Business Commons^™

Reasons That Post-Secondary Culinary Students Enrolled In For-Profit Educational Institutions Drop Out And Methods That Can Be Used To Increase Retention Rates, Craig Frigaard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Most people appreciate and understand the value of education. They are aware that education can significantly increase the potential earnings a person can make over their lifetime, improve the security and stability in their chosen profession, improve their competency, and make it easier to be successful at their job. Education can also increase the amount of respect a person may receive from their peers and all of these things can improve the overall quality of their life. Education can be extremely important to an individual’s success.

Total Compensation Practices And Their Relationship To Hospitality Employee Retention, Soodchai Ting Phonsanam

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Choice Hotels has franchised hotel owners who must understand the financial impact that arises from turnover due to employees’ perceptions of inequitable total compensation. Currently, for franchise hotel owners, there is not any guidance on this from Choice Hotels. The purpose of this paper will be to explore the current literature regarding total compensation and to develop a set of recommendations that Choice hotel owners can use to retain both their managers and employees. If there is any question as to why turnover is such an issue in the hospitality industry, one only needs to look at the countless studies …

Premier, Judy Nagai, Afsha Bawany, Donna Mcaleer, Ayo Akinsete, Robyn Hadden, Robyn Campbell-Ouchida, Lateka Grays, Jae Young, Dean Mann, Damon Hodge

Premier: The Magazine of the UNLV Harrah Hotel College

No abstract provided.

Las Vegas Visitor Demographics: Be Careful What You Wish For, Joseph Akinsete

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Targeting the correct customer is one of the most important components to owning and running a successful company. To have a great product that is marketed to the wrong customer, will result in lost profits and missed opportunities.

Over the last 20 years Las Vegas has seen two drastic changes in its target customer and visitor demographics. By the late 1980’s gaming revenue in Las Vegas was down as other areas in the country started to legalize gambling. In an attempt to stimulate visitor numbers the city was reinvented in the image of Disney. Themed hotels such as the Luxor …

The Opportunities And Risks For The U.S. Educators Of Exhibition Majors Entering The China Education Market, Wei Jia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper provides a general introduction for American exhibition educators who are interested in launching joint programs with or exporting certifications into China. The study describes the status of exhibition and tourism education in China, and then presents an analysis of the exhibition certification programs of both China and the United States. Based on a comparison of the two systems, recommendations are made regarding . American educators could use this study as a reference for introducing their certification or higher education programs into China.

The Discussion Of First Mover Advantage In The Chinese Hotel Industry, Yuheng Zheng

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

China’s tourism industry has become an important player in today’s tourism market. It has been reported by the WTO (World Tourism Organization) that China will become the world’s No.1 tourist destination by 2020 with more than 100 million tourists travelling to China every year (WTO, 1999; Pine and Qi, 2004). For international hotel groups, entering a new market like China is challenging. Cultural differences, government policies, entry modes and entry timing strategies all affect the potential success of the company. This paper will focus on timing strategies for foreign companies that want to enter the Chinese lodging industry and to …

The Effects Of Annual Pass Holders On The Disneyland Resort Infrastructure, Sean B. Keliiholokai

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the inception of Disneyland, the growing number of loyal guests, expansion of the theme parks and new entertainment elements has drawn and increased park attendance. With that being said, expansions are continuously taking place and thus the price per ticket increases. As the ticket prices continue to increase, numerous amount of guests look at other options such as annual passes as a means of getting the most for their money. As funds for families become more of a concern, the need for local supplemental activities is a key driver. The ever expanding base of Annual Passholders (AP), who is …

The Value Of An Associate Degree In Culinary Arts From A Public Postsecondary School Versus A Private School, John F. Maas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Through an analysis of tuition data, this paper explores the difference in cost of an associate degree in culinary arts from public and private postsecondary schools. The average cost of the associate degree in culinary arts at private school is more than 500% higher than the average cost at the public schools. This disparity in cost raises a question of value. Is the degree from a private school worth more to justify the additional cost? The literature review established the use of post-graduation earnings as an accepted measure of the value of the degree. Surveys conducted by the American Culinary …

A Guide For Small Meetings In Las Vegas, Linda Dorothy Mcilveen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper is a deliverable guide for successful meeting in Las Vegas. The guide was created through an industry and academic review of literature. There are nine segments that are explored in order to encourage small associations and groups to hold their meetings, conventions and conferences in Las Vegas. The segments in the paper also provide information for non-professional and inexperienced meeting planners. The suggestion for future research is an experimental design process that tests the use of registration management systems and their value to small meetings.

