DEVELOPING HOSPITALITY

Developing Hospitality Properties & Facilities - Edited by Josef Ransley & Hadyn Ingram. Second edition 2004.

I chose this book because of my interests to hospitality management. All the examples through book were about hotels, which isn't directly what Kustavin Kipinä does. But it's wide discussion about the things need to get done when developing hospitality industry. From my point of view it's easily applicable to other industries as well. It's written by specialists and experts of hospitality management which brings examples to real life and existing companies. 

It’s a guide to develop your product to respond to the change of climate, market and consumer’s, owner’s & staff’s needs. It’s cut up in five sections, which all together build practical and operational product. Contrary to old system, where developing process has been seen as chain, today’s model is circle where all sectors affect to product through all processes. These sectors are concept, planning, construction, operations and asset management.

Concept is about how finished product might look; what market it might serve. It’s part of an overall development and brand management. Two main divisions are feasibility (inc. market research, financial analysis & reporting) and design (strategy that will develop the property).

Planning chapter highlights the importance of development strategy to be well prepared and achieved in every section: design, finance, risks, legal agreements, contracts, brand ect. Construction is about building, renovation and adaption. This chapter increases awareness of design as a part of hospitality development process.

Operation chapter considers meaning of operational planning and relationships: How to involve all participants (customer, the owner, the management company, staff) into developing process and how to reflect to their different needs. Asset management chapter is about unit operations, maintenance & how climate, geography and culture affect to the developing process.

It was lots of information I already knew but though numerous examples I got truly different kind of understanding these aspects in developing. This was again mind opener for me. Thou it wasn't much new info, it was different way to see things. This is well done outside-box thinking (development only seen by owner in my before readings). Nice advance for my mind & thinking. 

-Minna