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The purpose of this paper is to determine the job characteristics or key success factors of current multi‐unit managers (MUMs) in a large casual dining restaurant organization.

The paper is a case study methodology which was used to survey a group of 71 MUMs in one organization regarding characteristics of their job. There were a total of 53 respondents for a 74.65 percent response rate. Factor analysis was used to determine whether any of the 24 characteristics could be condensed into “factors”.

The paper finds that the eight factors that emerged as key success factors were: single unit operations, standard operating procedures, multi‐unit strategic planning, interpersonal and social responsibilities, travel and visiting units, human relations, effective leadership, and unit level finances, which explained 75 percent of the variance among the individual items.

The paper shows that the current study is limited in its generalizeability as the case study methodology is used. The current study does give researchers a start on categorizing key success factors of MUMs in the twenty‐first century.

The paper can help practitioners to develop training programs for MUMs, as well as to help them recruit people for their MUM ranks that exhibit the skills and knowledge needed to perform the key factors that emerged from the study.

The paper takes the topic of multi‐unit management and develops a model for the key success factors needed for successful operation at that level in an organization. This paper is important for researchers in order to help develop research questions for the future. It is valuable for top management in organizations in order to help them to create development programs and to focus recruitment efforts. MUM is underrepresented in the restaurant industry by females and younger people and this study can help to develop people in these groups.

The purpose of this paper is to determine differences in perceived needs of training among multi‐unit managers (MUMs) in a large casual dining restaurant organization.

Case study methodology was used to survey a group of 71 MUMs in one organization regarding characteristics of their job. There were a total of 52 respondents for a 74.65 percent response rate. A pair‐wise comparison was used to measure the difference in perceived training needs, followed by a stepwise regression to indicate the relationship between the perceived need for training and the MUM competency levels on their current jobs.

This study found significant differences between the perceived need for training in the current job or to get promoted in areas such as finance and control, marketing and promotions, and human resources. In addition, the perceived need of training in human resources influences how competent and confident multiunit managers feel with regards to doing their job or in being promoted to the next level of supervision.

This research is developed as a case study focused on all the MUMs from one of the top 400 restaurant chains in the USA.

The knowledge obtained from this study will help multi‐unit restaurant organizations in the development of training and development programs and on human resource practices across organizations.

This paper offers insights into how casual dining restaurant MUMs have evolved from “task master” to “people developer” in their organizational roles.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the management innovations developed and implemented by the Harvey House restaurants with specific attention to those human resource policies and procedures that were created to use what many believe to be the first large-scale use of single women working away from home, the famous Harvey Girls. A second purpose of this paper is to use bricolage theory to frame the innovations that Harvey pioneered to illustrate how the theory pertains to this entrepreneur who civilized dining in the “Wild West.”

This paper relies on secondary and archival sources to inform its points and rationale.

Fred Harvey applied his experience-gained knowledge to invent a system that would provide meals to railroad travelers along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad that were not only consistently excellent and reasonably priced but also could be served within the tight time limits of train stops for fuel and water. The precision of his service standards was innovative and required trained and disciplined servers. To deliver the quality of service for which his company became known across the “Wild West.” Harvey invented his famous Harvey Girls.

Fred Harvey’s invention of the Harvey Girls represents the first large-scale employment of women and required the invention of human resource management policies, procedures and processes. This is the story of how this management innovator successfully applied entrepreneurial bricolage to bring civilized dining to the “Wild West.”

An overview of the trends occurring within the hospitality industry environment and their impact on organisational strategy, structure and performance is presented.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationship between QSC (quality, service and cleanliness) inspection scores and financial performance in quick service restaurants.

Restaurant QSC inspection data were collected from 25 quick service restaurants of an international chain over a period of 18 months. Audited financial data were also collected for these participating restaurants. Using SPSS software, the data were analyzed for possible relationships between the restaurant QSC scores and the financial performance measured as total unit sales per week, revenues per available seat per week, and gross operating income for each month. Restaurant unit size is measured by total revenues per month.

Contrary to the commonly held belief, the relationship between QSC variable and restaurant performance is weak. This study found there was a “V” curve in QSC inspections and financial performance when restaurant size was chosen as the moderating variable.

The specific items measured in the QSC may differ across organizations, although the broad categories remain constant. Certain operational factors such as price changes, special promotions, additional restaurant openings in the specific area, and local economic conditions could have confounded the results.

The knowledge obtained from this study could help restaurant organizations determine the level of weighting given to a specific inspection variable. This study also suggests the use of FQSC inspections instead of traditional QSC to emphasize financial performance (F). This study demonstrates the liability and limitations of tying QSC inspections to merit raises and bonus plans as normally done in restaurants.