Immigration And The Hospitality Industry, Joseph M. Rasic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to correlate the research of immigration reform and the potential impact on the hospitality industry. For over a century, numerous debates and policies have been discussed and developed addressing the issue of immigration. The history of immigration policy shows that legislation was passed to address the current concerns for each of the past several decades, but additional changes are constantly needed in order to support the continued growth and changes of the nation. History also shows that some of the laws that were created to control immigration actually initiated larger issues, which led to …

Equipping Women For Food Service Sales, Robert Stegall-Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to develop a training program which will equip women for success in foodservice sales. It will determine if women have greater sales skills in the current business environment. Research will be done to determine what role product and operations knowledge plays in sales success in addition to natural ability. Finally based on the findings it will be determined in what format to deliver the training

Application Of Modern Hospitality Management Practices In China's Time-Honored Restaurants, Junfeng Li

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

“Time-honored” catering enterprises in China are currently facing severe tests as well as a rare opportunity to grow in market competition. Among catering businesses and those in academic circles, the common concern is how to take opportunities and use them to grow quickly. This study will use the SWOT model to analyze the present situation of China’s time-honored catering enterprises and will examine catering management techniques to find the optimum operational mechanisms to assist them. This will promote survival and growth of time-honored catering enterprises and provide a theoretical basis for the Chinese government's relevant policy decisions. The purpose of …

Timeshare: Intervals Vs. Points, Monica Colvin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to explore the different usage options associated with timeshare and why a company would choose to convert their current product form.

Sales Motivation & Morale During Extreme Times Of Change, Cheri L. Fairchild

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the United States entered a recession in December 2007. (Woodworth, 2010). The hospitality industry has been hit extremely hard by this economic downturn. With clients cutting costs, there is less business to be had by the same, and in many cases, a growing number of hotels. At the same time, hotels are forced to cut costs in any number of ways to remain viable. This may mean scaling back services, staffing reductions and cuts in employee benefits. However, there is a point where a company simply cannot cut anymore without doing more …

How Stereotyping Affects Customer Service, Nicole Ruiseco

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper presents different ways in which stereotyping affects service in the hospitality industry. Specifically the food service industry, this sector is where interaction between guest and employee is the entire experience. Stereotyping a guest happens in a number of different ways. The negative stereotypes that are associated with guests are what effects the type of service a guest receives. When a guest is unhappy with customer service the point of the whole experience is diminished. Finding a way in which to reduce the amount of negative stereotypes associated with guests is critical in improving service and guest satisfaction. Having …

How Corporate Social Responsibility Influences Employee Job Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry, Chia-Chun Saprina Chiang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether strategic CSR programs in the hotel industry influence individual job satisfaction. Based on Valentine and Fleischman’s study in company ethics programs and employees’ perceived CSR, job satisfaction is related to many significant organizational factors and is usually a major concentration of business research that investigates employee-based phenomena (Valentine & Fleischman, 2008, p. 160). In addition, this paper will seek for the literature supporting the positive correlation between a company’s strategic CSR activities and its employees’ job satisfaction. In other words, this study will identify whether and how employees’ perceptions of their …

Motivations For Camp Staff To Work At Camp, Jessica M. Cresci

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Camp staff are the heart of summer camps and can affect how the summer runs. The purpose of this study was to identify the motivations for staff to work at residential summer camps with special regard to any differences in motivations between staff who attended camp as a camper and staff who never attended camp as well as between international and national staff. This study used cluster sampling measuring 21 possible motivations. A link to an online survey was sent to eight camps as identified on the American Camp Association website. The top six motivations for staff to work at …

