Purpose – The hospitality industry creates a distinctive context in which learning takes place. The industry’s international perspective and large globalisation play an important role in learning, as well as the operational and structural features that give meaning to learning and development in the hospitality industry. This explorative research therefore studies the relation between workplace learning and organisational performance in the Dutch hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative research is done through 15 in-depth interviews with general managers and HR managers of Dutch hotels with three or more stars and at least ten employees. Findings – It can be concluded that there is a relation between workplace learning and organisational performance in the hospitality industry, as the participants in this research and the literature both mention workplace learning enhances organisational performance. Originality/value – Little research has been done on learning and organisational performance specifically, in the (Western) hospitality industry. This research therefore focusses on HRD and studies the influence of workplace learning on organisational performance in the Dutch hospitality industry.
This study investigates factors predicting hospitality management students’ intention to enter employment in the hospitality industry upon graduation. Survey data were collected from 591 hospitality management students in a hotel management school in the Netherlands. Results of multiple regression analyses showed that study progress negatively predicted, while preferences for large organisations, engaging work content and growth opportunities positively predicted students’ intention to enter the hospitality industry. Supplementary analyses further revealed that among higher study year students, growth opportunity was the most crucial predictor for intention to enter the industry. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
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This article describes a method for promoting sustainable business practices in the hospitality sector and focusses on energy usage in hotels. It raises questions about the actual impact of eco-labels on actual environmental performance.
The focus of this project is on improving the resilience of hospitality Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by enabling them to take advantage of digitalization tools and data analytics in particular. Hospitality SMEs play an important role in their local community but are vulnerable to shifts in demand. Due to a lack of resources (time, finance, and sometimes knowledge), they do not have sufficient access to data analytics tools that are typically available to larger organizations. The purpose of this project is therefore to develop a prototype infrastructure or ecosystem showcasing how Dutch hospitality SMEs can develop their data analytic capability in such a way that they increase their resilience to shifts in demand. The one year exploration period will be used to assess the feasibility of such an infrastructure and will address technological aspects (e.g. kind of technological platform), process aspects (e.g. prerequisites for collaboration such as confidentiality and safety of data), knowledge aspects (e.g. what knowledge of data analytics do SMEs need and through what medium), and organizational aspects (what kind of cooperation form is necessary and how should it be financed).Societal issueIn the Netherlands, hospitality SMEs such as hotels play an important role in local communities, providing employment opportunities, supporting financially or otherwise local social activities and sports teams (Panteia, 2023). Nevertheless, due to their high fixed cost / low variable business model, hospitality SMEs are vulnerable to shifts in consumer demand (Kokkinou, Mitas, et al., 2023; Koninklijke Horeca Nederland, 2023). This risk could be partially mitigated by using data analytics, to gain visibility over demand, and make data-driven decisions regarding allocation of marketing resources, pricing, procurement, etc…. However, this requires investments in technology, processes, and training that are oftentimes (financially) inaccessible to these small SMEs.Benefit for societyThe proposed study touches upon several key enabling technologies First, key enabling technology participation and co-creation lies at the center of this proposal. The premise is that regional hospitality SMEs can achieve more by combining their knowledge and resources. The proposed project therefore aims to give diverse stakeholders the means and opportunity to collaborate, learn from each other, and work together on a prototype collaboration. The proposed study thereby also contributes to developing knowledge with and for entrepreneurs and to digitalization of the tourism and hospitality sector.Collaborative partnersHZ University of Applied Sciences, Hotel Hulst, Hotel/Restaurant de Belgische Loodsensociëteit, Hotel Zilt, DM Hotels, Hotel Charley's, Juyo Analytics, Impuls Zeeland.
ALE organised an event with Parktheater Eindhoven and LSA-citizens (the Dutch umbrella organisation for active citizens). Five ALE students from the minor Imagineering and business/social innovation took responsibility for concept and actual organisation. On Jan 18th, they were supported by six other group members of the minor as volunteers. An IMEM-team of 5 students gathered materials for a video that can support the follow-up actions of the organisers. The students planned to deliver their final product on February 9th. The theatre will critically assess the result and compare it to the products often realised by students from different schools or even professional ones, like Veldkamp productions. Time will tell whether future opportunities will come up for IMEM. The collaboration of ALE and IMEM students is possible and adding value to the project.More than 180 visitors showed interest in the efforts of 30 national and local citizen initiatives presenting themselves on the market square in the theatre and the diverse speakers during the plenary session. The students created a great atmosphere using the qualities of the physical space and the hospitality of the theatre. Chair of the day, Roland Kleve, kicked off and invited a diverse group of people to the stage: Giel Pastoor, director of the theatre, used the opportunity to share his thoughts on the shifting role of theatre in our dynamic society. Petra Ligtenberg, senior project manager SDG NL https://www.sdgnederland.nl/sdgs/ gave insights to the objectives and progress of the Netherlands. Elly Rijnierse, city maker and entrepreneur from Den Haag, presented her intriguing efforts in her own neighbourhood in the city to create at once both practical and social impacts on SDG 11 (sustainable city; subgoal 3.2). Then the alderman Marcel Oosterveer informed the visitors about Eindhoven’s efforts on SDGs. The plenary ended with very personal interviews of representatives of two impressive citizen initiatives (Parkinson to beat; Stichting Ik Wil). In the two workshop rounds, ALE took responsibility for two workshops. Firstly the workshop: Beyond SDG cherrypicking: using the Economy for the common good’, in cooperation with citizen initiative Ware winst Brabant en Parktheater (including Social innovation-intern Jasper Box), secondly a panel dialogue on local partnerships (SDG 17) for the sustainable city (SDG 11) addressing inclusion (SDG 10) and the livability (SDG 3) with 11 representatives from local/provincial government, companies, third sector and, of course: citizen initiatives.
Zoals met meer onderwerpen gerelateerd aan duurzame toeristische ontwikkeling, is ook het onderwerp bewonersprofijt niet "af". Specifiek op dit onderwerp werd snel duidelijk dat het überhaupt inzichtelijk maken van wat bewonersprofijt precies is, waar het uit is opgebouwd en hoe het tot stand komt eerst noodzakelijk was. Met de door de koplopersgroep uitgewerkte theoretische afbakening en verdieping is een eerste belangrijke stap gezet in de richting van het meten van bewonersprofijt. Daarnaast zijn, aan de hand van (inter)nationale voorbeelden, ook de mogelijke interventies en methoden om bewonersprofijt van toerisme te vergroten duidelijker geworden. In 2024 wordt het theoretisch kader dat de positieve bijdrage van toerisme aan het welzijn van inwoners inzichtelijk maakt, verder verrijkt. Er wordt onderzocht welke methoden momenteel worden toegepast om bewonersprofijt te meten en welke voor- en nadelen hiermee samenhangen. Tevens worden experimenten uitgevoerd om verschillende meetmethodes te testen. Ook blijven we actuele en relevante praktijkvoorbeelden publiceren ter inspiratie en stimuleren wij praktische interventies ter bevordering van bewonersprofijt. Het doel van deze aanpak is om stakeholders zoals gemeenten, DMO's en andere beleidsverantwoordelijken beter in staat te stellen om een geschikte meetmethode voor bewonersprofijt te selecteren. De doorontwikkeling van kennis en ervaring blijven wij uiteraard delen met de sector. PartnersHotelschool The Hague, HZ/ Kenniscentrum Kusttoerisme, Centre of Expertise leisure, tourism & hospitality (CELTH), Marketing Drenthe, Stichting Eilandmarketing Schouwen Duiveland, Marketing Oost, NBTC.
