JHTC, Teaching and Case Notes, Volume 5, Issue 2

Table of Contents, Abstracts

Event History and Housing Contract Clauses for a Dual-City Event: The 2014 Gay Games
(Ravichandran, Carter, Gwin, Phelan)

This case study utilizes the 2014 Gay Games which took place in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio to examine the importance of historical information in planning and managing mega-events.  The method of housing reservations used for the event is highlighted, along with the many challenges associated with managing room blocks, performing room audits, and negotiating housing contract clauses. Using Stakeholder Theory and Organizational Information Theory, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the housing process for a recurring mega-event, and better understand the benefits and challenges associated with a dual-city hosting structure.

Key Words: Citywide events, room blocks, attrition, destination management organization, stakeholders, economic impact

Case Study
Teaching Note
 

Managing Food safety in Airline Catering in an Emerging Market: The case of LSG Sky Chefs Sao Paulo
(Merkle, Lewis)

This case examines an airline caterer’s approach to managing food safety in an emerging market. Staff motivation and compliance with food safety management systems are evaluated. Approaches to food safety management are discussed in connection with certifications. Despite this being a challenge in other organisations, LSG Sky Chefs at the São Paulo unit achieves high compliance levels through effective ways of employee motivation. The organisation offers a number of benefits that can be classified as motivators, such as training or access to medical treatment. In addition, corporate culture plays an important role in this organisation. A system of rewards for employees emphasises the company’s core service-related values.

Key Words: Airline Catering, Food and Beverage, Food Safety, Motivation

Case Study
Teaching Note

Struggles of First-Time Managers: A case about interpersonal communication skills
(Hiller, Brown, Arendt)

The purpose of this case study is to emphasize the importance of good interpersonal communication skills for hospitality managers and help prepare hospitality students for first-time managerial roles. The Madison Hotel is looking to move an employee without operational experience into a management position.  Students are to determine an appropriate approach through analysis of skills, including communication, and experience.  Interpersonal communication can consume a large portion of a manager’s day and more time needs to be dedicated to it if done poorly. First-time managers with poor interpersonal communication skills may struggle due to the interpersonal nature of the hospitality industry.

Keywords: hospitality, interpersonal, communication, skills, first-time, management

Case Study
Teaching Note
 

Clashing Values, Firm Identity, and Changing Social Norms: The case of Chick-fil-A
(Singal, Krawczyk, Beal)

This case study describes the public relations disaster surrounding remarks by a top executive of the fast food company Chick-fil-A regarding gay marriage.  The public backlash and the related changed perception of the restaurant have brought the company’s celebrated corporate culture and future into question.  This case discusses the history and culture of Chick-fil-A as well as the strategic decisions which the chain has made, how their corporate values have clashed with the changing social environment in America and the resulting implications for firm performance.

Key Words: Organizational Identity, Food & Beverage, Strategic Management, Diversity Management

Case Study
Teaching Note

Stone Lion Inn: Haunting in a small town
(Mathe-Soulek, Aguirre, Roseman, Dallinger)

Rebecca Luker started the Stone Lion Inn in the mid 1980’s as Oklahoma’s first bed and breakfast. During a time of economic hardship in the state, Luker sought to increase revenue by adding a murder mystery dinner component to guests’ stay for an extra fee. When guests started describing ghostly encounters while staying at the Inn, Luker took this opportunity to grow the business and to reach guests by uniquely and strategically positioning the Inn as a haunted bed and breakfast. Through the use of emotional branding and atmospherics, this case examines how marketing tactics of the Inn have brought success to the establishment.

Key Words: bed and breakfast, haunted lodging, marketing, emotional branding, atmospherics

Case Study
Teaching Note
 

A Bite in the Night: The case of bed bugs at the Mountain Peak Inn
(Allman, Schrier)

This case study provides a scenario of service failure and recovery efforts in a hotel operation. A hotel guest encounters bed bugs in his hotel room during a stay at the Mountain Peak Inn, a mid-scale hotel property located off of the interstate.  Upon reporting the situation to the front desk agent the hotel management attempts to handle the situation to the best of their abilities.  Discussion regarding this case study may include topics related to service failure, service recovery, hotel operations, legal aspects within the hotel industry, and future ramifications.

Key Words: Bed bugs, Hotel management, Hotel operations, Service failure, Service recovery

Case Study
Teaching Note

Strategic Event Planning for the Florida Music Festival (FMF), USA
(Andrzejewski, Van Niekerk, Okumus)

With the aid of the guided analysis of the Florida Music Festival (FMF), this case study outlines the use of the strategic event planning process with a view to establish events as a tourist attraction within a destination. The paper explains the importance of the tourism industry for Orlando, USA and sets out ways in which events can capture this market by means of carefully crafted strategies in order to generate event tourism. The Florida Music Festival has been in existence for 15 years, but it has not grown beyond a residentially attended event. This is a problem that appears to stem from (1) this event’s inability to increase the return on investment for stakeholders, (2) an inadequate understanding of the current visitor profile, and (3) the inability of the event to grow the attendance reach beyond that of local residents.

Key Words: event tourism, strategic event planning process, visitor profile, marketing scope, Return on Investment (ROI)

Case Study
Teaching Note
 

Food Waste and Financial Performance: Should Olive Garden drop unlimited breadsticks and salad from its menu?
(Kizildag, Okumus, Hutchinson)

This case study discusses how unlimited and free breadsticks and salad offered in Darden’s (NYSE:DRI) Olive Garden restaurants have contributed to food waste and reduced profitability. This long-standing menu offering sheds lights on the negative impact of increasing amounts of food waste on restaurant sales margins and food costs. It is discussed whether Olive Garden can reduce food waste and increase profit margins with a modification to its unlimited breadstick and salad offerings. Specific discussion topics focus on food waste reduction, cost controls, and financial performance.

Key words: food waste, food cost controls, financial performance, Darden Restaurants, Inc. Olive Garden Restaurants

Case Study
Teaching Note
 

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