CAUTHE 2011 Conference Adelaide, Australia Keynote speech of Prof Jean Pierre Poulain

1. Cauthe 2011, Adelaide-Australia
Trends in hospitality scholarships
The French paradox
Prof. Jean-Pierre Poulain, Socio-anthropologist, Dean of CETIA,
CERTOP-TAS, UMR-CNRS-5044, University of Toulouse II-Le Mirail
Jean-Pierre Poulain

2. Plan
• The French paradox in tourism
and academic disciplines.
• Hospitality between Tourism and food
sectors.
• Some examples
– Impact of Modernization:
– The construction of Excellence in gastronomy
Jean-Pierre Poulain

3. The french paradox in sociology of tourism
• A first glance on the journals, and • But there is no more professors in
collection of books specialized in sociology of tourism.
social sciences, it could appear • To become full Professor they have to
relatively well institutionalized. change the discipline or develop other
– J. Dumazedier and M. F. Lanfant was topics :
DR at CNRS
– J. D. Urbain in semiology
– A research team was accredited by
CNRS during 4 years 1990 – R. Amiroux in psychology
– J. Viard and political sciences
– R. Sue and the sociology of time
Jean-Pierre Poulain

4. A field which has a public and
associations
• Works of quality are not lacking • AFEST : Association Française des
(Dumazedizer 1962,1988; Lanfant 1972; Experts Scientifiques du Tourisme
Urbain 1991; Amirou 1995; Girard, (French Association of Scientifics
1996) and some have been Experts in Tourism)
favorably viewed by a large
public, which is a rather rare • But no RC in AISLF Association
phenomenon in sociology Internationale des Sociologues de
(Dumazedier, 1962; Urbain 1991). Langue Française (International
Association of French speaking
Sociologists ) and AFS Association
Française de Sociologie (French
Association of Sociology)
Jean-Pierre Poulain

5. Epistemoligical obstacles
• Tourism seems a futile subject, at best a pass time for sociologists
or anthropologists at the end of their careers, a “preparation for
retirement”.
• Always in the shadow of stronger theoretical objects:
– ‘spare time’ could be only considered as a contra point of the ‘working
time’.
– ‘leisure’ seeks to exceed the contradictory tension between the lyric
glorification of this “formidable social conquest” of the workers and a
reading of leisure as a consequence (positive one, nevertheless still a
consequence) of the industrial development.
• The dominant prospect consisted of setting the tourist
phenomenon as a reading field of social changes (Urbain, 1991)
Sociology through tourism, but is it a sociology of tourism?
Jean-Pierre Poulain

6. The french academic organisation
Professional life
Other Master
700
Bachelor Degree
Licence Pro
Other Diplomas +2 (Professional BD)
years 2 108 taux de P 80 %
BTS (Higher Dip.)
Other Diplomas 1 792 taux de p 81 %
Bac Pro (Pro. BD)
Vocationnal 12 500 taux de p 7 %
Jean-Pierre Poulain

7. Tourism and hospitality in the French academic
world
• Tree models • Some signs of transformation
– Economy or business based – Scientific interaction with :
(University of Nice, IAE Dijon, • sociology economics
• sociology of consumption
ESSEC Paris, Toulouse until
• sociology of social time
1999…) • Pragmatic perspective
– Geography based (University of
Angers, Paris, Pau, Avignon, – ASTRE Association Tourisme Recherche
Bordeaux…) Enseignement Supérieur (Association of
– Sociology based but on… Tourism Research in Higher
sociology of food and gastronomy education)
– Some lecturers are at the periphery of
the field
Jean-Pierre Poulain

8. Bac pro (Higher Diplomas ) and BTN,
12 500 students
Jean-Pierre Poulain

9. The french academic organisation
Professional life
Other Master
700
Bachelor Degree
Licence Pro
Other Diplomas +2 (Professional BD)
years 2 108 taux de P 80 %
BTS (Higher Dip.)
Other Diplomas 1 792 taux de p 81 %
Bac Pro (Pro. BD)
Vocationnal 12 500 taux de p 7 %
Jean-Pierre Poulain

10. BTS and Licence Pro
Jean-Pierre Poulain

11. The french academic organisation
Professional life
Other Master
700
Bachelor Degree
Licence Pro
Other Diplomas +2 (Professional BD)
years 2 108 taux de P 80 %
BTS (Higher Dip.)
Other Diplomas 1 792 taux de p 81 %
Bac Pro (Pro. BD)
12 500 taux de p 7 %
Vocationnal
Jean-Pierre Poulain

12. CETHIA
Master in Master in
Tourism and hospitality Gastronomy
Master
Teaching and
Master Common base Common base
Training in
Hospitality and
Pathway Pathway
culinary arts
Management in Sociale Sciences Management and
Management of Tourism Gastronomy
Hospitality and applied ito mass catering
Tourism industries and developpement
Culinary arts Gastronomy engineering
Bachelor degree
Professional Bachelor Degrees
Tourism Food Hospitality
Common base N T I C (new
Technologies of Mass
BD3 Modules of specialization
information &
communication)
Hospitality
and tourism
catering
and
Tourism
Hospitality and tourism Teaching in applied to engineering
Management and Gastronomy Hospitality and tourism
and development
Engineering culinary arts
National Diploma Diploma of Higher education Diploma of Higher education
Other Diploma of Higher education
National Interpreter Tourism & leisure structure Economic development of territories and
trainings Haven Keeper
Guide manager at HQE industries by the TIC
Jean-Pierre Poulain

