academic profile - eminent professor tom baum

Biography

Tom Baum is a Professor and Head of the Department of Work, Employment and Organisation in the Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and a specialist in the study of employment, education and training in the context of the international tourism and hospitality industry. He has over 35 years’ experience in vocational and higher education and specialises in workforce planning, curriculum development, programme design and assessment. Tom has published ten books and over 175 scientific papers in the context of vocational education and training. He has supervised over 35 PhD students to completion and acted as External Examiner to over 50 doctorates in 6 countries. Tom has worked with a variety of international agencies in his area of specialisation, including the World Bank, the Asia Development Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, UNWTO, COMCEC and the EU.

Qualifications

• DLitt – The workforce in tourism and hospitality – a multidimensional conundrum, University of Strathclyde(2017)
• PhD – Labour market determinants of national tourism policy development and implementation, University of Strathclyde (1992)
• MPhil by Research – Education, Nottingham Trent University (1979)
• MA by Research – Education, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1976)
• BA (Hons) – Education and English (Class 1), University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1975)

Contact details

T. (+44) 0141 548 3954
E. t.g.baum@strath.ac.uk
Skype: tombaum1

Areas of expertise

• Workforce planning for the international tourism and hospitality industry
• Future of work in tourism and hospitality
• Sustainable human resource management strategies
• Education and training for tourism and hospitality
• Curriculum development and programme planning
  
  

List of research publications

Tom is the author of ten books on tourism development, human resources, training and international tourism themes. He has also published and/or presented over 175 papers in international journals in the areas of tourism workforce planning, hospitality and HRM, tourism education and training; hospitality management; tourism development and planning. His focus has been on collaborative research and publication, and working with colleagues worldwide on a wide range of projects and themes.

A selection of his recent publications is presented below:

• Baum, T., Solnet, D., Robinson, R. & Kralj, A. (2016) Tourism workforce research: Review, taxonomy and agenda. Annals of Tourism Research, forthcoming.
• Baum, T. (2015). Human resources in tourism: Still waiting for change?–A 2015 reprise. Tourism Management, 50, 204-212.
• Chan, A., Hsu, C. H., & Baum, T. (2015). The impact of tour service performance on tourist satisfaction and behavioral intentions: A study of Chinese tourists in Hong Kong. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 32(1-2), 18-33.
• Giannakis, D., Harker, M. J., & Baum, T. (2015). Human resource management, services and relationship marketing: the potential for cross-fertilisation. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 23(6), 526-542.
• Lockstone-Binney, L., Holmes, K., Smith, K., Baum, T., & Storer, C. (2015). Are all my volunteers here to help out? Clustering event volunteers by their motivations. Event Management, 19(4), 461-477.
• Solnet, D., Baum, T., Robinson, R. N., & Lockstone-Binney, L. (2015). What about the workers? Roles and skills for employees in hotels of the future. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 1356766715617403.
• Solnet, D., Kralj, A., & Baum, T. (2015). 360 degrees of pressure: The changing role of the HR professional in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 39(2), 271-292.
• Baum, T. (2012). Working the skies: Changing representations of gendered work in the airline industry, 1930–2011. Tourism Management, 33(5), 1185-1194.
• Cave, J., Brown, K. G., & Baum, T. (2012). Human resource management in tourism: a small island perspective. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 6(2), 124-132.
• Cheung, C., Baum, T., & Wong, A. (2012). Relocating empowerment as a management concept for Asia. Journal of Business Research, 65(1), 36-41.
• Espino-Rodríguez, T. F., Lai, P. C., & Baum, T. (2012). Risks and benefits of outsourcing hotel operations: a comparison between Scotland and Taiwan. Tourism Economics, 18(1), 95-120.
• Duncan, T., Scott, D. G., & Baum, T. (2013). The mobilities of hospitality work: An exploration of issues and debates. Annals of Tourism Research, 41, 1-19.
• Baum, T., Lockstone-Binney, L., & Robertson, M. (2013). Event studies: finding fool's gold at the rainbow's end? International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 4(3), 179-185.
• Robinson, R. N., Ritchie, B. W., Kralj, A., Solnet, D. J., Baum, T., & Ford, R. C. (2013). An Asia-Pacific core–periphery futures paradox: Divergent worker and tourist mobilities. Journal of Travel Research, 0047287513513164.
• Solnet, D., Baum, T., Kralj, A., Robinson, R. N., Ritchie, B. W., & Olsen, M. (2013). The Asia-Pacific tourism workforce of the future: Using Delphi techniques to identify possible scenarios. Journal of Travel Research, 0047287513513163.
• Mostajer Haghighi, A., Baum, T., & Shafti, F. (2014). Dimensions of customer loyalty in hospitality micro-enterprises. The Service Industries Journal, 34(3), 251-273.
• Solnet, D., Nickson, D., Robinson, R. N., Kralj, A., & Baum, T. (2014). Discourse about workforce development in tourism—An analysis of public policy, planning, and implementation in Australia and Scotland: Hot air or making a difference? Tourism Analysis, 19(5), 609-623.

