Karthik Namasivayam
Email: namasiv2@msu.edu
Director
Department: The School of Hospitality Business
Phone: (517) 355-5089
John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business
Department: The School of Hospitality Business
- Biography Karthik Namasivayam was Professor and Chair of the Department of Hospitality Management at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at the Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland, prior to joining RIT.Karthik has worked in the hospitality industry for over 40 years. He has held various positions including as consultant, entrepreneur, faculty, academic administration, and hospitality management jobs across three continents – Europe, Asia, and North America. His experiences include economy and luxury full service hospitality operations.He has taught in the US, Switzerland, India and China at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has delivered tailored Executive Education programs for national corporates. Karthik is widely published in leading hospitality and marketing journals and is well cited. His research explores the intersection between service provider and consumer. Consistent with the evolution of the hospitality industry, he researches the impact of various new technologies on consumer experience and consumer centric organizational design. He received the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education Bradford Wiley Best Published Paper award.Karthik obtained his Master’s and PhD in Hospitality Administration from Cornell University. He has undergraduate degrees in Economics from Madras University and Hospitality Management from Institute of Catering Technology, Chennai, India. He speaks Tamil, Hindi, German, and a bit of French and Italian. He is a keen high altitude hiker, mountaineer, and an amateur photographer.
- Publications ArticleNamasivayam, K., Guchait, P., & Lei, P. (2014). The influence of leader empowering behavior and employee psychological empowerment on customer satisfaction. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 26 (1).ArticleNamasivayam, K., & Guchait, P. (2013). The role of contingent self-esteem and trust in consumer satisfaction: Examining perceived control and fairness as predictors. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 33, 184-195.ArticleGuchait, P., & Namasivayam, K. (2012). Customer creation of service products: The role of frustration in customer evaluations. Journal of Services Marketing, 26 (3) 216-224.ArticleZhao, X., Namasivayam, K. (2012).The Relationship of Chronic Regulatory Focus to Work-Family Conflict and Job Satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management 31 (2), 458-467.ArticleLin, I.Y., & Namasivayam, K. (2011). Understanding restaurant tipping systems: A human resources perspective. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 23 (7), 923-940.ArticleGuchait, P., Kim, M.G., & Namasivayam, K. (2011). Error management at different organizational levels – Frontline, manager, and company. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31, 12-22.ArticleGuchait, P., Namasivayam, K., & Pui-Wa, L. (2011). Knowledge management inservice encounters: Impact on customers’ satisfaction evaluations. Journal of Knowledge Management, 15(3), 513-527.ArticleZhao, X., Namasivayam, K., Beutell, N.J., Liu, J., & Wang, F. (2020). Chronic regulatory focus and work-family conflict among Chinese workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Special Issue: Occupational Health Psychology. Accepted June 17, 2020.
- Media Mentions
- ARTICLERobot servers being tested in restaurants worldwide
May 23, 2023
Outlet: San Jose Sun
The Associated Press article quoting Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, on robot restaurant servers was cited in an article published in the San Jose Sun and 225 other Mainstream Media network outlets. - ARTICLEThe Z: Guiding Gen Z From the Classroom Into Meetings Industry Careers
April 26, 2023
Outlet: Meetings Today
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, was featured in an article in Meetings Today on guiding Gen Z into meetings industry careers. - ARTICLERobots – the waiters of the future
April 19, 2023
Outlet: European Times
The Reuters article quoting Namasivayam on robot servers in restaurants was published in an additional five outlets. - ARTICLEFacing a shortage of staff, this restaurant turned to robots
April 12, 2023
Outlet: CBC News
The Associated Press article quoting Karthik Namasivayam, director of The School of Hospitality Business, on the widening use of robot servers in U.S. restaurants was published in an additional 68 outlets. - ARTICLEAre robot waiters the future? Some restaurants think so
April 6, 2023
Outlet: Associated Press
Karthik Namasivayam, director of The School of Hospitality Business, spoke to the Associated Press on the widening use of robot servers in U.S. restaurants. The article was also published in Fortune and at the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Post, ABC News, CBS News, Crain’s Detroit Business and more than 500 other outlets. - ARTICLE2022's Best Foodie Cities in America
October 3, 2022
Outlet: WalletHub
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, was featured in a WalletHub article about the best foodie cities in America. - ARTICLEHow Industry Can Help Bolster Hospitality Programs… A Call to Action
August 19, 2022
Outlet: HSMAI
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, and Jeff Beck, associate professor of hospitality business, were quoted in an article at HSMAI on how industry can help bolster hospitality programs. - ARTICLEHow Industry Can Help Bolster Hospitality Programs… A Call to Action
August 19, 2022
Outlet: HSMAI
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, and Jeff Beck, associate professor of hospitality business, were quoted in an article at HSMAI on how industry can help bolster hospitality programs. - ARTICLEForget 2022: Travel isn’t expected to improve until next year
August 19, 2022
Outlet: Points Guy
Namasivayam spoke to the Points Guy on when travel is expected to improve — and that it might not be in 2022. The article was also published at MSN Travel and two other outlets. - ARTICLEResearch your hotel abroad: If your room has A/C, it may come with a fee
August 15, 2022
Outlet: Points Guy
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, spoke to the Points Guy on why hotels in Europe may charge extra for air conditioning. The article was also published at MSN Travel and two other outlets. - ARTICLE2022 Meetings Trendsetters
August 2, 2022
Outlet: Meetings Today
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, was named on the 2022 Meetings Trendsetters list for the meetings and events industry by Meetings Today. - ARTICLEInternational Hospitality Institute’s Post
July 29, 2022
Outlet: International Hospitality Institute
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, was named to the International Hospitality Institute’s USA Top 100 in Hospitality. - ARTICLEA Hospitality School Leader’s Take on the Industry Pipeline Problem
June 8, 2022
Outlet: Meetings Today
Karthik Namasivayam, John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and director of the School of Hospitality Business, was featured at Meetings Today discussing hospitality industry pipeline trends. - ARTICLEHospitality Human Resources and the Fourth Industrial Revolution
March 11, 2022
Outlet: HospitalityNet
Related News:
Olivia Cannella represented MSU at the influential Young Hospitality Summit in Switzerland and earned first place.
In The News
From Associated Press
Featuring Karthik Namasivayam
This year’s Faculty Recognition Dinner and Investiture Ceremony highlighted faculty endowments from 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Audio
Karthik Namasivayam, director of the School of Hospitality Business, explores the future of this industry.
The Broad College’s School of Hospitality Business held a rededication ceremony to celebrate contributions from alumni.
This year, we welcome the next generation of college leaders to fill a blend of newly created and existing positions.
Karthik Namasivayam replaces John and Becky Duffey Faculty Fellow Carl Borchgrevink as the School’s leader August 2021.
