Abstract:
The above model has been applied initially to the Hotel Operations class in the
School of Hospitality and Service Management. Students spend time in the classroom
learning the theory and procedure of running a 300 room full-service hotel. In
preparation for their first visit to the RIT Inn they follow the Harvard Business Review
format for analyzing case studies. On four separate occasions class is held at the RIT Inn
where students interface with the managers and employees. Students join teams and each
team engages in analyzing case studies developed by the instructor and Inn Management
which mirror situations that the managers have recently been challenged with. Students
present their solutions, and the managers tell what their solutions were in reality. The
students are able to compare their results with actual results. The interchange of
classroom, case study, and workplace is intended to yield greater learning outcomes
for students that will enhance their professional management thinking and enrich their
academic experience.