Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

LITERATURE REVIEW 
The head of a department is a crucial member of any academic program, including hospitality and tourism 
education. Often times this administrative position is filled by a former faculty member who must be prepared for 
the difficult transition into a directorial role (Achterberg, 2004). The head of a department performs many 
administrative duties that directly contribute to the success or failure of a program. These duties include crucial 
decisions such as promotions, tenure, merit salary increases, and course load determination (Maerten, 1991). Other 
duties, often considered of equal or greater importance, are those including interaction within the department with 
faculty, staff, and students on a daily basis. Academic unit leaders, often called department heads and deans, are also 
expected to represent the university to the industry and maintain productive fundraising campaigns to support their 
respective programs. These duties all depend a great deal on the leader’s ability to lead and bring about positive 
change within the department (Maerten, 1991). Academic leaders must find solutions to a wide range of difficult 
situations that may arise on any given day. Bragg suggests that deans should “possess democratic leadership, 
creative management, and finely tuned human relation skills” (Bragg, 2002: 75).
Academic leaders also face many challenges that often lie with implementing change in the department. 
Heads of departments are under “constant and serious pressures to entertain management perspectives different from 
traditional structures in an effort to better serve the students for which they are ultimately held responsible” 
(Boeckmann & Dickinson, 2001). Hearn and Anderson (Academic Unit, 2004) identified other factors that can 
create conflict and challenges within academic departments, such as instructional loads and program specializations. 
These leaders must constantly have a future vision in mind while still dealing with the present (DiFronzo, 2002).
The hospitality and tourism industry is a rapidly changing industry. It is paramount that the head of department for a 
hospitality and tourism program effectively face the challenges and remain current on the latest education and 
industry trends to improve the course curriculum and program as a whole.