Papers by Kevin D O'Gorman
Journal of Marketing Management, 2014
This conceptual paper uses field theory, and a production of culture perspective to explore the c... more This conceptual paper uses field theory, and a production of culture perspective to explore the celebritisation process in structured reality television. This relatively new genre, typified by The Only Way Is Essex, blends fiction with fact, and constitutes a new, playful and interactive iteration of the broader category of reality television. We identify three culturally productive models that create new celebrity discourses and establish a theoretical underpinning for the role of structured reality in the celebritisation process; tournaments of value, spectacle and transformative performances. Whilst not exclusive to structured reality television, these models are particularly effective at explaining how celebrities are interactively understood in an increasingly mediatised marketplace. We contribute a model which proposes that celebritisation in structured reality is a homologising process through which celebrity meaning is legitimised. Summary statement of contribution We highlight how structured reality programming resembles the culturally productive forces associated with tournament rituals, transformative performances and theories of spectacle that help marketing scholars unpack the cultural codes deployed in the celebritisation process. In doing so, we contribute to existing marketing scholarship by arguing that the celebritisation process acts as both an empirical context and a conceptual frame that highlights the relationship between cultural meanings, aesthetic practices and marketplace forms.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 2017
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between consumer motivation... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between consumer motivations, their interactions with hospitality spaces and experiential outcomes. Enhancing consumer experience is of clear interest to industry professionals. This quantitative study explores the impact of escapism and entitlement to leisure upon involvement in liminoid consumptions spaces, thereby contributing a theory of liminoid motivators within commercial hospitality. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a quantitative methodology, using a survey of a sample of student nightclubbers in the UK. Data are analysed through Partial Least Squares. Findings Hospitality consumers are positively affected by the feelings of increased involvement experienced in consumption spaces that exhibit liminoid characteristics. Research limitations/implications Surveys involve potential for error regarding respondents’ ability to agree with questionnaire statements. Data collection was conducted in Sco...
Coping with negative feedback can be difficult, but it is a crucial part of being an academic, sa... more Coping with negative feedback can be difficult, but it is a crucial part of being an academic, say Kevin O’Gorman and Robert MacIntosh
Hospitality Review, 2010
Hospitality and tourism management education thrives at the University of Strathclyde. As Susan H... more Hospitality and tourism management education thrives at the University of Strathclyde. As Susan Hart, Kevin O’Gorman and Matthew Alexander explain, following the recent reorganisation, integrating the degree into the Strathclyde Business School has strengthened the university’s presentation of the subject’s distinctiveness. This is how future leaders of the industry will be developed.
Robert MacIntosh and Kevin O’Gorman explain how to negotiate your annual performance and developm... more Robert MacIntosh and Kevin O’Gorman explain how to negotiate your annual performance and development review.
Continuing the series of investigations of hospitality practices in different locations, Kevin O&... more Continuing the series of investigations of hospitality practices in different locations, Kevin O'Gorman and David Brooks explore what muggles can learn from the hospitality experienced in the world of wizardry. These epic fantasies have some mind-expanding messages for those who will listen.
ABSTRACT Qualitative techniques can yield valuable, revelatory, rich data. They can be used on th... more ABSTRACT Qualitative techniques can yield valuable, revelatory, rich data. They can be used on their own, or in conjunction with other research tools depending on the nature of the research project. For example, interviews can be used to explain and interpret the results of quantitative research, or conversely, to provide exploratory data that are later developed by quantitative research. In a slightly humorous fashion, MacIntosh and Bonnet (2007 p. 321) note “Qualitative research is sometimes styled as the poor cousin of ‘real science’…” This position can represent an added challenge to researchers. This chapter discusses some common approaches to qualitative research methods and the issues that must be considered with their application in order for them not to be viewed as somehow inferior to ‘real science’.
This paper presents a summary of findings from a continuing investigation into the historical ori... more This paper presents a summary of findings from a continuing investigation into the historical origins of hospitality in the ancient (up to c. 500BC) and classical (c. 500 BC to c. 500AD) worlds, focussing mainly on the Greek and Roman civilisations. After considering the etymology of hospitality, the paper goes on to explore: hospitality and mythology; hospitality and the household; public hospitality; commercial hospitality, and hospitality in contemporaneous religious writings. The evaluation of the outcomes leads to the identification of five dimensions of hospitality (honourable tradition; fundamental to human existence; stratified; diversified and, central to human endeavour), which have been evolving from the beginning of human history.
