International conference, small firms in the tourism and hospitality sectors, 12th and 13th...
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available to hospitality students and; (c) the technology skills vacuum in the industry. Think Tank participants all agreed that the key technology issues for the next 5 years are actually human issues—the right skills, the right levels of IT awareness and the right organisational structures. In other words, human bandwidth and not network bandwidth is considered as the most critical issue. Think Tank participants also highlighted the fact that better adaptation and use of ICT will require substantial cultural and organisational change management. Sander Allegro (Think Tank facilitator, Hague Hotelschool) argued that ‘‘we have to shape the mindset first’’, meaning that for ICT to become success, ICT would need to be embedded throughout the hospitality enterprise and culture as well as become an inter- disciplinary responsibility. In the same vein, Daniel Connolly (Think Tank facilitator, Assistant Professor, Denver University) commented that ‘‘every staff mem- ber should be a CIO’’ educated to understand what IT can do and cannot do. Such an approach would guarantee IT and strategy integration whereby all hotel staff would be able to develop, understand and support/ sponsor the implementation of business solutions using IT rather than business distant IT solutions. Further information on the EURHOTEC conference and presentations as well as the executive summaries of the Think Tank sessions can be obtained from http:// www.eurhotecgazette.com/ and Nicola Pogson (e-mail: [email protected]). Marianna Sigala Hospitality Management, The Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde, 94 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G40LG, Scotland, UK E-mail address: [email protected] Daniel Connolly ITEC, School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2003.08.009 International conference, small firms in the tourism and hospitality sectors, 12th and 13th September 2002, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds This was the second small firms in the tourism and hospitality sectors conference to be organised by Rhodri Thomas, Xavier Font and their colleagues at Leeds Metropolitan University, the first being held in 1996. These conferences exist within a portfolio of initiatives undertaken by the Centre for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms within the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Their initiatives are to be commended, particularly given the enduring numeric dominance of small firms within these industry sectors, and the continuing need to stimulate more evidence based, grass root, research to more accurately inform policy and practice. In recognition of the importance of the conference theme, the regional tourist board and the UK Small Business Service supported it, along with academics drawn from South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia. Although a small conference of approximately 60 delegates, the defined parameters and robust paper refereeing procedure resulted in presenta- tions, discussion and debate that were highly focused and consequential knowledge outcomes were of commendable depth. Furthermore, the presence and active participation of industry and governmental bodies enhanced the linking of academic research to small business policy. Six years on from the 1996 conference it would be gratifying if it could be said that, for example, the body of knowledge had consolidated and progressed, or that a clearly definable scholarly community had emerged strongly. However, evidence of such was not clearly apparent. This represents a significant concern as young researchers or those new to the field follow well-trodden research routes as though duty bound to tread the same paths of academics that have gone before them. Alternatively, they could begin their journey from the summit of existing knowledge to reach new horizons. In recognition of this alternative a special interest group has been set up under the auspices of ATLAS and was formalised at this conference. Its aim is to move forward a consolidation of small hospitality and tourism firm existing knowledge, identify the range of academics internationally that are actively contributing to the field of study, and to formulate research themes that have the potential to reach new knowledge horizons. Those interested in participating in this special interest group should contact r.thomaslmu.ac.uk or hans.holmengen@ hil.no. Alison Morrison The Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde, 94 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 OLG, UK Tel.: +44-141-5783949; fax: +44-141-55-22870 E-mail address: [email protected] ARTICLE IN PRESS doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2003.08.010 Conference reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 807–809 809
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Transcript of International conference, small firms in the tourism and hospitality sectors, 12th and 13th...
available to hospitality students and; (c) the technologyskills vacuum in the industry. Think Tank participantsall agreed that the key technology issues for the next 5years are actually human issues—the right skills, theright levels of IT awareness and the right organisationalstructures. In other words, human bandwidth and notnetwork bandwidth is considered as the most criticalissue.Think Tank participants also highlighted the fact that
better adaptation and use of ICT will require substantialcultural and organisational change management. SanderAllegro (Think Tank facilitator, Hague Hotelschool)argued that ‘‘we have to shape the mindset first’’,meaning that for ICT to become success, ICT wouldneed to be embedded throughout the hospitalityenterprise and culture as well as become an inter-disciplinary responsibility. In the same vein, DanielConnolly (Think Tank facilitator, Assistant Professor,Denver University) commented that ‘‘every staff mem-ber should be a CIO’’ educated to understand what ITcan do and cannot do. Such an approach wouldguarantee IT and strategy integration whereby all hotel
staff would be able to develop, understand and support/sponsor the implementation of business solutions usingIT rather than business distant IT solutions.Further information on the EURHOTEC conference
and presentations as well as the executive summaries ofthe Think Tank sessions can be obtained from http://www.eurhotecgazette.com/ and Nicola Pogson (e-mail:[email protected]).
Marianna SigalaHospitality Management, The Scottish Hotel School,
University of Strathclyde, 94 Cathedral Street,
Glasgow G40LG, Scotland, UK
E-mail address: [email protected]
Daniel ConnollyITEC, School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism
Management, Daniels College of Business,
University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2003.08.009
International conference, small firms in the tourism and
hospitality sectors, 12th and 13th September 2002, Leeds
Metropolitan University, Leeds
This was the second small firms in the tourism andhospitality sectors conference to be organised by RhodriThomas, Xavier Font and their colleagues at LeedsMetropolitan University, the first being held in 1996.These conferences exist within a portfolio of initiativesundertaken by the Centre for the Study of SmallTourism and Hospitality Firms within the School ofTourism and Hospitality Management. Their initiativesare to be commended, particularly given the enduringnumeric dominance of small firms within these industrysectors, and the continuing need to stimulate moreevidence based, grass root, research to more accuratelyinform policy and practice.In recognition of the importance of the conference
theme, the regional tourist board and the UK SmallBusiness Service supported it, along with academicsdrawn from South America, Europe, Australia, NewZealand and Scandinavia. Although a small conference ofapproximately 60 delegates, the defined parameters androbust paper refereeing procedure resulted in presenta-tions, discussion and debate that were highly focused andconsequential knowledge outcomes were of commendabledepth. Furthermore, the presence and active participationof industry and governmental bodies enhanced thelinking of academic research to small business policy.
Six years on from the 1996 conference it would begratifying if it could be said that, for example, the bodyof knowledge had consolidated and progressed, or that aclearly definable scholarly community had emergedstrongly. However, evidence of such was not clearlyapparent. This represents a significant concern as youngresearchers or those new to the field follow well-troddenresearch routes as though duty bound to tread the samepaths of academics that have gone before them.Alternatively, they could begin their journey from thesummit of existing knowledge to reach new horizons. Inrecognition of this alternative a special interest grouphas been set up under the auspices of ATLAS and wasformalised at this conference. Its aim is to move forwarda consolidation of small hospitality and tourism firmexisting knowledge, identify the range of academicsinternationally that are actively contributing to the fieldof study, and to formulate research themes that have thepotential to reach new knowledge horizons. Thoseinterested in participating in this special interest groupshould contact r.thomaslmu.ac.uk or [email protected].
Alison MorrisonThe Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde,
94 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 OLG, UK
Tel.: +44-141-5783949; fax: +44-141-55-22870E-mail address: [email protected]
ARTICLE IN PRESS
doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2003.08.010
Conference reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 807–809 809