Environmental Attitudes Towards Wine Tourism, Christopher Taylor, Nelson Barber, Cynthia Deale

Hospitality Management

Wine tourism marketers frequently seek new ways to promote destinations, often executing ecologically sustainable practices. As consumer environmental knowledge of a wine tourism destination increases, consumer attitudes change, influencing perceptions of the environmental policies of a wine region. In this consumer-driven economy, it is therefore important to search for effective ways to market destinations, and one approach is selective marketing. By focusing on consumers in this manner, it is possible to understand better their concerns and motivations, which should aid in marketing and advertising efforts. This study investigated wine consumers environmental concerns and attitudes about wine regions. Results suggest environmental …

An Analysis Of Event Managers' Problem-Solving Propensity: Applying The Problem-Solving Inventory (Psi) To The Field Of Event Management, Dana V. Tesone, Mary Jo Ross, Randall Upchurch

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The field of event management encompasses the conceptualization of a festival or event, a determination of the intended target market, coordination of systems, policies, and procedures needed to plan and support the event, and the eventual administration of a proposed event. This broad scope of functional duties surrounding event planning requires that an event manger have at his or her disposal a diverse repertoire of problem-solving abilities. Using Heppner's Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) the researchers determined that the sampled group of event professionals from the International Special Events Society (ISEP) exhibited high levels of problem-solving self-confidence, high approach behavior, and high …

The Powerful Mythology Surrounding Bugsy Siegel, Larry Gragg Ph.D.

Occasional Papers

Journalists, authors, filmmakers, and historians have been interested in Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel for over six decades. Collectively, they have crafted a cohesive mythological narrative of Siegel’s life one focused upon “rags to riches” success and his contributions to the development of Las Vegas, Nevada. Most attribute to Siegel the inspiration for not only the Flamingo Hotel‐Casino, but also for the glamorous, classy, flashy resort city Las Vegas became after World War II. This paper describes the development of the myth since Siegel’s murder in 1947 as well as how it has been sustained.

Brand Extensions For Hotels’ Food And Beverage Expansion To The Outside Of Property: A Case Of Westin Chosun Hotel In Korea, Claire Hyun Jung Kim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

First, this paper will explain the term “brand” in general (i.e. brand, brand equity, brand image, and brand extensions) and allow readers to understand the broad concept as they begin reading. The paper will then look into the growing importance of F&B business in the hospitality industry. From the overview of the industry’s branding strategies for their F&B business management, the readers will notice that the hotels in Korea have focused on brand extensions. This paper will then introduce and examine the case of Westin Chosun Hotel in Korea which property has been known for successfully using brand extension techniques …

An Intercultural U.S.-China Restaurant Service Process Model: U.S.-China Servpro Restaurant Model, Pearl Teo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The globalization of markets has created many opportunities for service firms to expand internationally. China is an example of a country that has seen the growth of international service companies over the last two decades. The liberalization of economic and legal policies in China has provided the impetus for growth and development. Among one of the growth sectors of foreign services companies is western restaurants.

The Value Of Destination Loyalty: Myth Or Reality?, Robertico R. Croes, Amir Shani, Andrew Walls

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Given the growing appeal of the concept of destination loyalty in tourism marketing, it is highly important to investigate the travel expenditures of loyal vs. non- or less loyal visitors. Adopting the behavioral approach to loyalty, this study examines the spending patterns of visitors to Kissimmee-St. Cloud, while comparing between the different loyalty segments: no previous visit, one previous visit, and multiple visits. The analysis is based on an intercept survey conducted by the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau∗ (KSCVB, 2006), which yielded a sample of 4,301 visitors. In contrast to the prevalent concept, the results show that first …

An Empirical Investigation Into Organizational Learning In Hotel Organization, Umut Avci, Izzet Kilinc, Fevzi Okumus

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study aimed to investigate the relationship among individual learning, team learning and organizational learning. Data was collected from 799 employees, who worked in four and five star hotels operated in Mugla, Turkey. The study findings indicate that there is a meaningful relationship among individual learning, team learning and organizational learning. In particular, team learning appears to explain organizational learning more than individual learning. Based on the study findings, it can be recommended that in order to facilitate organizational learning, hotel organizations should critically analyze and utilize the factors that facilitate team learning.