The future of tourism in Iran depends on the tenor of the government, whether it be Islamic tradi... more The future of tourism in Iran depends on the tenor of the government, whether it be Islamic traditionalist or Islamic liberalist. In Iran religion and politics are inescapably intertwined and inseparable, with the priority of religion over politics. This is highlighted in the changing emphasis of the UNESCO list where cultural heritage is being reshaped according to religious and political ideology. President Jimmy Carter, during a State dinner in Tehran in late December 1977, described Iran 'an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas of the world'; this serves as a salient warning to those tempted to make predictions about the future of Iran. Anti -Israeli rhetoric, holocaust denial, uncertain nuclear aims and ambitions, pollution, traffic, false imprisonment, hangings and stoning all serve to undermine the attractiveness of Iran as a destination.
ABSTRACT This paper further develops a consumer-based model of authenticity by adding attitude an... more ABSTRACT This paper further develops a consumer-based model of authenticity by adding attitude and preconceived stage variables, and amending the relationship between various variables in the structural model. In this paper, we investigate a broader concept of authenticity within a new context; heritage sites in Japan. The findings show that, for successful marketing to result in improved tourist commitment and relational value, site managers need to consider how tourists experience, perceive, and evaluate object-based and existential authenticity based on their motivational and preconceived values. Implications of authenticity are discussed.
A potential visitor’s image of a destination and its attributes is likely to influence their beha... more A potential visitor’s image of a destination and its attributes is likely to influence their behaviour before, during, and after their trip. However, there is a lack of research into Islamic destination image (Jafari & Scott, 2013; Stephenson, 2014). Existing studies have commented on the differentiation between the expectation formation of Muslim and non-Muslim tourists; however these are often restricted to more secular destinations such as Turkey. Moreover, much of the literature which focuses solely on the Muslim community fails to explore beyond the realms of religious satisfaction of their experiences. This paper explores the journey of experience of Muslim pilgrims during the Islamic pilgrimage to the Umrah. Globally, the Hajj is one of the greatest traveller movements, demonstrating a significant rationale for the study of Islam within the heritage tourism domain. Islamic texts, such as the Quran, endorse traveling with a view to attaining social, physical and spiritual obje...
This paper reports on continuing doctoral research and specifically focuses on the development an... more This paper reports on continuing doctoral research and specifically focuses on the development and regulation of hospitality in the Western European monasteries, from the beginning of the Middle Ages through to the Renaissance. It builds on previous research, into the Greco-Roman worlds, which had identified five key dimensions of hospitality. The establishment and development of the western monastic hospitality tradition is explored together with the changing significance of the monasteries in Western European development, and the adsorption of the principles of monastic hospitality into the secular world. Through the translation, modernisation and secularisation of monastic hospitality this paper demonstrates its relevance for the hospitality and tourism industries of today. A set of principals of hospitality provision and management have been derived which are instantly recognisable to modern hospitality managers, despite their mediaeval origins.
Hospitality Review, 2008
In the continuing series reflecting on hospitality Mario Conti, Kevin O'Gorman and David McAl... more In the continuing series reflecting on hospitality Mario Conti, Kevin O'Gorman and David McAlpine explore an aspect of hospitality often overlooked - the constantly evolving religious practice of providing hospitality to those in most need. They present an overview of the evolution of hospitality for the needy and consider how throughout history, even when religion is under attack, there has always been recognition of the importance of charitable hospitality: hospitality in necessitudine.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
Purpose This paper aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) of continuous improvement... more Purpose This paper aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) of continuous improvement (CI) research in the hospitality and tourism management (HTM) literature. The paper also notes trends, parallels, inconsistencies and opportunities towards a clearer understanding of current scholarship. Design/methodology/approach This SLR finds a dearth of research in the field. After parameter expansion and exclusions, 35 papers across 11 journals are reviewed. Findings Studies of CI methodologies and practices are published infrequently, tending to focus on total quality management in European contexts. Despite the guiding customer-centric principles of CI methodologies, studies focus on improving internal processes rather than the service encounter. Research limitations/implications The review is guided by sections of the ABS 2015 list, which excludes some journals. Books, conference papers and trade magazine articles are not reviewed. Practical implications This paper identifies c...
