growth of tourism in the 1980s. However, the country's tourism industry faces new challenges. Political instability, the spread of AIDS within the Thai population, and an oversupply of hotels threatens the country's tourism industry. In response, the Thai prime minister's office, the national tourism organization, and the private sector are vigorously trying to reestablish Thailand's image and promote the country as a tourism destination. The future of the Thai tourism industry appears to be bright depending on political stability, government commitment, and cooperation of the public and private sectors to market Thailand as an ideal destination.
What's Happening to Thai Hospitality?
Authors: Panmunin Wanchai
Published: March 2007

This study reports on how Thai employees feel about their hotel jobs in Bangkok and their attitudes toward working in the hospitality industry. Responses to questions about income were universally positive and there were more positive than negative answers about job satisfaction. Workers felt that they received good pay and were, in general, optimistic about the future of the hotel industry. But some work needs to be done to improve such negative elements as indifferent supervision, employee turnover, caste-system attitudes, and long work weeks to attract better-qualified employees and to remedy the alarming shortage of labor in the hotel industry. To improve public perceptions and enhance employees' experiences, the industry must create a working climate that is challenging, secure, trusting, caring, and promising. Any erosion of the traditional Thai spirit of hospitality seems to be the result of deficient elements in employees' working conditions. Ensuring the return of traditional Thai hospitality includes nurturing a pride in serving and wearing a service uniform, providing the opportunity for learning and advancement, and demonstrating the appreciation of employers and superiors both in words and pay.
Service
Authors: Toh Rex S. , Hu Michael Y. , Withiam Glenn
Published: March 2007

Following the success of frequent-flier programs, hotels implemented frequent-guest programs in the '80s. The authors identify the behavioral and attitudinal characteristics of “steady sleepers,” who generally have above-average incomes, tend to belong to hotels' programs, and concentrate on one program at a time. Such programs influence travelers' choices of hotels, but the chief attraction is excellent overall service. Steady sleepers prefer room upgrades to free rooms and merchandise. Travelers who are not program members are chiefly concerned about whether their rooms will be ready when they arrive. Some travelers worry that a program might be cancelled before they collect their reward or that the benefits could be taxed.
American concierges set Service Standards
Authors: Withiam Glenn
Published: March 2007

American hotels originally installed concierge service to remain competitive in the 1980s' guest-amenity race. While recession halted the rapid growth in new concierge desks, many hotels have been loath to cut out their concierge service because concierges have proved their value to hotel guests. Indeed, guests expect hotels at a certain quality level to have a concierge. Concierges have professionalized their calling, through their association, Les Clefs d'Or, which now sponsors a certification process. Moreover, the concierge concept has been adopted by such other businesses as department stores and commercial real-estate concerns.
Using Multimedia in Hospitality Training
Authors: Harris Kimberley J. , West Joseph J.
Published: March 2007

Computer-based multimedia presentations combine instructional resources to meet the audience's needs and learning level. Studies have shown that multimedia training increases efficiency, and learner motivation, for individuals and groups. Despite the expense, a few hospitality-education programs successfully use interactive technologies to train students in sanitation, front-desk operations, and marketing strategy relating to travel and tourism. The most successful training programs combine multimedia training with peer-group sessions, question-and-answer time with a supervisor, and textbooks and work-books that trainees can take home.
Marketing to the Affluent
Authors: Mann Irma S.
Published: March 2007

Of the 182 million adult Americans, more than 6 percent are in households earning $100,000 or more a year (11 million). To attract affluent travelers, the minimum requirements include absolute cleanliness, uncompromising safety, deluxe accommodations, and unobtrusive service. Wealthy travelers want the finest facility and amenities, personal attention, service responsiveness, and luxurious appointments. And they want to be surrounded by other affluent people. The minimum expectations of such guests include accommodations with views, fluffy towels, large closets, room safes, swimming pools, business centers, fine restaurants, unobtrusive service, spas with personal trainers, room service on every floor, room refrigerators stocked with real food, a VCR in every guest room, and services and products that maximize time.
Environmental-Imp act Statements and Land-Use Development
Authors: Sherry John E.H.
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on two aspects of environmental-impact statements: the factors that must be considered in the review process and the consequences of failing to provide a comprehensive EIS. Whether an EIS is required depends on the impact a project or development may have on the environment (this threshold is low in most instances). In New York State, for instance, “environment” is defined as all physical conditions affected by a proposed action, such as land, air, water, and minerals; flora and fauna; noise levels; objects of historic or aesthetic significance; existing patterns of population concentration, distribution, or growth; and existing community or neighborhood character. In those cases where the EIS avoids or ignores any area of impact, the courts may rule that already approved permits are null and void. Such deficiencies cannot be corrected by the filing of an amended declaration.
Andre Tatibouet
Authors: Glanzberg Al , Withiam Glenn
Published: March 2007

The primary operator of condominium hotels in Hawaii is Aston Hotels. Its owner, Andre Tatibouet, began focusing on condominium management when those construction projects boomed in 1978. By paying attention to multiple owners' financial needs, Tatibouet's firm has prospered. Aston maintains its own training programs and selects the GM at each property. He depends on travel agents and wholesalers for nearly 90 percent of this business. Other than on Oahu, Hawaii's tourism is down compared to the mid-1980s, although Waikiki remains relatively strong.
Collapsing Chairs: A Source of Liability
Authors: Quinton Wayne , Richards Alvin
Published: March 2007

If a hotel's staff and management is not vigilant, it is possible that guests will be injured when they sit on chairs that collapse. If they sue for personal injury, the outcome of the lawsuit depends on the legal concepts applied by the court, which vary from state to state. Two particularly common theories are negligence based on failure to act with reasonable care, and breach of implied warranty. Cases based on either theory can be difficult for the hotel to win. In recent years, some states have passed laws protecting businesses from unwarranted or excessive product-liability judgments. Nevertheless, a hotelier's best course is to prevent accidents in the first place by implementing appropriately documented inspection programs.
Assessing Chain-Restaurant Impact—
Authors: Morgan Michael S.
Published: March 2007

