BU Research Blog

The 41st International Labour Process Conference (ILPC), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow,12-14 April 2023

Launch of Global Hospitality Research Alliance (GHRA)

At a special session during the ILPC conference, the GHRA was launched.  This was a timely event, given the theme of the conference ‘Fair and Decent work in a Global Economy?’

The GHRA brings over 20 researchers from 11 institutions representing eleven countries. While certain GHRA members have been researching hospitality work and workplace issues for several decades, there has been a drive since 2020 for members to work more closely together to explore common themes with respect to the work experiences of hospitality workers. Our growing evidence base is increasingly being used to further our academic understanding of the issues involved, inform policy, and motivate societal change towards improving hospitality through critical research.

Several frameworks are employed in our research, including the Oxfordian fair work principles (Fairwork, 2022) of fair pay, fair conditions, fair contracts, fair management and fair representation. We also address several of the United Nation(’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well -being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

In our work, we discuss practical implications to inform policymakers and management teams within the hospitality and tourism sector in dealing with endemic phenomena such as abuse and harassment of hospitality employees.

The launch of the alliance offers an exciting opportunity for existing and new members to work together more closely to further intellectual activism and explore paths to change in policy and practice for better hospitality/service work and workplaces.

With research expertise in tourism work and employment, including employee wellbeing, Professor Adele Ladkin says “this is a wonderful initiative, and over the duration of the conference we had an opportunity to listen, learn, and devise an action plan for our next steps.  It was a privilege to spend time with a group of collegiate and like-minded researchers who are driven by our common cause.”

Join us!

For any further information, contact aladkin@bournemouth.ac.uk or take a look at our LinkedIn page: GHRA https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9311179/