Human Relations
How might political ideology help to shape an organizational field? We explore the discursive con... more How might political ideology help to shape an organizational field? We explore the discursive construction of the multinational hotel industry through analysis of one of its leading actors, Hilton International (HI), conceived by Conrad Hilton as a means of combatting communism by facilitating world peace through international trade and travel. While the politicized rhetoric employed at hotel openings reflected institutional diversity, it resonated in parallel with a strong anti-communist discourse. We show that through astute political sensemaking and sensegiving, macro-political discourse that is ideological and universalizing may be allied to micro-political practices in strategic action fields. Our study illuminates the processes of early-stage post-war globalization and its accompanying discourses, demonstrating that the foundation of a global industry may be ideologically inspired. Our primary contribution to theory is specific acknowledgement of the importance of political id...
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Papers by Kevin D O'Gorman
Regardless of the information given in this book the most important advice is to engage with your supervisor! Be sure to speak with them throughout the process of writing your dissertation. Be clear about goals and deadlines. When you meet, have questions prepared and make sure you understand their directions. Be proactive about solving problems, rather than withdrawing. Take notes and use the time wisely.
Dissertations have always played a significant role in the awarding of a degree. Originally universities were established with advanced degrees being offered in the vocations of medicine, law, and theology. Over time, the universities have adapted to accommodate changing economic and social structures and demand for skills. Indeed, Whitehead (1932, p. 138f) in an essay welcoming the opening of the Harvard Business School observed: "The universities are schools of education and schools of research. But the primary reason for their existence is not to be found either in the mere knowledge conveyed to the students or in the mere opportunities for research afforded to the members of the faculty...
The justification for a university is that it preserves the connection between knowledge and the zest for life, by uniting the young and the old in the imaginative consideration of learning..."
When the Harvard Business School began, the university was the learning environment and some compromise had been reached between the idealist liberal vision and what Newman (1907, p. 156) called
͞the disciples of a low utilitarianism. John Paul II (2000, p. 3) elaborates the mission of a university and states that it is the duty of academics and researchers to make universities cultural laboratories in which theology, philosophy, human sciences and natural sciences may
engage in constructive dialogue and observes that in universities there is an increased tendency to reduce the horizon of knowledge to what can be measured and to ignore any question touching on the ultimate meaning of reality.
There is considerable scope within a university business school for a genuine plurality of views and disagreement leading to constructive dialogue and contributing to the enhancement of scholarship. Once, science, engineering and technology, medicine, the law, and divinity were firmly established and a balance between the vocational and the liberal was pursued. Today, some courses may need to recapture some of the values and characteristics of the traditional higher vocations, however,
unfortunately, this is not always possible, so often contract trumps covenant in a wide range of contemporary occupations. Far from the demise of the middle class career predicted by some, professionalism and flexibility are highly desirable general features of graduateness; learning to learn and the formation of capacities in general should take precedence over the acquisition of specific content. Imagination and creativeness must complement flexibility and cold hard knowledge as preparation for a world of rapid and continuous change; it's a question of balance. In many sectors of our society, science is seen as being little short of infallible; anything else must be dismissed as fancy. Even in business journals there is the tendency to trust the so-called hard facts
of statistically analysed quantitative data rather than the interpretive results that qualitative analysis tends to produce. However, the physicist Richard Feynman warned his students that when they did research, and before publishing their results, they should think of every possible way in which they might be wrong; whilst another physicist, Alan Lightman, explains the vital importance of this self-questioning approach: "In science, as in other activities, there is a tendency to find what we're
looking for" (Lightman, 1996, p. 104. Feynman's comment is found on p106).
The ability to take an imaginative leap, beyond accepted scientific dogma and the entrenched views of academic colleagues, disciplinary boundaries, or even apparent common sense, has been at the heart of a significant number of scientific or technological advances in the last few hundred years. For example, throughout most of the 20th century, in medical circles the conventional wisdom was gastric juice caused ulcers, until a pioneering doctor infected himself with a bacterium thus proving that conventional wisdom was incorrect and wining the Nobel Prize for medicine (Van Der Weyden, Armstrong, & Gregory, 2005). In universities today, ethical approval processes might challenge the wisdom, or at least the legal probity, of infecting yourself or indeed others. Nevertheless, the undercurrent in any study of research methods is the slow realisation that everything that we know, even in domains that appear to be based on objective fact or cold hard logic can be questioned, as the physicist Max Planck said: New ideas are not generated by deduction, but by an artistically creative imagination ... Science, like the humanities, like literature, is an affair of the imagination" (McFague, 1982, p. 72).
