Managing Instability in the Hospitality Operations Environment. Part Two: Variety

As the second in a series of three articles, exploring the problems arising from instability in the Hospitality Operations Environment(HOE), this article develops an analysis of the sources, incidence and problems arising from undesirable variety. The discussion focuses on the need to manage variety across the whole hospitality operation, as opposed to a concentration on product variety. The potential sources of variety are identified in the HOE′s products, processes and structures and proposals are advanced to assist the operational manager in managing variety. In particular the control/flexibility dilemma is explored and the desirability of variety in the production and delivery aspects of the HOE is given special attention.