13. Expertise and Research…
From management to research: back and forth
Applied
Research Expertise Management
Research
Knowledge Application Decisional aids Action decision
Jean-Pierre Poulain

14. Research Action Expertise Management
Research
Forms of Recognition Double By By the
recognition by peers recognition : professional, operational
and using Peers and political or results of the
academic industry legal institution or
legitimacy
criteria environments the
organization
Results Meant to be Meant to be Destined to Focused
published and applied and support and towards action,
disseminated published legitimate a control and
decision orientation
Nature of Methodological Methodological Knowledge Established
gathered knowledge & theoretical (results) set in Knowledge
Unknown knowledge various (results) +
knowledge
results Unknown environments Empirical
results knowledge
Jean-Pierre Poulain

15. Evaluation of academic activity
• “Peer control” but: who are my peers ?
• To become a professor you need to get a HDR (Habilitation à Diriger la
Recherche) in English an ‘’RSA’’ (Research supervision Accreditation )
controlled by disciplines and to be accredited by a national panel.
• 138 journals supposed to be academic have the word ‘’tourism’’ in
their titles.
• Bibliometry versus scientific influence
• All the disciplines haven’t made the choice of:
– English: To write in English or to promote translation ?
– Journals: What could be the good place? Tourism or disciplinary revues
– The Importance of scientific essays in sociology.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

16. Plan
• The French paradox in tourism
and academic disciplines.
• Hospitality between Tourism and food
sectors
• Some examples :
– Impact of Modernization:
– The construction of Excellence in gastronomy
Jean-Pierre Poulain

17. Epistemological debate
• Tourism as a macro-economic sector versus
hospitality articulates the agro-food chain and
leisure economic sectors
Jean-Pierre Poulain

18. Strategical point of view
• French ministry of tourism • Ministry of agriculture
« Without a true plan to manage the higher
education research areas, stuck between – 1800 researchers
permanent studies absorbing 9/10th of their
budget and permanent staff who are not – A lot of grants
numerous enough to simply give value to what
yet exists, the research policy in terms of – Big companies
tourism has nothing to expect from its
trusteeship» (Viard, 1998). – Professors
– Research committees in
• Atomization of the AS, AISLF.
partnership with industry
• No Professor
Jean-Pierre Poulain

19. The CETHIA
A pedagogic project focused on sociological issues
 Interweaving of tourism, Hospitality, food and
health fields.
 Redefining of competencies related to an
internationalization of the tourism Hospitality
& food sectors.
 ‘’Re-pyramidalization’’ of employments in the
mass catering sector(flow of RPL recognition
of prior learning).
 ‘’Masterization’’ of hospitality teaching &
framing teaching.
 The demand for students mobility and
international Higher education partnerships.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

20. Tourism Food
Impact of food on tourism Impact of tourism on
activity Food market
• Food as a part of the • The role of legitimacy of tourist on
identity of a region Articulation of both food heritage
• inter-cultural issues of • Valorization of food heritage by
food and tourism
fields
tourism
• Food as an entry in the • Geographical indications
visited cultures • Gastronomic tourism •
• Oenological tourism
And also • Food souvenir market
• Food crisis management • Restaurant design and
• Food safety engineering
• Innovation and tradition
Jean-Pierre Poulain

21. Pragmatic point of view of tourism
Social
roles
Travel Living
Food pratices
conditions
Social
roles
Place of
stay
Living Food
conditions habits
Place of
residence Jean-Pierre Poulain

22. Food Health
Impact of health problems on Impact of food practices and cultures
food consumption on the health of population
• Specific needs in food services • Obesity
• Specific product Healthy food Articulation of both fields •Food and cancer
• Obesity epidemic • Food and Alzheimer diseases
• Foods crises • Food and well being
• Specific product Healthy food
•Slimming centers
Jean-Pierre Poulain

23. Tourism Health
Impact of health problems on Impact of tourism and leisure
tourism activity on the health of population
•Flu •Rate of departure
•Food crisis Articulation of both fields •Connexion with health indicators
•Food safety
•Health of population and types
of tourism and rate of • Medical tourism
departure • Well being
• Etc. • New concept
Jean-Pierre Poulain

24. Modernity and its impacts
• Ebb and flow of movements • They result from
between social and medical,
juridical and political.
– The reflexive society
individualism, rationalization
– Desocialization movements
• Medicalization – Of an outsourcing and relocation
• Judiciarization dialectic of food
– Some new socialization
shapes
• Politicization
• Patrimonialization
• Environmental concern
Jean-Pierre Poulain

