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This article discusses approaches to work flexibility and the use of core and peripheral workers in the hotel industry. It argues that hotel companies have traditionally neglected building a core workforce and resorted to using “peripheral” workers in key operative jobs. It distinguishes between three groups of core workers that can be found in hotels: company core staff, who make their careers across a range of units in a hotel group; unit core staff, who are limited to the single hotel unit; and operative core staff, who may develop their careers within one hotel or across a number of hotels. The problems of developing such an operative core are discussed, as are the consequences of not developing it.

Interest in flexible working methods is increasing in the hospitality industry but to date there is little research evidence of current practice or potential. The range of methods available to the hospitality manager is reviewed and the major benefits and problems arising from the adoption of particular approaches identified. The findings are reported of a survey into current practice in the hotel industry and the extent of functional flexibility, numerical flexibility, pay flexibility and distancing approaches. Issues affecting the implementation of flexible working are discussed with special reference to the housekeeping area. It is concluded that companies must clarify their objectives in adopting flexible working if they are to make appropriate decisions about the methods they wish to pursue.

Discusses a case where an assessment centre programme played a key role in a process of management change in a county council social services department, responding to the Government’s “Care in the Community” initiatives. “New think” management required a paradigm shift – not just acquiring new “bits” of skill or knowledge – particularly with respect to decision making. Argues from this experience that developmental assessment centres provide an arena in which new roles can be rehearsed and allows for reflection on a person’s competence to manage that role.

The purpose of this paper is to present a research from a study undertaken with Methodist circuit ministers in the UK and those that work closely with them. It considers in what way and to what extent ministers think of themselves as managers and to what extent and in what way they are expected to perform as managers by those they work with.

The research that informs this paper was gathered through a qualitative study which involved in-depth semi-structured interviews with 22 participants both Methodist ministers and those who worked closely with them.

The study shows that, whilst those who work with ministers typically do not problematize management and expect managers to be able to perform management tasks, the ministers themselves are ambiguous about or rejecting of the discourse of management.

The relatively small sample size limits generalizability.

The study challenges trainers in this context and in other contexts where the “language” of management is contested or rejected to find a discourse of management which is acceptable.

The study contributes to the small body of literature on management and the development of managers within religious organizations. It contributes to the literature on managerial identity and the importance of management language in becoming a manager by presenting an example where this language and identity is contested or rejected.

Sexual, racial and other forms of harassment may create a devastating impact on individuals affected and can lead to severe loss of morale and efficiency. Examines issues surrounding this sensitive area which relate to legal definition, organisational policies in general and the hospitality industry specifically. Provides evidence of the current views on sexual harassment of hospitality industry personnel directors. Examines issues of hospitality service staff, encouraged to sell “sexuality” or “flirt” as a job requirement.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the way in which diversity policies are represented to prospective employees on UK company web sites.

An analysis was conducted of the diversity pages and careers pages of the web sites of companies in the Times Top 20 Big Employers (2009) and Times Top 25 Big Employers (2010) lists; 28 web sites were studied. The analysis focused on the language that was used to describe diversity, the diversity strands that were represented and the images used.

The paper shows how most of these companies have sophisticated and comprehensive web sites that use the language of diversity and of the business case. Messages about diversity are embedded not just in the diversity pages but also reflected across the careers pages. Young women are used as the “face” of the company while older men are less visible. The message conveyed on many web sites is of the importance of shared values and acceptance of superficial differences.

The paper adds to research on discourses of diversity and the limitations of the business case, showing how diversity is valued, provided it can be accommodated within existing company culture.

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.

Originating from the USA in the early 1990s, diversity management has been “imported” to Europe to become a fashionable practice in many business organizations. The aim of this paper is to provide further insight into whether and how the diversity management discourse challenges and replaces existing local discourses on equality and diversity, and how diversity management is given content and meaning in a specific local context.

Statements on diversity, diversity management and equality on both the Dutch and the international websites of ten leading companies in the Netherlands are analyzed.

The analysis shows that translations of diversity management may in fact not actually replace existing local discourses, but rather leave the existing local discourse more or less intact and alter the original diversity management discourse to fit into this local discourse.

This paper offers some important lessons for management practice.