Lean management in hotels: Where we are and where we might go

Abstract

Given the successful implementation of Lean Management (LM) in other service industries and its potential benefits for hospitality, this study aims to pursue two specific goals: 1) to offer an overview of LM research in the hospitality industry; 2) to detect and propose LM research lines in this sector. The research methodology chosen for these goals is a systematic literature review based on a structured, transparent, replicable multistage process. Thirty-six references have been found, which indicates the paucity of research studies in this field. The use of LM tools in hotels seems to be very limited, with VSM and the 5S applications standing out. Reference analysis clearly shows that much more research is required on specific applications in many hotel activities and some under-reported practices.