Applying a Network-Lens to Hospitality Business Research: A New Research Agenda

Abstract

Hospitality businesses are first and foremost places of social interaction. This paper argues for an inclusion of network methodology into the tool kit of hospitality researchers. This methodology focuses on the interaction of people rather than applying an actor-focused view, which currently seems dominant in hospitality research. Outside the field, a solid research basis has been formed, upon which hospitality researchers can build. The paper introduces the foundations of network theory and its applicability to the study of organizations. methodological introduction is provided and applications and research topics relevant to the hospitality field are suggested

Keywords

• Social network analysis, Hospitality management, Research methods