Researchers from Cornell's School of Hotel Administration are asking the hospitality industry to share its best new ideas. The research team will compile and profile the hospitality industry's most effective innovations in case studies to be published by Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research. The study begins with input from the industry via an online survey to identify innovations.

“We hope to identify individual managers or organizations that have developed highly effective and profitable products, processes, services, ideas, business models, or practices that represent innovations in the industry,” said researcher Cathy A. Enz, the Louis G. Schaeneman Professor of Innovation and Dynamic Management. In addition to Enz, the research team comprises Sheryl Kimes, Singapore Tourism Board Distinguished Professor in Asian Hospitality Management; Judy Siguaw, professor and founding dean of the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management; Rohit Verma, associate professor of operations management; and Kate Walsh, associate professor of management and organizational behavior.

Enz and Siguaw were members of an earlier team that produced a comprehensive study of the U.S. lodging industry's best practices. Published in 1999, the case studies and findings of that study are still in use by industry practitioners. The study, American Lodging Excellence: The Key To Best Practices in the U.S. Lodging Industry, by Laurette Dubé, Cathy A. Enz, Leo Renaghan, and Judy A. Siguaw, was published by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, American Express, and the Center for Hospitality Research. The best practices articles and case studies are available at no charge at: .

The research team has adopted a broad definition of innovation, with the idea of collecting the hospitality industry's most effective innovations. By the researchers' definition, an innovator is a person or organization that has developed a new or unique practice or has devised a novel application of an existing practice that has proven to be highly effective and profitable. The survey form for nominating innovations is at http://surveys.cit.cornell.edu.

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 75 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, Fox Rothschild LLP, FX Real Estate and Entertainment, Inc., General Growth Properties, Inc., HVS, InterContinental Hotels Group, job.travel, JohnsonDiversey, Inc., Jumeirah Group, LRP Publications, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh's Hospitality Practice, Mobil Travel Guide, Inc., 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 Lodging Group, TIG Global, Thompson Hotels, Travelport, WATG, and WhiteSand Consulting

Center friends: 4Hoteliers.com • American Tescor, LLC • Argyle Executive Forum • Caribbean Hotel and Restaurant Buyers Guide • Cody Kramer Imports • Cruise Industry News • DK Shifflet & Associates • ehotelier.com • EyeforTravel • Fireman's Fund Insurance Company • Gerencia de Hoteles & Restaurantes • Global Hospitality Resources • Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) • hospitalityInside.com • hospitalitynet.org • Hospitality Technology Magazine • 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 • Lodging Hospitality • Lodging Magazine • Milestone Internet Marketing • MindFolio • Parasol • PhoCusWright, Inc. • PKF Hospitality Research • The Resort Trades • RealShare Hotel Investment & Finance Summit • Resort+Recreation Magazine • RestaurantEdge.com • Shibata Publishing Co. • Synovate • The Lodging Conference • TravelCLICK • UniFocus • WageWatch, Inc. • WIWIH.COM

Jennifer Macera
Associate Director
(607) 255-3101
CHR