Linchi Kwok, Ph.D.

When people think of Dutch Bros, they usually picture colorful drinks, loud music, free stickers, and baristas so friendly they’ll jump in the car with you.  As someone who has had the opportunity to work for Dutch Bros, I can say that the energy customers feel isn’t an act; it is the result of intentional and effective HR practices that are focused on orientation, socialization, and culture. From your very first day, you experience how these practices shape the entire Dutch experience.  Orientation, Socialization, Culture   In HR management, orientation is the introduction of the role and company to new hires. This is intended to help them feel welcomed and informed. Socialization goes beyond the initial training process; it’s how new hires grasp the organization’s values, behaviors, and traditions over time. Together, these fun...

When I signed up for the 2024 Thailand Collins College Study Abroad Program, I did not anticipate a life-changing experience. I had no expectations beyond learning how to cook Thai food in Thailand for course credits, and I had not researched much about studying abroad before the trip. However, during my time at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi ( RMUTT ), I immersed myself in Thai culture, gained new insights into the hospitality industry, and broadened my global perspective in a new environment. Participating in this study abroad program has significantly contributed to my academic journey, professional development, and personal growth.   Academic and Professional Enrichment at RMUTT The Faculty of Liberal Arts at RMUTT and Dr. Kwok organized an intensive educational program that provided us with a comprehensive overview of hospitality and tourism in Thailand, along with an introduction to Thai history, language, and culture. On campus, we attended lectures that del...

It is time to say goodbye to 2022, a year of healing and recovery from the pandemic. A few of our hospitality students weighed their perspectives on the industry’s 2023 outlook.     The student profiles     Bianca Louise N. Del Castillo , a second-year master’s student and competed in the STR Student Market Analysis Competition. She worked in hotels and travel agencies before joining the program.   Brandon J. Oceguera , a first-year student, working in a country club in Orange County (OC). He worked at the OC Fair for the past five years, with a total of seven years of experience. He loved to cook, eat, and golf.   Jordan A. Garcia-Nazarit , a veteran and a junior with a hospitality major. He works in the dining commons at Cal Poly Pomona.      The industry trends observed by our students   Customer-focused technologies, labor shortages, and consumer demands for healthier diets came to the top of our students’ minds. They commented: ...

The Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona, one of the largest hospitality colleges on the West Coast, hosted a long overdue in-person event on campus on August 30. As a tradition, the College usually hosts a Welcome Barbeque in the first few weeks of the academic year to welcome hospitality students back to school.     In the past two years, most in-person campus events in the State of California have been put on hold due to strict social distancing guidelines. The Collins College brought back its proud tradition with a Habit Burger food truck and a Kona Ice truck (shave ice).   The Turnout   Over 300 hospitality students showed up at the cookout. They greeted and met with the faculty, staff, and administrators. They also got a chance to talk to different student clubs in the college and took part in some fun activities onside (e.g., photo booth, swag, door prizes, etc.)     The Feedback   The event was a great success. A survey ...

Many Californian schools’ back-to-normal, face-to-face instruction plan was interrupted at the beginning of the spring semester due to a new wave (variance) of COVID cases. It was not until this fall semester that we resumed most classes in face-to-face mode. At the beginning of the semester, I met a few hospitality students from the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona who were excited to return to campus. I was curious about how our students spent their summer. I also want to know how prepared they are for school.     Who are the students I met?     I interviewed four students. They are:   Adrian Laksmono (AL) , a senior student from Toronto, Canada, is a hospitality major with a lodging operation emphasis and a minor in finance.   Andrew Soel (AS) , a first-year student from New York, is a hospitality major.   Demi Quevedo (DQ) , a senior student from Orange County, CA, is a hospitality major emphasizing on event management. ...

When the pandemic hit, the hospitality and tourism (H&T) industry immediately responded to the crisis with furloughs and layoffs. It did not take long for the industry to realize that it must deal with the labor shortage challenge. In fact, the labor shortage challenge is not new to the H&T industry, but the “Great Resignation” during the pandemic has worsened the situation.     In one of my recent publications in the   Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management ,   I presented three propositions about the labor shortage issue facing the H&T industry. The paper aims to initiate a conversation between our industry leaders and administrators/professors in academic programs with some collaboration ideas. The following are some key ideas.     The three questions being discussed   Will the worsening labor shortage challenge facing the H&T industry improve in the short term?   How can industry professionals and academic leaders/profe...

Business travelers made up 52.5% of the room revenue for the hotel industry in 2019. Such a number was projected to hit 43.6% only, according to the AHLA’s 2022 State of the Industry report ( AHLA, 2022 ). That is a $21 billion gap (estimated $69 billion in 2022 vs. actual $90 billion in 2019) ( Tanzi, 2022 ). The recovery of the lodging industry is primarily driven by leisure travelers now, some of whom have become the new “bleisure” (business + leisure) travelers.     NYC’s business-travel revenue gap between 2022 and 2019: -$2.5 billion     Traditionally, metropolitan markets were the top destinations for corporate events and large conventions, but that was also the sector that got hit the most by the pandemic. The work-from-home trend could possibly encourage more bleisure travelers to stay/work in a hotel for a stretched weekend. Still, bleisure travelers are different from those attending large corporate events or conventions. They do not need any boardrooms or...

There is no real sense of recovery in the hospitality and tourism industry until people travel for business again. The good news is business travel and groups are anticipated to come back in 2022.     Business travel recovery is coming   Amex Global Business Travel , the world’s leading B2B (business-to-business) travel platform, released its 2021 financial results earlier. Business travel recovery is “well underway and gaining momentum.” Particularly, corporate travel recovery is accelerating. Its total transaction value in the last week of February 2022 had already reached 45% of the 2019 levels.   An earlier projection only predicts the entire year of 2022 would reach 49% of the 2019 levels.       American Express CEO believed that the remote work trend also resulted in a new segment of business travel (Hur, 2022). For instance, more workers will travel to the companies’ headquarters to meet with their teams for a few days. He also added that ...

Are you looking for a change in your career? Or, do you want to take a break at work? If either scenario describes you, going back to school may be a good option. Then, the question arises --- how do I pick the right hospitality management school that helps my future career?   Advice on selecting the right bachelor’s program   Because many accredited four-year hospitality programs offer similar courses, location, career opportunities, and tuition/cost of livings become the top influential factors. First and foremost, I recommend that people enroll in a program where they want to live after graduation. They should begin building their career networks as students since many career opportunities come from the faculty and people who know the local businesses well. For example, if I want to live in New York City (NYC), I will find a program there and work part-time while going to school. If my dream job is to work in a mega-casino, I will choose a program in Las Vegas instead of NY...

The U.S. economy finally shows signs of a strong recovery from the pandemic. Nevertheless, the surging delta variant cases, inflation, and the global supply chain disruption, among other concerns, add considerable uncertainty to the economic outlook. Notably, the hospitality and tourism industry is unlikely to recover any time soon. On the one hand, there is no real sense of recovery until people are  traveling for business  again. Yet, more companies  have postponed the return-to-office plan  and let employees continue  working from home . On the other hand, the industry is facing an  extreme labor shortage  that slows down its recovery. A restaurant shut down after the entire staff quit Last week,  a burrito chain restaurant in Georgia  was forced to shut down because its entire staff quit. The staff put a sign in the front of the restaurant, saying that they had worked seven days a week for a month. They barely had any time off. Eventually...