Hospitality studies: escaping the tyranny?
| Pages | 364-377 |
| Date | 07 September 2015 |
| Published date | 07 September 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-04-2015-0014 |
| Author | Conrad Lashley |
| Subject Matter | Education,Curriculum, instruction & assessment,Educational evaluation/assessment |
Hospitality studies:
escaping the tyranny?
Conrad Lashley
Academy of International Hospitality Research,
Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore current strands in hospitality management
education and research, and suggest that future programs should reect a more social science informed
content.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews current research in hospitality management
education and in the study of hospitality and hospitableness. It is, therefore, essentially a literature
review, but founded on a variety of research insights gained by the author.
Findings – Some have argued that the hospitality management education is currently dominated by
the tyranny of relevance. Yet, the study of hospitableness in wider social settings has much to offer to
both students and their future employers. This paper suggests there is need to allow for more exibility
in the curriculum so as to be less concerned with immediate relevance of content and more concerned
with developing graduates who are critical and analytical thinkers.
Research limitations/implications – It is not founded on primary research per se, but reects upon
a number of formal studies about the nature of the eld, the preferred learning styles of students and
nature of hospitableness.
Originality/value – The paper suggests changes to the current curriculum that may, or may not,
result in name changes to programs studying hospitality and preparing the sector’s future management
personnel.
Keywords Hospitality, Hospitableness, Hospitality management education,
Learning style preferences
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Courses aiming to develop management talent for the hotel, restaurant and bar sectors
began to emerge initially in the 1960s, but matured through the 1970-1980s with the
growth of taught programs leading to higher national, bachelor degree and master’s
awards (CNAA, 1992). In this rst phase, the titles also mentioned commercial
establishment types – hotels and restaurants, particularly, were frequently included in
the award names. At some point in the early 1980s, the words hospitality management
began to be used as a title for these courses. Irrespective of the name, however, the
content and focus of the programs remained largely unchanged (HESA, 2013;HEFCE,
2001,1998;QAA, 2000;Litteljohn and Morrison, 1997).
This paper reports on the development of the hospitality studies as an academic eld
that embraces the management of commercial and non-commercial services for
providing food and/or drink and/or accommodation as an economic activity. The study
of hospitality, however, embraces the study of hospitality and hospitableness as a
ubiquitous human phenomenon with obligations and demands on both hosts and
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
QAE
23,4
364
Received 12 April 2015
Revised 2 June 2015
Accepted 9 July 2015
QualityAssurance in Education
Vol.23 No. 4, 2015
pp.364-377
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/QAE-04-2015-0014
To continue reading
Request your trial