Kevin O'Gorman & Robert MacIntosh
We are indebted to our colleagues for their help in delivering on the first
of these two problems in the first edition of the book. This was achieved at a pace which seemed frankly ridiculous but which produced a remarkably coherent guide for novice researchers. Despite positive feedback on many aspects of the first edition from both students and colleagues, we were however convinced that we could improve in relation to ‘the ologies’.
For this reason, the second edition features some relatively minor
changes to many chapters and a complete rewrite of our account of research philosophy. Central to the revised text is the methods map (see Chapter 4), which sets out a logical process for researchers to articulate their position in relation to five key aspects of their research philosophy. We have road tested this approach with many colleagues and students to ensure that it is clear and concise. In addition, we have developed a free app to accompany the book and this enables novice researcher to quickly develop a comprehensive justification of their particular research design in an interactive way. We would acknowledge that the methods map makes some simplifications and would suggest that for all but the most sophisticated of purposes, this is entirely appropriate. Indeed, if you are well enough versed in the philosophical nuances of knowledge explored in the method map then you are probably not part of our intended audience since you already possess the skills, confidence and capacity to articulate and defend the underpinning philosophical assumptions of your research. For everyone else, we hope that the second edition of Research Methods for Business and Management helps demystify the dreaded ‘ologies’.
The research underpinning the content of this book is essentially hermeneutical; that is investigating ways of engaging with and interpreting textual data. It has to depend upon on textual data, as there are very few other practical ways of accessing Classical Antiquity. The research was also carried out within the interpretivist paradigm as it is seeking to observe the general trends and perceptions of a social phenomenon. Some of the problems of using literature and translation (compounded by the fact that this research is using texts that have been written in at least seven ancient or modern languages) and the surrounding controversies arise from four principal difficulties:
differences in ancient manuscripts; obscure text and vocabulary; denominational bias; and translation philosophy.
What proved to be important, along with research skills, was familiarity with the texts and period of time under investigation albeit for previous and different purposes. Without the necessary language and translation skills, this project would not have been possible. The interdisciplinary combination of classics, theology and philosophy in tandem with the atmosphere of a business school brought together a unique set of interests, skills and abilities to underpin the research.
Preliminary findings underpinning the content of the book have been presented in a variety of publications and conference papers at various stages prior to the book being finalised. This process has been valuable not only to test the methodological processes but also to develop the findings. Opening up both the research process and the preliminary findings, in essence requiring the need to explain and justify the research and outcomes, certainly contributed to enhancing the process.
The key focus of the book is on exploring the textural evidence from and about Classical Antiquity in order to identify aspects of the origins of hospitality and tourism. In nearly all cases the prime purpose of the texts was not to do with recording the history of hospitality. The content of this book focuses on the analysis of the incidences of hospitality that were identified. Consequently this is not a history book, although references are made and detail provided to help the reader to locate the incidences within the historic framework.
Now, finally, standing back from the work there are key aspects of hospitality that apparently are constant: it is only when the contents of the book are examined, that the true rewarding richness of the outcomes become evident. The principal outcome is that the hospitality phenomenon in its broadest sense has been recorded since the beginning of human history and it embraces a wide range of activities beyond the commercial provision of food, drink and accommodation. In particular, the essence of the hospitality phenomenon, within Classical Antiquity, is characterised by a reciprocally beneficial two-way process that takes place within three distinct, and separate, contexts: domestic, civil and commercial, which can also be summarised
and represented by dynamic visual models.
Exploring the origins of hospitality can aid the practitioner within the hospitality industry today; awareness of the past can always help to guide the future. The current increasing debate on, and research into, the origins of hospitality can enhance the future of the industry. Professionalism and greater expertise can surely come from a deeper understanding of the dimensions of hospitality, that have been evolving since antiquity, and on which the industry now relies.
The following table offers a suggested structure and approximate word counts for dissertations, relative to the degree being pursued. This is designed to be altered according to the needs of the researcher, and the stipulations of their supervisor and institution. It is important to understand that the table is offered here only as a set of non-specific suggestions for your (hopefully!) very specific project. All dissertations are different, and your supervisor is the best person to talk to about your specific institutional, school, or college requirements, which may vary quite significantly. Creating your own outline through discussion with your supervisor gives you both a sense of where you are in the process and what needs to be done, whilst also functioning as a reference point when completing smaller intermediary targets. The examples below illustrate a general principle of successful research espoused by this book: a larger project becomes much more manageable when broken down into smaller, clearly defined sections. This approach is likely to prove helpful even beyond PhD level, when writing papers for publication in academic journals, for instance, or even when completing the second edition of a textbook!