Teaching responsibilities

Tom has taught across the curriculum within the University system in tourism and hospitality over a period about 26 years (from 1990) at UG and Masters levels. Specialisms in HRM, Strategic Management, Tourism Transport and Tourism Development. Since 2009, his teaching focus has been on HRM on MSc and MBA programmes, delivered in Glasgow and overseas.

Tom has also been Director of University of Strathclyde programmes in Hong Kong, Iran, Oman and Singapore. He was also the Director, MSc in International HRM, 2012 – 2014.

Tom has acted as external examiner to tourism and hospitality education programmes in the UK, Ireland, Kenya, Switzerland and the Caribbean.

In the curriculum development space, Tom managed a unit responsible for the development national vocational qualifications in hospitality and tourism in Ireland (1982-1990); has led the development of new programmes in the University of Buckingham (BA, MSc) and University of Strathclyde and has held Teaching and Learning portfolio responsibilities at Buckingham and Strathclyde. He has also advised extensively on programmes and curriculum development for tourism and hospitality in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Research supervision

Completions

• 35 PhD students supervised to completion
  
  

Current supervision roles

• Currently supervising 5 PhD students in the area of migrant work experience (2), hospitality education planning, kitchen work and mega event volunteering
  
  

Research grants

Tom has been involved in international consulting assignments located in Ireland and the UK, Australia, India (and south Asian region), Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Romania, Russia and the Caribbean. This work was funded by a diversity of public and private sector agencies including UNDP, UNWTO, UNICEF, ADB, AFD, EU, World Bank, COMCEC, Government of Malaysia, Lux Development and Taj Hotels. International training/ teaching assignments in Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Iran, Malaysia, Switzerland, Taiwan.

Tom is currently engaged with a major grant from the Newton Fund, looking at the future of tourism employment in the SMART City. The project includes a comparative study of tourism employment in Glasgow and Manilla.

Selected recent assignments:

Current

• 2015-2017 – Tourism employment in the SMART/ future city – a comparison of Glasgow and Manila (The Philippines). Funded by the Newton Fund for Institutional Linkages / British Council.
• 2015-2016 – Travel and Tourism Pilot Impact Assessment in Vietnam: a focus on Child Rights (Vietnam). Funded by UNICEF.
  
  

Past

• 2015 – Assessment of the contribution of tourism to employment generation in G20 countries (Global – G20 countries). Funded by UNWTO and ILO.
• 2014-2015 – White paper on Gender and Diversity in the Hospitality Industry (Asia-Pacific). Funded by Diageo Asia-Pacific.
• 2014 – Enhancing the capacity of tourism workforce in the COMCEC region (Global – COMCEC member countries). Funded by COMCEC.
• 2013 – Tourism Capacity Development –Project Formulation (Myanmar). Funded by LuxDev.
• 2013 – Feasibility Study for National School for Tourism Professionals (Cambodia). Funded by AFD.
• 2012 – Evaluation of Public-Private Partnerships in Tourism Education (Greater Mekong Sub-Region). Funded by ADB.
• 2012 – Tourism Think Tank (MENA Region). Funded by World Bank.
• 2011-2013 – ESRT Responsible Tourism Programme (Vietnam). Funded by EU.
• 2010-2013 – Tourism Management Capacity Development Programme (Malta). Funded by EU.
• 2010-2011 – Training in the reform of vocational and university education – introducing Learning Outcomes to the curriculum (Montenegro). Funded by EU.
• 2009-2012 – Development of Tourism Education (Uganda). Funded by DFID.
• 2008-2009 – Preparation of Strategic Plan for Tourism HRM (Laos). Funded by LuxDev.
• 2008 – Review of Tourism Programmes (Botswana). Funded by University of Botswana.
• 2004-2008 – Capacity Development for Utalii College, Nairobi (Kenya). Funded by DFID.
  
  

Academic/professional awards

• President, EUROCHRIE, 1999-2000 and member of the Board of International CHRIE
• John Wiley Lifetime Research Award (CHRIE), 2001
• CAUTHE Best Paper Award, Melbourne, 2006
• Vice-President, International Academy for the Study of Tourism, 2011-2015