Hello, I am Carlos Amaro. I am a young adult attempting to find my place in the of world productive self-sufficient individuals. This noble pursuit has led me to choose hospitality management as my new line of academic focus. For the sake of transparency I will admit that I have not had the most illustrious record of success and achievement with respect to my tertiary education. I floundered for a few years in a directionless malaise of liberal arts courses, and despite me graduating from high school at the age of seventeen I now stand at the ripe old age of twenty-one without a degree. After giving some significant thought to how tedious and ultimately harmful my lackadaisical mediocrity was for my future, I decided that I should invest my energy into major that had potential for future employability. I was looking for a major that would confer highly transferable skills. Unsurprisingly, these stipulations led me into the obvious direction of hospitality management.

In all honesty I principally considered hospitality management because the reasonably priced college I am currently attending has a fairly good reputation with respect to that field of study. Initially,  I had the mindset that if I’m not going to endure the arduous process of transferring schools then I might as well try what is probably the most worthwhile- that also doesn’t require too much math- program that my school has to offer. Even though my previously mention motivations might sound rather utilitarian, I must also say that I partially considered  the major due to my deep fascination with geography, global current affairs  and all things indicative of refinement and luxury. To me the hospitality industry provided a unique nexus where all these interest regularly collide. Well before even considering the major I was always interested in reading about innovations in molecular gastronomy or the spending habits of Brazilian tourist for example.  I didn’t know until fairly recently that there was a whole industry that could allow me to indulge in all those varied interest that I have. Ultimately, It was this realization along with the general practicality of it all that made me decide to change my major and vigorously pursue the field of hospitality.

In addition, the hospitality industry seems promising because genuinely feel that it can lead to an opportune and meaningful career. I find this to be very important. I personally do not have much employment experience. My first foray into the world of working adults was in a little known company called Green Mountain Energy. Green Mountain Energy is a renewable energy supplier founded in Vermont but headquartered in Texas, and they claim to produce all their energy from wind and/or solar energy. I worked for them for about eight months starting last November. I was but a mere lowly commission based salesman. I was tasked with the odious duty of stopping people in or in front of specified retail locations and determining whether they were eligible to sign up, and if so, persuading them to sign up. To a lot of my colleagues this was fulfilling work. They got make money on their own time and have the satisfaction of knowing they were helping save the environment. While i did agree it was a noble cause, I was just absolutely not cut out for it. I barely made any money and only worked sparingly. It was honestly a terrible experience. All I can remember is the frigid weather I had to suffer through. Ultimately, I was let go after about eight months due to low performance. That’s why, given all its potential, I feel the hospitality industry is a route to a fulfilling job where I’ll never have to worry about inclement weather causing me financial distress. At this point I am not sure where I’ll end up. I have authentic interest in both front of house and heart of house careers, and as of now I am enthusiastically exploring my options.

In the first chapter of “Introduction to Hospitality” we are introduced to the basic idea of what hospitality industry is. It begins with historical foundations of the concept of hospitality as it was forged in Antiquity and medieval and early modern Europe. It goes on to discuss the general characteristics of the modern day hospitality industry. These include the vehement emphasis on guest satisfaction, its predisposition round-the-clock service, and vast amount of time and attentiveness those in the industry must devote in order to be even satisfactory. Furthermore, the chapter details the unique qualities of the products that the industry provides such as their inherent intangibility and daily perishability. It later goes on to delineate the various careers within in hospitality that one can take part in. These include but are not limited to restaurant ownership, hotel management and food and beverage preparation. In conclusion, the chapter encapsulates the keys to success in the industry with its reiteration and elaboration on hospitality’s intense commitment to service along with a stringent requirement of philosophical vision.

                  Key Terms

1. Corporate philosophy- Textbook def: The core beliefs that drive a company’s basic organizational structure. My example: A staple of Disney’s corporate philosophy is its commitment to create an exceptional experience for every individual who enters the gates of one of their properties.

2. Empowerment- Textbook def: The act of giving employees the authority, tools, and information they need to do their jobs with greater autonomy. My example: Those involved in housekeeping are empowered when they are allowed to use their own discretion when executing room maintenance.

3. Font of the house- Textbook def: Comprises all areas with which guest come in contact, and also refers to the employees who staff these areas. My example: The lobby at the entrance of a hotel is a prime example of front-of-the-house.

4. Goal- Textbook def: a specific result to be achieved; the end result of a plan. My example:  My current goal in attending City Tech is to attain a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management.

5. Guest satisfaction- Textbook def: The desired outcome of hospitality services. My example: A hotel has achieved guest satisfaction if they acquire consistently loyal patronage.

6. heart of the house- Textbook def: The back of the house. The kitchen of a restaurant is a prime example of the heart-of-the-house.

7. Hospitality- Textbook def: 1. A cordial and generous reception of guests. 2. A wide range of businesses, each of which is dedicated to the service of people away from home. My example: It’s an honor for any hotel to be the first thing that comes to mind when a person thinks of the word hospitality.

8. Inseparability- Textbook def: The interdependence of hospitality services offered. My example:  The fact that a guest requests can shape a chef’s execution of a meal is a display of the inseparability of key processes in the restaurant business.

9. Intangible- Textbook def; Something that cannot be touched. My example: Light is intangible.

10. Nation Restaurant Association- Textbook def: The association representing restaurant owners and the restaurant industry. My example; The National Restaurant Association actively lobbies to keep the wages of tipped employees below that of the Federally mandated minimum wage.

11. Perishability- Textbook def: The limited lifetime of hospitality products; for example , last night’s vacant hotel room cannot be sold today. My example: The seats in a restaurant are perishable on a daily basis.

12. Total quality management (TQM)- Textbook def: A managerial approach that integrates all of the functions and related processes of a business such that they are all aimed at maximizing guest satisfaction through ongoing improvement. My example: Regular onsite corporate inspections are an integral part of total quality management.

13. Tourism- Textbook def: Travel for recreation or the promotion and arrangement of such travel. My example: Thailand is global hotspot for international tourism.

14.  Sustainability- Textbook def: The ability to achieve continuing economic prosperity while protecting the natural resources of the planet and providing a high quality of life for its people and future generations. My example: Recycling is a common sustainable practice.

15. Return on investment- Textbook def: An important financial measure that determines how well management use business assets to produce profit. It measures the efficiency with which financial resources available to a company are employed by management. My example: Every stockholder would ideally like to have a significant return on investment.