This paper is the first empirical study to analyze the QSC inspections of restaurants related to financial performance. In contrast to the past studies with food safety/health inspections, the current study focuses directly on QSC inspections conducted more frequently and in greater detail by the quick service restaurants with emphasis on operational and financial performance.

This paper aims to review existing restaurant classifications within the literature in the restaurant management field. The authors discuss intra-industry ramifications of the limited use of recognized typologies and the need to prescriptively guide the description of restaurant context in the literature to communicate the internal and external validity of findings.

Restaurant categories from accepted typologies are used as keywords to collect 345 empirical studies from ten relevant journals serving the global restaurant management discipline. Content analysis of titles, abstracts and methodology sections is used to examine three propositions regarding the standardization, rationalization and efficiency of restaurant classification in imparting restaurant context in published works.

Findings show inconsistent use of existing typologies and limited use of effective restaurant descriptors to inform users about the situational context in which data were gathered or hypotheses were tested. There is a general preference for categories commonly associated with those of the National Restaurant Association.

Researchers should standardize descriptions of restaurants in manuscript titles, abstracts and methods sections, thereby enhancing integration of international research, the ability to conduct macro-level industry studies, and communication of findings to practitioners for operational use.

Recommendations are offered to optimize the use of restaurant classification so that the content of empirical studies may be more effectively accessed, digested and compared, thereby enhancing the communication of advances in the restaurant management body of knowledge to practitioners and other researchers.

This study aims to examine the utilization of Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH) technology applications in different types of US restaurants along with their level of IT management and explore the importance of these technology applications to restaurant operations.

Survey data were collected from 500 randomly selected restaurant technology managers who subscribe to Hospitality Technology Magazine. The sample group represented 67,299 restaurant units. Data analysis was organized into three parts (descriptive, exploratory factor analysis, and independent samples t-test).

For FOH, the top-five point of sale (POS) technologies used are POS hardware, touchscreen, POS software, gift card integration and integrated credit card swipe into POS. At the BOH, the top-five POS technologies used are accounting/financial software, enterprise reporting, inventory management software, kitchen printers and company intranet.

This is one of the first studies to include a variety of technologies used in restaurants. Most existing studies focus on a single technology or a small number of them. However, this study provides an overall perspective on a variety of restaurant technologies from FOH to BOH. It also includes mobile POS technologies.

本论文旨在研究美国各种类型饭店的前厅（FOH）和后厨（BOH）的各种科技应用系统以及其信息科技管理水平, 此外, 本论文还分析了这些科技应用对于饭店运营的重要性。

本论文采用问卷采样形式, 从订阅了酒店科技杂志（Hospitality Technology Magazine）的饭店科技经理中随机抽取500名经理为问卷样本, 此样本代表了67,299家饭店。数据分析方法共分为三个部分（描述型、因子分析、和独立样本t检定）。

对于FOH而言, 排名前五的POS科技包括POS硬件、触摸屏、POS软件、礼品卡管理、和信用卡与POS系统链接。对于BOH而言, 排名前五的POS科技包括会计/财务软件、企业报表、库存管理软件、厨房打印机、和公司内网。

本论文是仅存的几篇研究多样饭店科技的文章之一。大多数文章只是关注一种或者少数几种科技。然而, 本论文提供从FOH到BOH多种饭店科技的分析研究, 包括移动POS科技等。

关键词 饭店科技、前厅科技、后厨科技、移动POS

The purpose of this paper is to examine franchisee perception of company‐owned outlets within their network.

The paper uses a qualitative approach, based on 38 interviews of franchisees belonging to plural form networks from various industries.

The interviews show that franchisees generally perceive the advantages of the plural form in terms of network development and management, but they also perceive some limitations, mainly in terms of network culture and cohesion, as well as potential conflicts and costs.

Limitations mainly concern the exploratory nature of this research.

While they should keep on emphasising the benefits of the plural form, franchisors also have to reduce the perception of its limitations. They have to reinforce network culture and minimise internal conflicts.

The paper contributes to the existing literature on the plural form by using a franchisee‐based approach. In addition, contrary to most previous literature, it also highlights some limitations of the plural form.

In today′s complex and competitive environment, strategic management becomes the primary means of adapting organisations to their changing environment. For firms in the maturing hospitality industry to survive and grow, they will have to depend on their ability to align themselves strategically with the turbulent environment and select appropriate strategies to create defendable competitive positions. The findings of a nationwide study which was conducted to extend Porter′s framework of business strategy to the service industry by exploring the level of strategic management in restaurant firms in the United States are given. Companies′ emphasis in resource allocation in various competitive methods, and the nature of the relationship between strategy and structure are also examined.