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Focuses on the individual and management development process (MDP) and the importance of training and education as complementary inputs towards the goal of maximizing individual and organizational potential. Develops a two‐dimensional framework, consisting of a skill continuum and a contextual continuum, to identify the key issues which need to be addressed by education and industry. Advances the MDP three Cs model of competence, confidence and capability, presenting a skill hierarchy and map and discussing transitional frictions. Emphasizes that management development should be viewed in the context of an organization’s strategic direction, highlighting an important link with operational and competitive success.

This study explores the nature of critical success factors (CSFs) in UK budget hotel operations through a questionnaire survey designed to ascertain the relevance and importance of a range of factors referred to as critical in the extant academic and trade literature. From a usable sample of 239 questionnaires the results show that budget hotel unit managers from the leading brands largely agree with the criticality of the factors stated in the literature, this being verified via the independent t‐test and reliability analysis results that show most of the CSFs to be highly statistically significant (p<0.001) and the set of CSF items to be consistent (α=0.9360). The data analysis, via principal components analysis, also facilitates the creation of a parsimonious model that identifies two dimensions and five CSFs as being the “most critical”.

Developing the themes from Parts 1 and 2 of the series this article explores the nature and extent of variance arising from inadequate managerial control of variability and variety in the hospitality operations environment. In doing so it prepares a method of approaching the management and control of the three Vs within eight generic areas of management activity and across six resource input areas.

Checklist questions asked of operations managers in the hotel industry regarding potential sources of variety are set out, including Human/Financial/ Material/Equipment/Time and Space Resources and Operational Methods, with the object of eliminating undesirable variety.

Increasing complexity and scale in hospitality company operations combined with intensifying competition in a maturing market is creating an unstable and rapidly changing strategic and operational environment for the hospitality industry. Such instability often leads to the generation of unnecessary and undesirable variety in organisational structures, processes and products. The consequence of this is frequently an increase in complexity for the hospitality operations manager. This issue is addressed through an analysis of the sources of variability and a consideration of potential techniques to avoid, reduce or eliminate the incidence of this instability as a means to reduce complexity and enhance performance.

As the second in a series of three articles, exploring the problems arising from instability in the Hospitality Operations Environment (HOE), this article develops an analysis of the sources, incidence and problems arising from undesirable variety. The discussion focuses on the need to manage variety across the whole hospitality operation, as opposed to a concentration on product variety. The potential sources of variety are identified in the HOE′s products, processes and structures and proposals are advanced to assist the operational manager in managing variety. In particular the control/flexibility dilemma is explored and the desirability of variety in the production and delivery aspects of the HOE is given special attention.

Explores the issues lying at the very heart of the endeavour academic researchers and industrial practitioners working in the hospitality field are engaged in; the essence of what is referred to as hospitality and its management. It critically reviews the definitions and perspectives on these fundamental issues proffered in the contemporary literature in an attempt to create a clearer view of what “hospitality” and “hospitality management” are. In seeking to achieve this goal the paper questions the fundamental validity of these definitions and perspectives, many of which are frequently accepted as incontestable truths by both academics and practitioners. Finally, the paper presents new definitions for “hospitality” and “hospitality management” which, it argues, should be those adopted to inform and direct the agendas of both academic researchers and industrial practitioners in the new millennium.

How from a contracting labour market can staff be recruited, motivated, trained and retained to meet future demands for more and better quality services?

To reflect on experience of research and journal publication with the aim of sharing key lessons in preparing and submitting articles for publication.

The viewpoint draws on the author's own career‐long experience as a teacher, researcher and writer.

Draws together a series of lessons to provide guidelines for new researchers on how to write for publication.

Few senior academics have captured their own learning and insight on the process of initiating and sustaining a publications profile. Typically new researchers learn by trial and error and the aim here is to share key lessons that might assist them.

This aim of this research was to discern the impacts that the visa application process has on destination perception and choice. Visas are used to respect border integrity, minimize illegal migration and reciprocate international relations.

The research surveyed a sample of the Dubai resident population, targeting individuals who have previously been required to apply for travel visas.

The outcomes of the research revealed that while visa application procedures were felt to be a “necessary bother”, certain factors such as: visa processing times and fees left participants with a negative perception of the destination, especially for travellers motivated by travel budgets, flight prices and visiting family and friends at the destination.

With available technology and the benefits of visa facilitation: cost savings, increasing tourism revenue and creating loyalty with legitimate visitors, today's nations have no excuse for not developing their policies and procedures in line with modern methods.

For the first time, a measure of the impacts that visa application policies have on traveller destination perception and choice was assessed.