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The purpose of this study is to develop a theory that explains how organizations can create a more inclusive atmosphere on the individual, organizational and societal levels. The consequences of an inclusive environment were subsequently developed and explored.

Constructivist grounded theory methods were used to collect and analyze data from interviews with 20 hotel executives and their company websites.

The findings of this study produced a theoretical framework for inclusion in hotel leadership, leadership inclusion theory (LIT). The LIT states organizations must address individual differences, organizational policies and culture and societal norms to develop an inclusive environment. Equity follows inclusion as the value for individual differences makes equitable treatment easier. Finally, diversity increases through increased inclusion and equity.

The LIT describes steps for managers to take to develop an inclusive environment, establish equitable practices and increase diversity within an organization.

The LIT highlights several unintended exclusion practices and generational attitudes that are common among organizations. By making conscious efforts, managers can take deliberate actions to establish a perceived environment of equality.

The LIT is a seminal theory-building effort grounded in hospitality. It explains the when and why of several phenomena related to inequality in the hotel industry and how to overcome such imbalances.

Eating patterns around the world have changed considerably, including food choices and preparation. One of these alterations in food consumption patterns is an increase in desire for fast-food consumption, which has been associated with poor diet quality. In order to analyze consumers’ food consumption behaviors, it is necessary to account for psychological factors (e.g. attitudes) that shape behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore influencing factors on the attitudes of consumers in Isfahan City toward fast-food consumption, so as to understand why consumers use fast-food despite widespread knowledge of the negative health consequences.

The predominant paradigm of the present study was quantitative, in that it was a correlational survey. The population of this study consisted of consumers who lived in Isfahan city in June 2015. A total sample of 350 people was selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview with the consumers using a researcher-made questionnaire. Analysis was conducted using SPSS (V20) and AMOS (V20) software and a set of correlation and differential tests.

The results revealed that “health consciousness” and “trust” are the main effective factors on the attitudes of the respondents. The results also revealed that the elder and married respondents have more positive attitudes toward fast-food consumption.

It is worth mentioning that fast-food has become an important part of the Iranian diet. These findings have both academic and policy implications. The results showed that the need for much more consumer education regarding fast-food and mass media could effectively be used. Further, the government should support and subsidize fast-food restaurants so that they may produce healthier food options.

The purpose of this study is to identify the motivating factors that influence repeat participation among university student volunteers at a world-renowned food festival. The direct and indirection relationship (through attitude toward volunteering) was tested. Additionally, the moderating role of class standing between student volunteers' motivations, attitudes and repeat volunteer intention was assessed.

Researchers applied a quantitative methodology to data collected after the festival volunteering experience. The research team collected 205 useable surveys from university student volunteers at the Food Network and Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF®). Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships among volunteer motivations, attitude toward volunteering and intention to continue volunteering. Lastly, a multiple-group analysis was applied to test the moderating role of class standing.

The results showed the motivating factors purposive, personal enrichment and family traditions were significant in predicting attitude toward volunteering. These motivations did not significantly affect intention to continue volunteering; thus researchers found only an indirect relationship (through attitude toward volunteering) between volunteering motivations and intention to continue volunteering. Additionally, a positive attitude toward volunteering resulted in an intention to continue volunteering. Lastly, testing the moderating role of class standing revealed significant results on three pathways, indicating that students are motivated to volunteer differently based upon class standing (freshman through junior vs. senior, graduate).

The data were collected prior to COVID-19, and the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted the events industry and the scape of future events are yet to be determined.

Festival organizers and managers should appeal to different motivations of potential student volunteers depending on their class standing. For example, results of the moderator “class standing” indicated that the relationship between personal enrichment motivation and attitude toward volunteering was strongest and significant among freshmen, sophomores and juniors, but insignificant among seniors and graduate students. Thus, freshmen through juniors are more highly motivated to obtain practical experiences, and this motivation results in a positive attitude toward volunteering.

This study tests the moderating role of class standing to help predict intention to continue volunteering at a special event. The research is further unique by extending an understanding of the validity and reliability of the special events volunteer motivations scale.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the decision to contract school meal services and the associated nutritional and financial impacts on school districts. Given the increase in the use of competitive contracting of public school meal services and the critical role that school meal services play in public health, this is an important subject to investigate.