Today there are many philosophical positions that underpin moral and ethical judgments across different people and cultures, and some of these are explored later in the chapter. Diversity is nothing new and there has never been a universal business ethic. For example, the Jaina Anekantavada principle of Mahavira (c. 599–527 BC) holds that truth and reality are perceived differently from diverse points of view, and that no single point of view is the complete truth. Since long before Herodotus (c. 484–420 BC), the Greek historian, recorded it, societies have always regarded their own ethical systems as superior to all others.
In the Social Sciences (management is probably a Social Science but more about that later) we are intrinsically more concerned with the intangible, soft and fuzzy aspects of life. There is a paradox in Social Sciences. Given the apparent fluidity between intangible concepts, you might expect interdisciplinary work to flourish. However, that is not the case. The reality is that in order to protect identity, many disciplines enter into a form of rhetorical and theoretical protectionism. Fields of study erect imaginary boundaries around their areas of enquiry, attempting to quarantine other research areas in case they reveal that, god forbid, they are all actually talking about the same thing!
Characteristics of travel for curiosity or pleasure can be found from at least 1500 BC. The tombs and temples of the pharaohs began as early as 2700 BC, and by 1500 BC, the Sphinx and the three great pyramids were already over a thousand years old, became early tourist attractions, and consequently suffered from ancient vandalism. Inside one of the pyramids, on one of the walls, a 3500 year old graffiti remains. A message that can be dated back to 1244 BC reads: 'Hadnakhte, scribe of the treasury ... came to make an excursion and amuse himself on the west of Memphis, together with his brother, Panakhd, scribe of the Vizier' (Yoyotte, 1960, p. 57). When reviewing ancient texts it would seem that tourist behaviour has not particularly evolved over the last 3500 years - see something new, experience something different and leave one's mark behind.
Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea. Historically, Mongolia’s isolation and the combination of high-altitude steppes, deserts and mountains produced a small, but hardy population of horse-riding, nomadic herders. The country is entirely landlocked and held to be the nation furthest from the sea. Today Mongolia has a population of fewer than 3 million people, the majority of whom are indigenous, in a country about the combined size of Western Europe. Roughly half the population still pursue a traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle on the steppe, while the rest live in the cities, mainly in the capital Ulaanbaatar.
The chapter explores the origins of hospitality in the ancient and classical worlds,
focussing mainly on the Greek and Roman civilisations. The time period up to 500 BC is generally referred to as the ancient world, and the time period from 500 BC to 500 AD is generally referred to as the classical world. After considering the etymology of hospitality, the chapter goes on to explore the pre history of hospitality, investigating religious and mythical writings. The chapter illustrates that hospitality began at home, and as cities and nation states evolved so did hospitality; the chapter then explores civic hospitality and commercial hospitality. The evaluation of the outcomes leads to the identification of five dimensions of hospitality, which have been evolving from the beginning of human history.
The research underpinning the content of this book is essentially hermeneutical; that is investigating ways of engaging with and interpreting textual data. It has to depend upon on textual data, as there are very few other practical ways of accessing Classical Antiquity. The research was also carried out within the interpretivist paradigm as it is seeking to observe the general trends and perceptions of a social phenomenon. Some of the problems of using literature and translation (compounded by the fact that this research is using texts that have been written in at least seven ancient or modern languages) and the surrounding controversies arise from four principal difficulties: differences in ancient manuscripts; obscure text and vocabulary; denominational bias; and translation philosophy.
What proved to be important, along with research skills, was familiarity with the texts and period of time under investigation albeit for previous and different purposes. Without the necessary language and translation skills, this project would not have been possible. The interdisciplinary combination of classics, theology and philosophy in tandem with the atmosphere of a business school brought together a unique set of interests, skills and abilities to underpin the research.
Preliminary findings underpinning the content of the book have been presented in a variety of publications and conference papers at various stages prior to the book being finalised. This process has been valuable not only to test the methodological processes but also to develop the findings. Opening up both the research process and the preliminary findings, in essence requiring the need to explain and justify the research and outcomes, certainly contributed to enhancing the process.
