Ithaca, NY | A hotel executive team makes its best decisions when it addresses the concerns of all the team members—call it the conflict of ideas. But an open clash of ideas can also create bruised feelings and strained relationships, which damage implementation and the decision process. To prevent that damage, hotel executives need to promote trust among their top managers, according to a new study from Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research.

The study, “Why Trust Matters in Top Management Teams: Keeping Conflict Constructive,” by Tony Simons and Randall Peterson, is available at no charge from the center's website at . Simons is an associate professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and Peterson is a professor at the London Business School.

Simons and Peterson surveyed the executive teams of 70 U.S.-based hotel companies to determine the factors that help promote the conflict of ideas without generating strained relationships. Trust among the group members emerged as an important factor.

“We concluded that the decision-making process is improved when members of a group trust each other to be honest and competent,” Simons said. “When people trust each other, they can speak their mind without offending one another. That way, the group gets the benefit of constructive debate without the destructive effects of interpersonal strain.”

Meet and interact with Dr. Simons, an active member of the executive education faculty at the School of Hotel Administration, when he presents sessions in the Professional Development Program .

Thanks to the support of the partners listed below, all Cornell Hospitality Reports and Tools are made available free of charge from the center's website, .

About the Center for Hospitality Research

A unit of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center’s 65 corporate affiliates, experienced scholars work closely with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial and operating practices. The center also publishes the award-winning hospitality journal, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly (formerly the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly). To learn more about center and its projects, visit .

Center partners and sponsors: AIG Global Real Estate Investment, American Airlines Admirals Club, Davis & Gilbert LLP, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, Denihan Hospitality Group, Expedia, Inc., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, HVS, JohnsonDiversey, Inc., LRP Publications, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh’s Hospitality Practice, Mobil Travel Guide, Nestlé, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proskauer Rose LLP, Smith Travel Research, Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., SynXis (a Sabre Holdings Corporation), Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Thayer Group of Companies, Travelport, WATG, and WhiteSand Consulting.

Center friends: 4Hoteliers.com • American Tescor, LLC • Caribbean Hotel and Restaurant Buyers Guide • Cody Kramer Imports • Cruise Industry News • DK Shifflet & Associates • ehotelier.com • Estrela Marketing Solutions • EyeforTravel • Fireman's Fund Insurance Company • Gerencia de Hoteles & Restaurantes • Global Hospitality Resources • Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) • hospitalityInside.com • hospitalitynet.org • Hotel Asia Pacific • Hotel China • HotelExecutive.com • Hotel Interactive • Hotel Resource • International CHRIE • International Hotel and Restaurant Association • International Hotel Conference • International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) • iPerceptions • KPMG Japan/Global Management Directions • Lodging Hospitality • Lodging Magazine • Milestone Internet Marketing • MindFolio • PKF Hospitality Research • The Resort Trades • RealShare Hotel Investment & Finance Summit • RestaurantEdge.com • Shibata Publishing Co. • Synovate • The Lodging Conference • TravelCLICK • UniFocus • WageWatch, Inc. • WIWIH.COM

Glenn Withiam
607.255.3025
Cornell