Examining Technology Adoption And Management Perception Of Inventory Management Systems: The Case Of Aruba Restaurants, Kimberly Severt, Robin B. Dipietro, Diana Herrera

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of automated inventory management systems (IMS) and identify the stage of technology adoption for restaurants in Aruba. A case study analysis involving twelve members of the Aruba Gastronomic Association was conducted using a qualitative research design to gather information on approaches currently used as well as the reasons and perceptions managers/owners have for using or not using automated systems in their facilities. This is the first study conducted using the Aruba restaurant market. Therefore, the application of two technology adoption models was used to integrate critical factors relevant to the …

Towards Performance Measurement In Hotels:An Incremental Approach, Detta Melia, Leigh Robinson

Books / Book chapters

The overall aim of this paper was to investigate the phenomenon of performance measurement in independently owned hotels in Ireland in order to understand the role of measurement in the management of the largest component of the hotel sector. The primary objectives of this paper was to investigate the extent to which Irish hotel operators are utilising performance measurement techniques, to establish the rationale for the use of selected performance measures in independently owned hotels and to understand approaches to performance measurement in the management of independently owned hotels.

A comprehensive investigation of existing performance management and measurement activity is …

The Role Of The Customer As A Quasi-Employee In Service Organisations: A Research Agenda, Jennifer Lawlor

Books / Book chapters

The travel, tourism and hospitality sectors are increasingly encouraging customers to act as quasi-employees by inviting and/or requiring them to adopt a range of technology-enabled services or self-service technologies (SSTs), i.e. ‘technological interfaces that enable customers to produce a service independent of direct service employee involvement’ (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree and Bitner, 2000:50). Specific examples in these sectors include self-check-in online, ‘bag and tag’ facilities at airports, and electronic kiosks for accommodation booking purposes. Inherent in the use of SSTs is the requirement for the consumer to learn about and develop familiarity with such technology.

Testing The Impact Of Tourism On Competitiveness: The Case Of Puerto Rico, Robertico Croes, Manuel A. Rivera

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examines the empirical relationship between tourism and the competitiveness of a destination. It uses the cointegration and error correction model (ECM) in a bivariate context as a precondition to apply the Granger causality test. This procedure was carried out in the case of Puerto Rico's tourism industry during 1960–2004. The study found cointegration in the intertemporal rather than the contemporaneous effects, as well as a one-directional causality running from changes in tourism spending to changes in competitiveness. This result highlights the long-run equilibrium spending behaviour of tourists as a major concern of destination managers.

Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore: Executive Summary 2009, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu

Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence (2007-2024)

Since 2007, customer satisfaction from the consumption of products and services in 8 key economic sectors of Singapore were measured and scores released annually through the Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG). Currently the CSISG is undergoing a transition from an annual to quarterly release of results. CSISG results of 6 economic sectors were released in October 2009. The release of results for the 2 remaining sectors: Healthcare, and Finance & Insurance, and an update to the national score concludes the measurement for 2009. Starting from 2010, CSISG company, subsector, and sector scores will be updated quarterly, on a rolling …

The Evolving Service Culture Of Cuban Tourism: A Case Study, Tony L. Henthorne, Babu P. George, Alvin J. Williams

Management Faculty Publications

The case examines the impressive growth of tourism in Cuba. It analyzes tourism development in a society striving to navigate its way economically amid numerous social and political challenges. The Cuban experiment with tourism is a shortterm mega success. However, it is highly uncertain whether long-term sustainability can be maintained without the appropriate managerial changes at all levels. This paper highlights challenges in the tourism employment sector – training, supervisory issues, and performance evaluation, within a centrally controlled bureaucratic system. Of specific interest is the disconnection between the natural hospitability of the Cuban people and low levels of tourist satisfaction …