Faculty & Research
Human Resources Roundtables
September 4 - 5, 2008: Human Resources Roundtable
Human Resources Roundtable Photographs
Human Resources Roundtable Program
Nearly two dozen practitioners and academics discussed a number of current and future issues regarding strategic human resources at an industry roundtable held in September at the School of Hotel Administration. The roundtable, chaired by Bruce Tracey, an associate professor at the School of Hotel Administration, was part of a series facilitated by Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research.
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Left to right: Michael Tews, assistant |
Given the growing concerns about the economy and the dynamics associated with ownership priorities – especially private equity investors - roundtable participants focused on the strategic and operational role requirements for the human resources function. Changes in ownership structures have created a number of challenges for human resources. In many cases, tension and ambiguity is created when a company is acquired and new owners become directly involved in operational decision making, such as the selection or retention of general managers. In contrast, some owners and private equity interests have provided needed clarity and assume a more hands-off approach regarding performance management. Thus, different ownership philosophies dictate different role requirements for human resources leaders. However, regardless of ownership structures, Chuck Conine, of Hospitality HR Solutions, emphasized the need for human resources to maintain focus on continuous improvement, thereby “making the firm a better asset than it was when they [the new owner] acquired it.”
Building on this point, the roundtable participants focused on the ways in which human resources leaders can help balance the demands and sometimes competing interests associated with asset management, brand management, and human capital management. Many agree about the importance of proper brand management as a guide to human resources policies, while others view asset management concerns to be instrumental for developing HR strategies. The key is designing and implementing a flexible HR system which creates value for ownership by capitalizing on the strengths of the firm's human capital.
October 12, 2006: Human Resources Roundtable
Alignment and innovation were the focal elements of the third Human Resources Roundtable at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Sponsored by the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, along with co-sponsors eCornell and Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the roundtable connected industry leaders with Cornell's faculty and students. Its goal is to crystallize the key issues facing the industry's human resources professionals.
"I was particularly struck by the variability in the approaches used by our industry participants," said Associate Professor Bruce Tracey, who organized the roundtable. "Training and outsourcing, for example, drew considerable involvement and debate. What we found as those discussions unfolded was that each company was using a model that fit its own particular business strategy and competitive needs. As such, there was no silver bullet for any of the issues we covered."
Tracey added that the companies even had different ways of determining their HR priorities. "Some companies were focused on demonstrating that their HR practices provided clear and convincing value for their company, complete with forecasting and rigorous program evaluation," Tracey explained. "Others took a more philosophical approach and simply focused on what they thought was right for their firm. However, all participants were pushing to think differently about their current and future HR needs."
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From left to right: Andy Harman, vice president, organizational development, Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc. and Roger Ahlfeld, senior vice president, human resources and training, Uno Restaurants LLC |
Two aspects of this year's roundtable served as springboards for discussion. First, Cornell faculty members presented recent research studies, including training and compensation practices. Second, Hotel School students participated in the sessions. The students' presence provided more of the collegiate experience sought by roundtable participants and opened additional discussions.
Professor Tracey explained that the roundtables are a learning experience for students and faculty members alike. For example, the discussion on training began with research that examined the utility of various proactive efforts that were designed to help employees transfer what they learned to their jobs. However, the ensuing discussion revealed that firms were focused on a wide array of both formal and informal activities that could be taken to improve training effectiveness-from enhancing managerial involvement throughout the training process, to making jobs more flexible so that employees have the opportunity to use what they have learned.
Among the industry participants were Roger Ahlfeld, Uno Restaurants; Allison Barber, Starwood Hotels and Resorts; Abigail Charpentier, ARAMARK; Andy Harmon, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.; Keith Kefgen, HVS Executive Search; Jo-Anne Kruse, Travelport; Stacy Lezaja, Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo; Mark Lomanno, Smith Travel Research; Henrik Mansson, Movenpick; Alan Momeyer, Loews Corporation, Janice Schnabel, Marsh USA; David Shoemaker, eCornell; Paul Wagner, Shea Stokes; Sandra Ward, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Steven Wells, American Food and Vending Corporation; and Emily Yen, ClubCorp.
Co-sponsored by
May 12-13, 2005: Human Resources Roundtable
Topics:
Short-term incentives/pay-for-performance programs
- Current initiatives
- Implementation challenges The growing influence of unions
- UNITE HERE developments
- Priorities and approaches to union management Diversity Management
- Program innovation
- Evaluation Leadership Succession
- Planning for the future
- Building bench strength
Faculty Chair
J. Bruce Tracey, associate professor
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Participants |
Participants were a select group from the following companies:
- ARAMARK
- ClubCorp
- Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
- Four Seasons Hotels
- Hilton Hotels Corporation
- Houston's Restaurant
- HVS International
- Loews Corporation
- PA Consulting Group
- Uno Restaurants
- Watson Wyatt
- Wynn Resorts
April 24-25, 2003: Human Resources Roundtable
The event, which took place at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration on April 24-25, brought senior executives from some of North America's largest hospitality companies to campus for an in-depth conversation on the critical human-resource issues facing the industry.
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From left to right: JoAnne Kruse, senior vice president human resources, Cendant Corporation; J. Bruce Tracey, associate professor, Cornell Hotel School; Alan Momeyer, vice president human resources, Loew's Corporation; Judi Brownell, professor, Cornell Hotel School |
"I was very pleased with the quality of our discussions," said Cornell Hotel School Associate Professor J. Bruce Tracey, who chaired the event. "We covered a lot of ground, and it was extremely rewarding to learn how the top HR people think and respond to some of the most vexing challenges in our industry. I think everyone walked away with some really valuable insights."
Topics included the evolving roles of HR in the industry, strategies for winning the talent war (retention and turnover), and how to identify leaders and move them through an organization to acquire skills and knowledge. JoAnne Kruse, senior vice president of human resources at Cendant Corporation's Travel Distribution Services division, who participated in the roundtable discussions, stated: "The roundtable was a unique opportunity to share knowledge and develop new strategies for HR executives with a specific focus on the travel and hospitality industry." Tracey added that the roundtable was "a great example of collaboration between the hospitality industry and the faculty at the Cornell Hotel School, which is a central purpose of The Center for Hospitality Research."