This paper considers 'publications counting' literature, that literature which seeks to establish league tables of the published output of academics. Often justified on the grounds of benchmarking for supporting tenure and appointment decisions, publications counting literature is revealed to be methodologically flawed. This paper focuses on the major limitations of this kind of study, presenting a conceptual critique of existing 'publications counting' processes, and argues that the methods of such studies are neither reasonable nor consistent. This is particularly clear in areas such as the choice of journals to be sampled, the time frame established in sampling procedures, and various arithmetic procedures employed in calculating output measures. The paper concludes with discussion of possible alternative means of achieving goals of benchmarking hospitality scholarship while suggesting that publications counting should be abandoned as a sole means of determining research excellence. #

Several researchers have suggested that practitioners underappreciate the value and significance of the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market in tourism. In part, this has been attributed to a lack of accurate data and research on this segment of the pleasure travel market. Based upon two large-scale surveys of the German and British outbound, long-haul markets, the overall objectives of this study were to examine the expenditure patterns and levels of German and British long-haul VFR travellers, and to compare VFR traveller characteristics with other pleasure travel trip-purpose segments. The study clearly indicated that VFR travellers from Germany and the UK spent significant amounts at their destinations, and had different demographics, trip characteristics, trip satisfaction levels, value for money perceptions and future intentions for return visits than other types of pleasure travellers.

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The paper addresses empowerment issues for hotel restaurant managers, as they affect: (a) quality service, (b) customer satisfaction, and (c) financial implications. It investigates empowerment in restaurant management in Dubai five star hotels, how managers operating in Dubai's multi-cultural environment perceive empowerment in their operations, and how this perception relates to their organization's quest for service quality, customer satisfaction, and financial return. Primary data was collected in focus group interviews with (n = 24) managers. Findings suggest managers are well informed, see empowerment as beneficial, support its application, but harbour some concerns, and as literature suggests, there are ambiguities and disagreements over its application.

The main stakeholder of any valuation is the commissioning party and the outcome of the valuation process will determine for the commissioning party the value of the asset. The second key stakeholder is the valuer. Often, however, there is third stakeholder group, the lending institution. Lending institutions often provide financing to the buyer and the financing decision is often based on the hotel's valuation. Based on a questionnaire survey of hotel valuation stakeholders this study reports the findings as to the perceived suitability of the discounted cash flow (DCF) valuations in respect of hotel property. The findings reported here suggest that the majority of respondents supported the view that the DCF method was the most suitable method in relation to hotel valuations. However, there are indications that the recommended practice of the need for using supporting valuation approaches might not be widely observed or understood. In addition, there was a view among a significant minority of respondents that the DCF method was only applicable for those properties operating at the higher market levels.