A regression model provides a direct statistical test of the impact of new units on existing units in a competitive area while allowing for additional factors that may moderate the causal link. The model is easily accessible to management practitioners. In its simplest form, it is as follows: If Yt is the customer count in month tfor an existing unit, then Yt= a + PjXlt + 8t, where random shocks in period tare indicated by atand the entrance of the new unit by X4t. Under ideal conditions, the estimate of X would indicate the average monthly customer count of the unit exclusive of the effect of the new unit's entry. The estimate P3 ideally indicates the net average number of customers per month that the new unit has absorbed (the existing unit's lost business).
Hong Kong's Fast-Food Industry
Authors: Lan Li , Khan Mahmod A.
Published: March 2007

By 1993 the quick-service-restaurant segment constituted 13 percent of the restaurant market in Hong Kong, where households spend more than half their food budgets on dining out. In addition to Western operations, Cafe de Coral, Maxim's, and Fairwood are Chinese-style fast-food chains that are replacing mom-and-pop dim sum and noodle shops. Despite rapid growth, fast-food chains face challenges: intense competition to the point of saturation, high inflation, rent escalation, labor shortages, and political uncertainty. International fast-food chains offer a core producthamburger, chicken, or pizza-and their strategies are focused on image building through aggressive marketing. By comparison, Chinese-style fastfood chains are product-oriented and offer great variety. International fastfood chains are expanding through franchising; local fast-food companies are expanding through private (family) ownership.
Food Labeling for Restaurants
Authors: Boger Carl A.
Published: March 2007

Public concerns about nutrition claims for food have resulted in considerable regulation by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Under 1993 regulations, restaurateurs are required to substantiate any health or nutrition claims made for menu items. Restaurant menus must effectively meet the same standards as those for package foods. Any claims must be supported by food analysis, and many companies are already using laboratory analysis to support those claims. The use of specific terms, such as "light," "fiber," and "tropical oils," is restricted. Considering the cost of analyzing menu items and providing the information in bureaucratically approved form, many operators may well simply remove any nutrition information and claims from their menus. The result would be less information provided to the public at a time when consumers profess to be more interested than ever in the health and nutrition value of food.
Metaphors of Hospitality Organizations
Authors: Palmer Ian , Lundberg Craig C.
Published: March 2007

An exploratory study of 401 hospitality employees examined the metaphors or mental images those employees held of their companies. Metaphors constitute a powerful communication tool that influences the structure of employees' thoughts and job performance. Researchers assigned each metaphor to one of 18 different groupings that fell into one of seven overall categories relating to such factors as management skills, organization structure, operations, and power concerns. The researchers found twice as many negative metaphors as positive metaphors, and about one-third of the metaphors related to organization structure.
Asset Management
Authors: Feldman Deborah S.
Published: March 2007

Asset management came to prominence in the late 1980s when ownership of a hotel became too complex for many owners and when it became clear to some owners that management companies were not responsible for the long-term appreciation of the property. In essence, the asset manager has the responsibility of seeing that the owner's investment goals are met in terms of cash flow and appreciation of the asset. This study examines the asset-management function from the point of view of owners, operators, and the asset managers themselves. The key to a successful relationship among the owner, operator, and asset manager appears to be open communication, trust, and a mutual understanding of each party's goals.
The Security of Security Interests in Hotel Revnes
Authors: Bindler Paul L. , Fingeret Kevin T.
Published: March 2007

Congress revised federal bankruptcy law to include room revenues specifically as part of the lender's interest in a hotel bankruptcy. Before this change in the statute, the status of that cash flow was not clear. Part of the confusion stems from a provision in the bankruptcy code that excludes from the lender's interest any property acquired by a debtor after a bankruptcy filing, which seems to include hotel room revenues. In a 1994 law Congress made it clear that room revenues would not be so excluded. Certain court rulings, however, have muddied this attempt at clarity. An Ohio case distinguishes between room revenues and the operating company's remittances to the hotel owner. The court viewed the management contract in that case as an agreement between two principals (the owner and the operator) rather than an agency agreement-thereby distinguishing contract remittances from room revenues. In a Pennsylvania case the court commented (but did not rule) that lenders would not have the code's protection if their loan documents merely referred to "rents."
Liability for Negligent Hiring
Authors: Clay Joan M. , Stephens Elvis C.
Published: March 2007

Under the theory of negligent hiring, even when employees are off duty the employer may be liable for their behavior if the employer knew or should have known that the employee was likely to behave in a certain manner (e.g., the employee has a record of violent behavior) and there is some connection between the wrongful act and the job. Employers must use reasonable care in the selection of employees (especially those with frequent guest contact), including conducting some type of background check to determine applicants' suitability for particular positions. This also applies when transferring an employee from a low-guest-contact position to a high-contact position. The appropriate extent of a pre-hiring investigation depends on the position. The employer should maintain a file that documents the results and sources of reference checks. If an employer is found liable under the theory of negligent hiring, punitive as well as compensatory damages may be awarded.
Northern Ireland
Authors: Titterington A. J. , Lennon Ron
Published: March 2007

Northern Ireland's tourism officials face the considerable task of building the province's tourism business. Officials have conducted studies and begun policies to improve both the province's attractiveness and its guest accommodations. Although they are separate countries, the north and south of Ireland will be marketed as one destination. While a number of operators plan to invest in accommodations in Northern Ireland, the province's long-term success rides on a permanent settlement to the "troubles," but there is no prospect of an early agreement.