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The purpose of this paper is to provide a more robust understanding of the development of dynamic capabilities (DCs) in service multi-units with different cultural distances (CD) (high (HCD) and low (LCD)) through the routines of embedded social capital (structural and relational) and knowledge archetype (exploitative and exploratory) learning.

The authors used survey questionnaires and structural equation modeling to discriminate the relationships among variables.

The authors found that structurally embedded social capital has a positive influence on exploratory knowledge learning in HCD service multi-units; relationally embedded social capital has a positive influence on knowledge archetype (exploitative vs exploratory) learning in both HCD and LCD service multi-units; and knowledge archetype learning has a positive influence on the development of DCs in both HCD and LCD service multi-units.

The results identify the central role of social capital (structurally and relationally embedded) in enabling knowledge archetype learning and the development of DCs in service multi-units. In addition, this study provides a description and comparison of how structurally and relationally embedded social capital are key antecedents in knowledge archetype learning and the development of DCs in the context of service multi-units with different HCD and LCD.

The results provide a practical trajectory for the development of DCs in multi-units of multinational corporations in the service industry with different HCD and LCD.

This study aims to analyze the relationship between the intrinsic characteristics of the teams that perform specialized industrial services in multi-units and dynamic capability.

This study was developed from a survey conducted in 188 multi-unit industrial service providers and data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique of partial least squares.

The results indicate the two constructs act differently on dynamic capability. While the infrastructural construct influences the capability of knowledge absorption, generation and adaptation, the construct related to the willingness to share and integrate knowledge has a positive impact on the capability of knowledge generation and storage.

This research is limited by the choice of only one industrial sector – in the case of this study, the service industry. Future studies will include other industries and a more diverse sample of firms.

This research analyzes the process of dynamic capability development in the context of multi-unit service provision. The context of multi-unit industrial service provision is peculiar when compared to other organizations. In the context, knowledge is absorbed, generated and adapted by individuals organized into teams that work in customer’s units. Service providers play a key role in the development of dynamic capabilities regarding knowledge storage, acting as knowledge repositories.

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.”

In the next millennium there will be more large firms in the hospitality industry, and these large firms will get larger. But despite the fact that we have had such chains for nearly 50 years, we know remarkably little about the operational management of chains. This article considers the importance of chain operations and reviews alternative theoretical perspectives on how such chains should be managed. It proposes a new model of multi‐unit management based around six key activities – integration, location, configuration, organisation, implementation and adaptation.

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.

This paper explores from a US perspective two size‐related issues that may motivate aspiring franchisees to consider multi‐unit franchising as a superior alternative to the traditional single‐unit approach. First, one of the reasons for multi‐unit franchising might be the enhanced influence opportunity upon the franchisor’s decision making that arises from owning multiple outlets. Second, a potential franchisee may be interested in engaging in multi‐unit franchising in the anticipation of scale efficiencies, i.e. efficiencies that arise because of the size of the operation. The managerial relevance of the discovered issues and their potential for future research is outlined.

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.

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

Feedback from condominium occupants on multi-generational condominium facility services makes it possible to identify areas in need of improvement and development concerning facilities management in this residential project type. This paper aims to examine behaviours, needs, preferences and patterns of space use in condominium occupants from three different age groups (under 30, 30 to 50 and over 50 years old) relative to their satisfaction with facility services. The paper examines the impact of the physical environment and facility service arrangement (i.e. cleaning and security) on occupant satisfaction in the common areas of six multi-generational condominiums and investigates whether occupant satisfaction varies between the three age groups.

Six case studies classified as multi-generational condominiums were conducted. Research methods included document analysis, field surveys, interviews with juristic person managers and surveys from condominium occupants regarding their satisfaction with cleaning and security services in the common areas. The findings were then applied one-way ANOVA to test occupant satisfaction mean differences between age groups.

The findings indicate that physical environment characteristics including the location, size, number and design attributes of common areas have an impact on the provision of facility services and may influence occupant satisfaction. In terms of the facility service arrangement, both the service method and the ratio of staff to areas of responsibility can be explained in connection to functional and technical quality, respectively. Occupants’ demands and behaviours, such as the strong requirement for privacy, the preference towards service staff accessibility and the frequency of space usage, contribute to different levels of occupant satisfaction.

More case studies in Thailand and also in other countries, based on surveys with large samples of respondents, are required to increase the validity and to establish whether it is possible to generalise the study’s findings.

The findings and reflections upon them help understand the impact of physical environment characteristics and the provision of facility services on occupant satisfaction in various age groups. Recommendations are provided concerning building design and the provision of facility services in connection to perceived service quality and occupant satisfaction in multi-generational condominiums in Thailand that can apply to other types of real estate projects where similar facility services are offered.

This paper contributes to research on occupant satisfaction with facility services and provides evidence on occupants’ feedback in different types of perceived service quality (i.e. technical and functional quality). Identifying the impact of physical environment characteristics, facility service arrangements and occupant behaviours on occupant satisfaction with the technical and functional aspects of facility services contributes to the body of research on facilities management.

The food service business is a complex one. The food and drink that a restaurant offers form part of their total product and only partially explains why customers choose it. Other reasons may include service, decor and ambience. Although every restaurant needs people to deliver the product and service, the food service sector is characterised by a wide range of different management styles and human resource strategies. Owners and managers of restaurants need to balance the need for profit and customer satisfaction against the need for greater employee retention in a sector where staff turnover is common. This can create tensions between management control of work processes for consistency of service quality with the needs of employees for job interest and satisfaction. This article explores some of these conflicting issues in the food service business and looks at the role that teamwork may play in resolving them. In particular, the approach to teamworking in the UK TGI Fridays restaurant group is examined.