Purpose – This paper offers a preliminary exploration of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues being addressed and reported by some of the UK's leading construction companies. Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with a short discussion of the characteristics and origins...

Purpose – The paper seeks to review the factors and methods used to integrate multiple ERP systems to comply with the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act (SOA) in an EAI environment focusing on the SAP business warehouse application. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines earlier research,...

It is surprising that little empirical research has been conducted in the area of service productivity given its impact on organisational costs. In order to try to encourage such research, this paper provides a structure for analysing productivity in service organisations by distinguishing...

The operational analysis of catering operations is constrained by the lack of an internationally accepted taxonomy and the seemingly infinite variety of operations. The development of catering operations is described and a flow chart of ten distinct stages that constitute any such operation is...

Investigates customer attitudes to waiting times in the hotel and restaurant industry, based broadly on Maister′s “psychology of waiting lines”. Results of a survey of 100 customers suggest that customer behaviour is affected by the length of time they have to wait. Also investigates the...

Achieving a balance between occupancy and average room rate is now well recognised as a prime determinant of good rooms department performance. Yield management techniques are increasingly used to help maximise rooms department sales revenue. However, it can be argued that the complexity of...

Investigates methods of assessing guest satisfaction, some of which do not give a true reflection. Analyses by comparison UK hotel methods of assessment and ways of improving amenities, i.e. reception, room service, facilities, costs, etc., and suggests ways of systemizing customer response and...

Reviews alternative approaches to new product development and new service development. Compares them in the context of the flight‐catering sector which is particularly suitable for such comparison as it is made‐up of a supply chain involving three distinctive stakeholders food manufacturers,...

Reconciles the traditional view of hospitality operations based on process analysis, with the more recent output‐based model, by identifying four levels of hospitality operations management. Process analysis is appropriate for understanding operating systems; and output analysis for...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an exploratory review of how the global hotel industry publicly communicates its approach to sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with an outline of the growing importance of sustainability within the hospitality...