Drawing from foundational open educational resources in foodservice and business management, this resource was developed to meet the specific learning needs of dietetic and foodscience students. The book covers key principles of management, leadership, human resources, marketing, and strategic planning—framed within the context of dietetic and foodservice practice.
Type of Material:
Open (Access) Textbook
Recommended Uses:
Homework
In-course discussion
Team activity
Lecture
Remote learning resource
In class student presentations on a topic in the text
Technical Requirements:
Internet Access to a general browser is required.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
After active engagement with this material, the learner will:
Describe the structure, economic impact, and operational systems (e.g., Systems Theory) of the foodservice industry within the broader hospitality and nutrition sectors.
Differentiate between management and leadership roles and functions, and analyze various leadership styles to determine their appropriate applications in foodservice settings.
Apply principles of effective teamwork, conflict resolution, and hiring to build and maintain a positive, collaborative professional work environment.
Explain the complete human resource management cycle, from strategic planning and legal-compliant recruitment to performance evaluation, discipline, and occupational health and safety.
Interpret key financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet) and apply financial management principles to control food, labor, and operational costs through budgeting and inventory management.
Develop components of a strategic marketing plan that incorporate digital tools such as social media and branding to effectively promote a foodservice operation.
Formulate elements of a strategic plan by conducting a SWOT analysis and defining organizational mission and vision to guide long-term success.
Target Student Population:
Undergraduate; College Upper Division
Professions that incorporate dietetics and food science
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Digital Literacy skills
A foundational understanding of basic nutritional concepts, food composition, and food safety
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The food service and science concepts are explained in detail, and the conceptual representation is easy to understand.
Content is appropriate for the targeted undergraduate education level.
Content cites scholarly sources.
Full references include scholarly data and expert sources. Numerous statistical data reports.
Reflective questions and the same format throughout the book add to ease of use and understanding.
The "Practical Exercises" and the concepts themselves are designed to be applied to various scenarios within the nutrition field, from a hospital cafeteria to a private practice or a community program.
The pedagogical approach uses scaffolding at the content knowledge and application levels.
Chapters include call-out boxes with applications.
Includes review questions to help learners check their understanding.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The "Major Learning Goals" are clearly identified from the student's perspective using actionable verbs (e.g., Describe, Differentiate, Apply, Develop). This makes the intended learning outcomes immediately clear to both instructors and students, facilitating aligned course design.
The structure moves logically from theory to application. Introducing a concept like "Systems Theory" (Ch. 1) and later applying it to financial or operational systems (Ch. 5) reinforces understanding across different contexts, promoting a deep, integrated grasp of management as a unified discipline.
The material is specifically designed to bridge a critical knowledge gap for nutrition students by teaching them essential business skills. It directly increases their potential for learning and professional readiness in a way a generic management textbook could not.
Chapters include review questions that help learners to check their learning with immediate feedback and answer checks.
Concerns:
A recommendation is to add images and videos within the chapters. Images and videos provide multimodal learning that benefits various learning preferences.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Sequential headings are present.
The chapters use SmartLinks or ordinary text links.
The Table of Contents is exceptionally well-organized and detailed, providing a clear mental map of the entire textbook. The consistent chapter structure (content -> review questions -> practical exercises) creates a predictable and easy-to-follow learning path.
All links are in working order
Creative Commons:
Search by ISBN?
It looks like you have entered an ISBN number. Would you like to search using what you have
entered as an ISBN number?
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
