Leisure Services Management

Leisure Services Management prepares students for the challenges they'll face as entry-level recreation and leisure managers. The book outlines the essential knowledge and skills that successful managers need to have and helps students build those competencies by encouraging them to think as managers. The text's activities, projects, and examples help students connect the competencies to real-world situations.

Leisure Services Management begins by presenting a firm foundation of competency-based management theory. Students will learn what management is, what the manager's role is, and how their work affects their agency and their customers. They will also explore specific management areas such as marketing, financial management, human resources, employee development, communication, and evaluation. Throughout the text students will be encouraged to apply their own experiences to the concepts being discussed to deepen their understanding of the profession.

For each chapter, the authors provide experiential learning activities that simulate real on-the-job situations. Each of the activities asks students to assume one of the many roles of a new manager. They'll learn to deal with day-to-day management activities by completing work assignments and projects similar to those they'll assume as a manager. The activities will help students develop the competencies they'll need in order to meet the challenges of this evolving field.

Following are some of the student-friendly features in Leisure Services Management:

-A competency scorecard that will help students gauge their progress as they work through the text

-Numerous examples drawn from the public, nonprofit, and commercial sectors in the United States and Canada

-Unique “A Day in the Life” sidebars in each chapter, which relay the stories of new managers currently working in the field

-Practical, real-world activities and projects that reinforce concepts and encourage a managerial mind-set

-Review questions useful for analyzing and applying content

-A running glossary for quick reference to new terminology within the text

The text also includes access to an online student resource (OSR), which provides documents and forms sampled from the actual files of leisure managers to assist students in understanding and using important management tools. The OSR also includes an overview of key concepts by chapter, one or more detailed case studies for each chapter, a glossary, Web links, and the competency scorecard, detailing the competencies required for entry-level professionals. Using this scorecard, students can measure their management skills, knowledge, and abilities at the outset of the course and reevaluate their progress at end of the course.

The competency-driven approach of Leisure Services Management assists readers in gaining the knowledge and practicing the skills they need in order to begin their career in leisure management. Bolstered by the practical information in Leisure Services Management, new managers can contribute to the success of their organization as they enjoy the challenges and rewards of their new position.

Amy R. Hurd, PhD, is an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State University in Normal, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in leisure management and marketing. Hurd received her PhD in leisure behavior from Indiana University in 2001. Her research interests focus on management in parks and recreation with specific regard to management competencies.

Hurd has worked in public-sector parks and recreation as a marketing director for the Champaign Park District in Champaign, Illinois. She has also served on the National Recreation and Park Association's American Park and Recreation Society board.

In her free time, Hurd enjoys biking, kayaking, and hiking. She lives in Normal, Illinois.

Robert J. Barcelona, PhD, is an assistant professor in the department of parks, recreation, and tourism management at Clemson University and teaches courses in the youth development leadership program.

Barcelona received his doctorate from Indiana University after working professionally in the field of campus recreation, specifically in intramural sports and sport club administration. He has also worked with numerous recreation and sport organizations in both programming and research efforts. Barcelona's research centers on the management of leisure services, particularly recreational sport management and youth development.

His interests lie in three areas: competencies and training needs of recreation professionals and volunteers, organizational partnerships, and community needs and participation patterns in sport and recreation. Barcelona is interested in research that bridges the gap between theory and practice, and he has been involved in efforts to enhance both academic and professional development in recreation and sport management. His research has been published in several refereed, professional journals, and he is the author of several book chapters related to recreation and sport management.

Barcelona has presented locally, regionally, and nationally for associations such as the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, the North American Society for Sport Management, the Sport Marketing Association, and the National Recreation and Parks Association.

John T. Meldrum, PhD, is an assistant professor in the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Meldrum received his MBA in management (1995) from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada and his doctoral degree in recreation and leisure studies (2007) from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. His research centers on commitment in leisure service organizations, particularly seasonal or contingent employees and their impact on those organizations.

Meldrum has worked in sport and recreation settings for over a decade. Before beginning his career in academia, he was the CEO of a nonprofit organization and a consultant to recreation agencies. He is a member of the National Park and Recreation Association and the Canadian Park and Recreation Association.

Meldrum and his wife, Mary, live in Victoria. In his free time, Meldrum enjoys cycling, playing tennis, and visiting local markets.