WSU hospitality program improves research ranking

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University’s School of Hospitality Business Management (SHBM) in the College of Business was ranked ninth in the world for top-level hospitality research, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. The school previously ranked 11th.
 

“Given the relatively small size of our program compared to other ranked programs, the amount of world-class research produced is truly impressive,” said Nancy Swanger, SHBM director. “To be ranked ninth globally illustrates the expertise and passion our professors have in the fields of hospitality and tourism.”

The study analyzed the research productivity of hospitality and tourism programs 2000-2009 by examining 2,834 scholarly articles published in the six most commonly cited hospitality and tourism journals. The researchers for the study reported the number of times an institution’s name appeared, number of articles from that institution and number of authors from that institution.
 
Faculty gain individual recognition
Dogan Gursoy
Dennis Reynolds
Hyun Jeong Kim

Three SHBM faculty gained individual recognition. Dogan Gursoy ranked 10th among the 100 most prolific authors in both hospitality and tourism research, 15th among the 50 most prolific authors in tourism research and 35th among the 50 most prolific authors in hospitality. 

Dennis Reynolds ranked 15th among the 50 most prolific authors in hospitality and 38th among the 100 most prolific authors in both hospitality and tourism research. 

Hyun Jeong Kim ranked 42nd among the 50 most prolific authors in hospitality and 82nd among the 100 most prolific authors in both hospitality and tourism research.

“I am honored and deeply humbled by this recognition,” Gursoy said. “I am proud to be a part of a very productive research team. We all have a passion for teaching and research. 

“Our strength in research as a unit enables us to stay relevant to both undergraduate and graduate education,” he said. Gursoy is Taco Bell distinguished professor and coordinator of the doctoral program in the SHBM.
 
About the program, college
The hospitality program at WSU is the third oldest in the country. It is one of the few programs housed within a business college that is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. In its 79th year, the program welcomed its first Ph.D. candidates last year.
 
The College of Business spans all WSU, including online. The college conducts scholarly and applied research. It offers degree programs in a variety of business disciplines, supplementing face-to-face offerings with innovative online learning and international programs. For more information, visit the website at http://www.business.wsu.edu.
 
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Media contact:
Sarah Druffel, CB Marketing and Communications, 509-335-4345, sarah.druffel@wsu.edu