1. Read the case study

2. Create your solution in 500 words following the rubric

There is a persistent misconception that operating a food and beverage business is simple and requires neither formal education nor specialized expertise. The belief that anyone can run it remains widespread. In response, I often pose a straightforward question: If it is truly that easy, why do so many restaurants fail? My follow up question is equally direct: Show me.

Throughout my career, I have overseen a wide range of food and beverage operations, and no two have ever been alike. Whether in hotels, hospitals, or other environments, each operation has its own unique structure, challenges, and culture. This reality underscores the importance of thoroughly understanding an operation before attempting to adjust, refine, or improve it.

My objective has always been to enhance every aspect of a food and beverage operationnot solely its financial performance, but its overall effectiveness, quality, and sustainability.

For each case study, I ask that you develop the most comprehensive and well reasoned solution possible. Afterward, you may input both the case study and your proposed solution into any AI platform of your choice and request an evaluation from the perspective of leading consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company.

The “Big Three” (MBB):

McKinsey & Company: Known for deep analysis, broad industry reach, and high-level strategy for Fortune 100 companies.

Boston Consulting Group (BCG): A leader in strategy, offering rigorous analysis and strong client relationships, consistently ranking #2.

Bain & Company: Emphasizes a collaborative, employee-focused culture with high-impact strategy, often considered the most “fratty” of the three.

The purpose is to encourage you to begin thinking in the same analytical and strategic manner as these firms. While many of their employees come from institutions such as Harvard, Yale, or Wharton rather than UCF, this in no way implies that we (both faculty and students) at UCF are any less capable of approaching problems or solving case studies at the same level of rigor and insight.

Instructions

For this course, you will write an analytical research paper regarding legislation related to hospitality. Though the course has generally concentrated on lodging, this will be a broader field. The topics are the following;

• Raising the minimum wage for service industry workers in lodging
• The use of social media monitoring within background checks for prospective employees
• Should religious freedom and sincere faith and practice justify the denial of services to same-sex couples based on religious views of the service provider, IE honeymoon suite, bed & breakfast lodging, event planning
• Law enforcement access to guest records without a warrant [available upon request]
• Evicting registered but disruptive guests into recognizable dangerous conditions
• Utilization of work visa programs to staff hotels and resorts in the United States
• Should an innkeeper be liable for the spread of highly infectious disease on property
• Should “gig” based workers received Title VII protection
• Should the service of alcoholic beverages past the point of intoxication be the proximate cause for a passenger in a vehicle driven by the intoxicated guest

OPTIONAL: If there is another current issue influencing the hospitality industry that you feel you may find more interesting, then you may use that as your topic; however, you must have my expressed approval prior to doing so.

Utilizing an objective stance, you will identify your perspective of the subject. Research the subject and include past and current cases, precedent, current public and business owner’s perspectives, and any statistical information from a business point of view. You will need to reference the course readings and any external sources that you may find. You will use your research to identify the effect (s) of the topic on the industry and construct a persuasive argument of why or why not the identified effect(s) are a benefit or a hindrance.

You should try to do at least one interview. There is a whole nation of managers and operators that are just a phone call away, as well as legal professionals. Corporate offices can be approached as well. A transcript of the interview is not required. Reference the interview in writing supporting one of your points. Remember to use APA formatting for referencing correctly. To cite personal communication, you will use the following format, (J. Doe, personal communication, Jan. 1, 2001). You will not provide a reference entry for the interview.

Objectives

• Describe the development of rules regarding the rights and liabilities of the innkeeper
• Analyze the legal implications of management decisions within hospitality operations
• Analyze legislation influencing the hospitality industry.

Standards

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting.
• There is no mandated length but content should be sufficiently discussed within five to eight pages without “fluff”.

Instructions

Assignment Directions

This assignment assesses CO-2, CO-4, CO-5.

For this final paper, you will analyze a historical ethical dilemma from any industry (e.g., healthcare, government, finance, education, tech, or manufacturing). Connect this real-world ethical failure or challenge to the course concepts explored in Weeks 17. Evaluate what went wrong, how ethical frameworks could have improved decision-making, and what future leaders can learn from this case.

In Your Paper, You Should:

1. Describe the historical ethical dilemma:
   • Provide background on the organization or incident.
   • Identify the stakeholders involved.
   • Describe the ethical conflict or failure.
2. Analyze the dilemma using ethical theories:
   • Apply at least two ethical theories (e.g., deontology, utilitarianism, virtue ethics) to interpret the decisions made.
   • Reference Rests Four-Component Model to assess the decision-making process.
   • Consider the influence of leadership styles and ethical climate.
3. Draw connections to course topics:
   • Discuss how themes such as diversity, ethical training, hiring practices, leadership, or community outreach were (or were not) evident in the case.
   • Compare the ethical approaches used in the case with best practices discussed in class.
4. Make recommendations:
   • What should have been done differently?
   • What can ethical leaders today learn from this case?
   • How can ethical frameworks prevent similar dilemmas in the future?
5. Leverage AI tools:
   • Use an AI research assistant (e.g., ChatGPT) to gather initial insights on your chosen case and related theories.
   • Critically evaluate any AI-generated content for accuracy, bias, and relevance; cross-reference with scholarly sources.
   • Document the exact AI prompts you used in an appendix and cite any substantive AI assistance in APA format according to your institutions guidelines.

Submission Instructions:

[Enter the expectations for the student’s submissions. Samples are below]

• Use APA 7th edition formatting.
• Include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference page.
• Paper should be 56 pages in length (content only).
• Incorporate scholarly and course-related sources to support your analysis.

Be sure to review the following prior to submitting your assignment:

• We strive for academic integrity in all aspects of education, and you are expected to uphold these standards when creating and submitting your discussion. View the for more information on what that means at APUS.
• Assignment Rubric
  • If you do not see the rubric, select Course Tools in the blue horizontal navigation bar and then Assignments. Select the appropriate assignment, and the rubric will be located near the bottom of the page.

Resources & Supports

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• : Watch this 3-minute video if you need guidance on submitting your assignment.
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The International HR Project is an individual assignment that requires the student to analyze and evaluate the human resource management practices of a chosen organization operating in an international context. The project focuses on three key HR areas: recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, and performance management. The student must provide an overview of the organization and their role (real or assumed), critically assess current HR practices using relevant theories and models, and examine how these practices align with the organizations strategic objectives. Based on this analysis, the student is expected to propose realistic and theory-based recommendations for improvement. The project concludes with a reflective summary highlighting key learnings and the importance of effective human resource management for professional and academic development, with all sources properly referenced using APA style ( Project guideline in the template )