A case study was performed using one US school district with privatized food service. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with school food service decision makers. Other data collection included the analysis of public documents such as the school district’s budgets and financial statement reports (the cost per lunch and breakfast meals, the cost for labor, contract, transport, supplies and food expenses) and school food service policies (contract policies). Supplementary data pertaining to district social-demographic profiles and full-time equivalent enrollment figures were also collected from state departments.

Analysis of interviews revealed that positive financial motivations and impacts were dominant factors related to contracting food services in the district. A significant finding was the relatively short turnaround in the district’s negative financial situation as a result of contracting out the food services. These findings provide valuable insight and support for rural school districts in similar negative financial situations seeking to contract out food services.

Many studies have examined contracting out of technical services, such as transport and waste management, and social services, such as correctional services and health; however, there is a lack of studies documenting the effects of contracting out of school meal services.

The purpose of this study is to investigate foodservice industry employees’ experiences and perceptions related to substance abuse prevention measures in the workplace.

A qualitative approach was used for this foundational study, and data collection occurred by conducting in-depth interviews with 30 foodservice employees.

Participants reported that, in their perceptions, substance abuse prevention measures were virtually non-existent at their places of employment. The few participants that were aware of such policies indicated that they had never seen the policy actually enforced.

The results of this exploratory study suggest that foodservice employees may not be receiving adequate messages about workplace substance abuse prevention policies nor are they developing an adequate awareness of such policies. Further, where such policies are in place, they may not being adequately enforced, implying negligent business practices. Failure to display a presence and communication of workplace substance abuse policies and prevention efforts for this potentially high-risk population is both organizationally and socially irresponsible. Suggestions for the implementation of such harm reduction strategies are also provided, as is a call for further research conducted in a quantifiable method to offer more generalizable results.

No previous study has investigated employee awareness of substance abuse policies and prevention measures or harm reduction strategies in the foodservice workplace. This study provides a step toward understanding foodservice employee substance abuse and prevention that was previously lacking in the literature.

The purpose of this paper is to address the gaps in research on strategic planning for the social impacts of small-scale events in rural areas and small cities. This is achieved by investigating the social utility inferred by small-scale art festivals with a creative tourism element in terms of increasing social capital and positive social change, from an event stakeholder perspective.

The identified gap in knowledge is addressed by using interviews and fieldnotes from participant observation to co-create meaning with the organizers of four small-scale art festivals in small cities and rural areas in Portugal. Theoretical frameworks relating to creative tourism development and social capital creation are used to analyze the social utility of small-scale art festivals.

Creative tourism activities are integrated within small-scale art festivals in small cities and rural areas in various ways, mainly through art-related workshops. Significant empirical data give insight into how small-scale art festivals create social value by increasing the host community’s pride and reinforcing the social fabric of the festival’s local and “portable” community, in part through these creative tourism activities.

One of the limitations of this study is that it focuses on the perspectives and insights of the festival organizers. An analysis of the festival participants’ views, local community stakeholder analysis and community impact analyses would offer further insights into how the creative tourism experiences and other moments of shared meaning generation within small-scale art festivals influence the creation of social utility.

This paper offers insights into how creative tourism activities are being integrated into small-scale art festivals in small cities and rural contexts, and how these activities foster social connections among festival participants and with the local community. This addresses significant gaps in the literature on strategic planning for the social impacts of events, particularly in the context of small-scale events in rural areas/small cities, and the strategic value of including creative tourism activities within small-scale festivals.

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of involvement, satisfaction and festival attachment on urban Dragon Boat Festival (DBF) attendees’ future intentions.

Data were collected from 307 participants of the Hong Kong DBF using a survey instrument. Data was analysed using a series of analytical tools including factor analysis, structural equation modelling and bootstrap mediation.

Results indicate that festival attendees’ involvement and satisfaction directly influenced future intentions with the DBF, but this was not the case for festival attachment. Consequently, satisfaction is a key puzzle piece for understanding why DBF attendees may not revisit despite a positive attachment to the DBF.

The study draws implications for DBF promotion as an urban cultural event.

This study sheds light on the key drivers of attendees’ future intentions among both residents and tourists to urban festivals. A noble contribution to knowledge in this regard is that attachment alone is not sufficient to induce loyalty among DBF patrons. Essentially, satisfaction is a vital element for repeat visits. The study also makes important distinctions in determining elements of attachment.