This course will provide the student with the knowledge needed for the effective management of food service operations. Students will identify trends in the food and beverage industry, learn food and beverage management principles and understand how providing exceptional guest service can maximize profits in the hospitality industry. Topics will include food and beverage purchasing, inventory, costing, service styles, financial controls, menu design, sanitation, safety, ethics, food service automation, hardware and software, legal concerns, equipment selection, and service innovations in the design and layout of food establishments.

The overall objectives of this course are twofold. This course first examines the development, management, and improvement of service delivery systems used by service organizations (i.e., hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and health care) on the supply side through the lens of quality management. Secondly, the course examines customer requirements on the demand side by focusing upon how customer experience design shapes customers’ thoughts, actions, and decision processes. Students will learn techniques used for diagnosis, measurement, and continuous improvement of successful customer experience. There are three major sections in this course. Section 1 focuses on understanding the paradigm of customer experience, identifying the drivers of customer satisfaction, formulating strategies to optimize the customer experience, and managing service operations through the development of a service blueprint. Section 2 focuses on the role of exponential technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and data analytics, in creating exceptional customer experiences. Section 3 discusses the creation of exceptional luxury customer experiences, incorporating technology, and describing how brands go beyond traditional branding frameworks to create luxury experiences.

This course will equip students with quantitative methods for menu engineering, market analysis, supply chain analysis, cost control, financial analysis, inventory management, and human resource management in the food and beverage sector. Additionally, they will explore various operating structures, such as multi-unit operations, independent establishments, franchising, and hotel restaurant operations, while delving into topics like merchandising, market identification, and the application of restaurant technologies to maximize productivity, efficiency, and profitability.

The primary objective of the course is to examine the strategies, concepts, theories, and practices associated with conducting international business. It seeks to develop practical and theoretical problem solving skills needed in the global business environment.

This international study tour is an integral part of semester long focus on the strategic and operational issues facing organizations in a global competitive environment. Students will engage in lectures, plant visits, and interviews with international corporate managers. Students will apply the insights gained from their previous and concurrent coursework. This seminar offers students an inside view of individual companies and industries, and some of the broader economic, political, social, and cultural factors that influence business opportunities and practices in a particular region of the world.