Staff profiles
Dr Bill Rowson
BA(Hons), PhD, Research fellow
Phone 0114 225 6129
E-mail
b.h.rowson@shu.ac.uk
Profile
Bill entered the world of higher education as a mature student, having spent his early career as health and safety training officer for Shropshire County Council; in 1993 Bill decided on a career change and studied for a BA (Hons) Business Studies Degree, at the University of Wolverhampton graduating with a 2:1 degree in 1996. Bill then read for a PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University, under the supervision of Professor Rosemary Lucas and Professor Richard Thorpe, completing his thesis in August 2004.
Bill was appointed as a research fellow at Leeds Metropolitan University in the department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in June 1999. In April 2004 Bill joined the Nottingham Business School where he was appointed research fellow in the Centre for Leisure Retailing (CLR). Bill joined Sheffield Hallam University on 1 June 2007 where he was appointed research fellow in the Centre International Hospitality Management Research (CIHMR).
Bill’s current research projects include evaluating the benefits of training in the licensed retail sector, business relations research in the licensed retail sector and leading edge work on skills gaps and skill shortages in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Bill also as an interest in employee relations research especially in small hospitality firms, particularly related to pay, the National Minimum Wage, student employment and migrant labour. Bill is currently working on a co-institutional bid for ESRC funding, based on labour market economics in the hotel sector.
Bill has conducted applied research and consultancy for J.D. Wetherspoons, Punch Taverns Plc, Everards Ltd, Greene King Plc, The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), North West Tourism, the Nottingham Corner House Group, East Midlands Development Agency, Marketing Manchester and the North West Tourism Network. Bill’s a judge for the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) NITA awards and he has been on the judging panel since 2004.
Sample of recent publications
Best, W., Lashley, C. and Rowson, B. (2007) In-company education; an example of best practice? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol 19, No3 pp 234-247.
Rowson, B., and Best, W. (2007) The National Innkeepng Training Awards raising the standards? Insights from entrants. The 16th Annual CHME Conference, Oxford Brookes University 9 -11 May 2007.
Rowson, B., and Lashley, C (2007) Measuring the benefits of bespoke training: The balanced scorecard approach. The 16th Annual CHME Conference, Oxford Brookes University 9 -11 May 2007.
Rowson, B., and Lashley, C (2007) Life Style Businesses: The case for Blackpool’s hotel sector. The 16th Annual CHME Conference, Oxford Brookes University 9 -11 May 2007.
Rowson, B. (2006) An evaluation of the National Innkeeping Awards Judging Process: The perceived value of the process to entrants, CHME Research Conference, Nottingham Trent University: Nottingham 2006.
Rowson, B. and Lashley, C. (2006) The Student Pay Gap in Hospitality and Tourism: Some evidence from a study conducted in Nottingham, CHME Research Conference, Nottingham Trent University: Nottingham 2006.
Lashley, C. and Rowson, B. (2006) The Trails and Tribulations of Hotel Ownership in Blackpool: Highlighting the skill gaps of owner managers, CHME Research Conference, Nottingham Trent University: Nottingham 2006.
Best, W., Lashley, C and Rowson, B. (2006) From Beer Barrels to Bachelors: A case study examining the benefits of the Advanced Diploma in Leisure Retail Management for J.D. Wetherspoon PLC, CHME Research Conference, Nottingham Trent University: Nottingham 2006.
Lashley, C. and Rowson, B (2005) Getting IT Right: Exploring information technology in the hospitality curriculum, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol 17, No 1, pp 94-105.
Rowson, B. (2005) Déjà vu: The rhetoric surrounding the impact of the annual increases in the National Minimum Wage in the UK. CHME Research Conference, Bournemouth University, 11-13 May 2005.
Lashley, C. and Rowson, B. (2004) The Benefits of training pub retailers: Building the skill base of franchisees in the Punch Pub Company, CAUTHE Conference proceedings, Darwin: Charles Darwin University.
Rowson, B. (2004) The National Minimum Wage: Small Regional Hotels Revisited. CHME Conference, University of Wales Institute Cardiff, 14 -16 April.
Lashley, C. and Rowson, B (2003) Divided by a common business? Francisor and franchisee relationships in the pub sector. Strategic Change Vol 12, Aug-Sept 2003.
Rowson, B. (2002) As Time Goes By: The minimal impact of the National Minimum Wage on small hotels. Paper presented to the International Conference of Small Tourism and Hospitality Sectors, 12 -13 September 2002, Leeds Metropolitan University.
Rowson, B. (2002) Minimum Wage, Minimum Effect: The impact of the National Minimum Wage on small regional hotels. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management Vol 9, No 2, June 2002, pp198-206. (Australian Journal)
Lashley, C. and Rowson, B. (2002) 'When is a Franchise not a Franchise? When it’s a British Pub.' Strategic Change Vol 11, No 5, September 2002 pp 291-305 Wiley Inter Science.
Lashley, C. and Rowson, B. (2002) A Franchise by Any Other Name? Tenancy arrangements in the pub sector. International Journal of Hospitality Management, Vol 21, No 4, December 2002, pp 353-369.