The key focus of the book is on exploring the textural evidence from and about Classical Antiquity in order to identify aspects of the origins of hospitality and tourism. In nearly all cases the prime purpose of the texts was not to do with recording the history of hospitality. The content of this book focuses on the analysis of the incidences of hospitality that were identified. Consequently this is not a history book, although references are made and detail provided to help the reader to locate the incidences within the historic framework.
Now, finally, standing back from the work there are key aspects of hospitality that apparently are constant: it is only when the contents of the book are examined, that the true rewarding richness of the outcomes become evident. The principal outcome is that the hospitality phenomenon in its broadest sense has been recorded since the beginning of human history and it embraces a wide range of activities beyond the commercial provision of food, drink and accommodation. In particular, the essence of the hospitality phenomenon, within Classical Antiquity, is characterised by a reciprocally beneficial two-way process that takes place within three distinct, and separate, contexts: domestic, civil and commercial, which can also be summarised
and represented by dynamic visual models.
Exploring the origins of hospitality can aid the practitioner within the hospitality industry today; awareness of the past can always help to guide the future. The current increasing debate on, and research into, the origins of hospitality can enhance the future of the industry. Professionalism and greater expertise can surely come from a deeper understanding of the dimensions of hospitality, that have been evolving since antiquity, and on which the industry now relies.
Bierce in his Devil’s Dictionary, first published in 1881, springs to mind. Bierce defines a
dictionary as: “a malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic”, adding the caveat that his own dictionary, however, “is a most useful work”.
To the best of the reviewer’s knowledge, the International Dictionary of Hospitality
Management is the first ever dictionary entirely devoted to the area of Hospitality Management. It is a long-awaited, abridged and generally more affordable version of The International Encyclopaedia of Hospitality Management (Pizam 2005). In a relatively short space of time this dictionary will undoubtedly prove to be the ideal companion for all students and practitioners studying and working the hospitality industry, not least because of price and size but also due to the user friendly layout. This redacted version is an excellent companion volume to the Encyclopaedia and should encourage those students who wish to know more to go to the library and explore the Encyclopaedia.
The editors have taken the definitions that the 216 original authors provided for the
Encyclopaedia and redacted them to entries averaging 150 words. Considering that the Dictionary covers the same 734 topics ranging from à la carte to zoning codes, this is a considerable editorial achievement. It provides succinct and clear definitions of topics as diverse as entrepreneurship, liquidity ratios, psychological contracts and yield management – some of which this reviewer had not previously understood fully! The Dictionary defines a wide range of relevant issues in the field of hospitality management, from both a sector level: Lodging; Restaurants and Food service; Timeshare; Clubs, and Events, as well as a managerial one: Accounting and Finance; Marketing; Strategic Management; Human Resources; Information Technology; and Facilities Management.
The research outcomes support the view that modern hospitality management literature has largely ignored this area of investigation. The principal methodological conclusion is that robust textual analysis can be undertaken within hermeneutical phenomenology and enhanced using a derived hermeneutical helix. The principal investigative outcome is that the hospitality phenomenon in its broadest sense has been recorded since the beginning of human history and it embraces a wide range of activities beyond the commercial provision of food, drink and accommodation. In particular, the essence of the hospitality phenomenon, within Classical Antiquity, is characterised by a reciprocally beneficial two-way process that takes place within three distinct and separate contexts: domestic, civil and commercial, which can also be summarised and represented by dynamic visual models. The research project is an investigation into the philosophy of the phenomenon of hospitality in order to identify the extent to which these are founded in ancient and classical history. The research focuses on Classical Antiquity and specifically investigates the history and philosophy of the phenomenon of hospitality within Greco-Roman texts and contemporaneous religious writings. In so doing it demonstrates how authoritative and disciplined research can make a significant contribution to the emergent research area of hospitality studies. The resulting thesis details a variety of outcomes and conclusions related to the phenomenon of hospitality, and also provides a basis for further enquiry.
The research outcomes support the view that modern hospitality management literature has largely ignored this area of investigation. The principal methodological conclusion is that robust textual analysis can be undertaken within hermeneutical phenomenology and enhanced using a derived hermeneutical helix. The principal investigative outcome is that the hospitality phenomenon in its broadest sense has
been recorded since the beginning of human history and it embraces a wide range of
activities beyond the commercial provision of food, drink and accommodation. In
particular, the essence of the hospitality phenomenon, within Classical Antiquity, is
characterised by a reciprocally beneficial two-way process that takes place within
three distinct and separate contexts: domestic, civil and commercial, which can also
be summarised and represented by dynamic visual models.