Featuring Our Faculty

Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management

Community Outreach Interests

Within the past three years, I have developed a keen interest in assisting the greater community of eastern North Carolina with planning the re-development of the vast amount of farmland acreage on the coastal plain for sustainable agricultural production. With the loss of flue-cured tobacco as the primary cash crop of the region, it is essential that the University community steps forward to provide assistance with identifying alternative farming ventures that can contribute to economic growth, while sustaining and protecting our natural resources and preserving our region's heritage that has evolved over the past 200-plus years.

Currently, I am working with a team of specialists at ECU to develop a long-term program to support and advance sustainable alternative farming throughout the region. Our objectives are simple: (1) to contribute to the continued economic development of the ENC region; (2) to improve the quality of natural resources throughout the ENC region by diversifying the utilization of land for multiple purposes; (3) to assist with reducing unemployment rates and sub-standard household income by expanding entrepreneurial opportunities for citizens of the ENC region; and (4) to contribute to the quality of life of citizens of the ENC region as a result of improved dietary practices, improved accessibility of high-quality, locally-grown fresh organic foods, and the lowering of healthcare costs.

Hospitality Industry Interests

I am a retired hotelier who earned professional certification as a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) in 1988. Therefore, my desire to serve the hospitality industry is driven by my concern to assist hoteliers with improving operational efficiency, reducing expenses: hence, improving profitability.

However, the immediacy of profitability does not connote with long-term business success. Realizing this fact has enhanced my awareness that our natural resources are not unlimited. Therefore, it is every hotelier's and restaurateur's duty to protect and preserve our island planet home by recycling, reusing, and reducing waste products to the greatest extent practicable. This concept sounds like a "tree-hugger;" however, to someone like me (a self-admitted miser), the idea makes perfect economic sense. By assisting hoteliers and restaurateurs with identifying ways to reduce energy and waste expenses, they are able to generate additional profits for their owners, and they are contributing to extending the usable lifetime of our planet.

Currently, I have several teams of undergraduate students who are working with local hoteliers and restaurateurs to develop workable plans for energy conservation, improving efficiency, and minimizing waste products. In addition, I direct one of our graduate courses in strategic management in food and beverage operations, which also addresses these issues.

Research Interests

As a former hotelier, my main research interests have focused on examining: 1) Are "we" researching relevant topics? and, 2) If "we" are teaching relevant topics, are "we" accurately measuring the effectiveness of what "we" teach? During the past decade, I have teamed with several of my colleagues to develop a continuous stream of research papers that specifically address these questions. I have authored or co-authored 25 peer-reviewed papers that have been published in the leading professional journals recognized by our industry. The most current and relevant of these are listed below.

Relevant Publications

Chandler, James, Melvin Weber, and Dori Finley. In press. "Evaluating teaching effectiveness in a basic food laboratory setting: Phase one—Delphi panel." Journal of Culinary Science and Technology.

Chandler, James, Melvin Weber, and Dori Finley. 2007. "Evaluating teaching effectiveness in a quantity food laboratory setting.” CHRIE Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. 19(3): 23-30.

Weber, Melvin, James Chandler, and Dori Finley. 2006. "Evaluating teaching effectiveness in a quantity food laboratory setting: Phase three—Student feedback." CHRIE Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. 18(2): 28-35.

Chandler, James, Melvin Weber, and Dori Finley. 2005. "Evaluating teaching effectiveness in a quantity food laboratory setting: Phase I—Delphi panel." Journal of Culinary Science and Technology. 4(1): 15-29.

Weber, Melvin, James Chandler, Dori Finley. 2004. "Evaluating teaching effectiveness in a quantity food laboratory setting: Phase two—CHRIE educator survey." CHRIE Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. 17(3).

Chandler, James. 2004. "An analysis of the economic impact of hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, and Irene on North Carolina's lodging industry." CHRIE Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. 28(3): 313-325.

Chandler, James. 2004. "Comparing visitor profiles at heritage tourism destinations in eastern North Carolina." Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 16(1): 51-61.

McArthur, Laura, and James Chandler. 2004. "Attitudes and knowledge of hospitality management students regarding current dietary guidelines." CHRIE Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education. 15(4): 28-35.

Chandler, James and C. Costello. 2002. "A profile of visitors to heritage tourism destinations in East Tennessee according to Plog's lifestyle and activity level preferences model." Journal of Travel Research. 6(1): 92-94.

Courses

HMGT 3750 Hospitality Facilities Management & Design.

HMGT 6400 Critical Analysis of Food & Beverage Management Operations.