25. The patrimonialization
of food.
• Extension of the concept
– From the private sphere to the public sphere
– From material to immaterial (Unesco)
• Inclusion of lower class food habits and practices of
distinction in gastronomy
– Regional food and high cuisine are part of a same gastronomic patrimony.
• Consequences
– Inventory of local gastronomical traditions
– Relocation of food
Jean-Pierre Poulain

26. Jean-Pierre Poulain

27. Plan
• The French paradox in tourism and
academic disciplines.
• Hospitality between Tourism and food
sectors.
• Some examples :
– Impact of Modernization:
– The construction of Excellence in gastronomy
Jean-Pierre Poulain

28. 2004, The world’s 50 best restaurants.
1. The French Laundry, California, USA
2. The Fat Duck, Bray, UK
3. El Bulli, Montjoi, Spain
4. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris
5. Pierre Gagnaire, Paris
6. Guy Savoy, Paris
7. Nobu, London
8. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
9. Michel Bras, Laguiole, France
10. Restaurant Le Louis XV, Monaco
11. Gramercy Tavern, New York
12. Daniel, New York
13. Tetsuya's, Sydney
14. Hakkasan, London
15. The Waterside Inn, UK
16. St John, London
17. L'Ami Louis, Paris
18. Jean Georges, New York
19. Le Gavroche, London
20. Flower Drum, Melbourne, Australia
Jean-Pierre Poulain

29. 14 March 2007 during the announcement
• French tire manufacturer Michelin's CEO
Michel Rollier (R) poses with chef Paul Bocuse
(L), The Michelin Guide Director Jean-Luc
Naret (2nd L) and the Michelin mascot
Bibendum (C) in Tokyo, during the
announcement by Michelin that they will
publish Asia's first edition of the guide book
"Michelin guide Tokyo" in November 2007.
• 600 000 copies sold in a few weeks
Jean-Pierre Poulain

30. The traditional hierarchization of arts
Sphere of legitimacy to Sphere of legitimable Sphere of arbitrary
universal claim
Music Cinema,
photography Fashion, cosmetics
Peinture sculpture Gastronomy, Cuisines
Litterature Jazz music Decoration…
Academicism, universities Concurrent legitimating Non legitimate authorities of
authorities of critics legitimating: advertisement
- Advertising methods +
Jean-Pierre Poulain

31. Guides typology
Types Examples
Hierarchical Classification Michelin
guides without any
comment
Guide of author Classification with Gault et Millau,
explanations Bottin gourmand
Champerard,
Community guide A way to share good Zagat, Routard, Club
addresses des sans club
Advertising guide Technical Relais et châteaux
classification
Jean-Pierre Poulain

32. Amplification effects
• A lot of non specialized journalists
Journalists • Third circle
• Build the prestige
• Newspapers, TV, radios, Web
Columnists • Second circle
• Extension of legitimacy
• A very small number of guides and
critics
Critics • First circle and +- 10
• Give the legitimacy
Jean-Pierre Poulain

33. The expérience of Restaurant Magazine
• In 2002, The professional
English magazine Restaurant
magazine decided to classify
nothing less than “the best
restaurants of the world”. It
went unnoticed.
• In 2004, the context of the
second war of Iraq creates
conditions of media coverage.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

34. • They have noticed that the list counts 13 English
restaurants. If we always ate well in the British catering,
is it realistic to claim 30% of the best restaurants of the
world?
• The critics begin to
question the ranking • If one consults the list with attention, one is delighted
by the deserved presence of several Australians
credibility
establishments, but a little surprised to find only two
Italian restaurants. Only one German, chef holding the
• Who decides ? What is place of honour (no doubt still the old Europe…). No
the composition of the Swiss, did Freddy Girardet get any followers? No one
jury? Their nationalities form Quebec.
? Their restaurant
• However, good idea to include: 3 restaurants from
selection procedures ? international palaces, too often underestimated: 1 from
Hong Kong, another from India and a last one from
Dubai. But why not from Singapore, or Malaysia or from
Thailand: countries in which the Hotel and Hospitality
level is amongst the best?
• But why no restaurant from Japan?
Jean-Pierre Poulain

35. How to build a sustainable economic
model
To sale
Jean-Pierre Poulain

36. Two opposed models, but in competition
The academisation of the model The internationalisation of guides
• Definition of geographic areas • Tokyo
• Hong-Kong , etc.
• Construction of a jury with
professional, critics, journalists. • Bocuse d’or in Asia, May 2008
•
• Calculation of prestige like for the http://www.bocusedor.com/2009/index.php
Nobel price but with a
geographical balance
Guide Prestige
system system
Jean-Pierre Poulain

37. Jean-Pierre Poulain

38. • The program: « On district on
industry »
Jean-Pierre Poulain

39. Act 602 - LAWS OF MALAYSIA:
Geographical Indications 2000
• A Geographical Indication (GI) is a designation which identifies
a product as originating from a location that has given that
product a special quality or reputation or other
characteristics. It usually consists of the name of the place of
origin of the product.
Some well-known examples of GI’s are "Bordeaux" (French
region famous for its wines), "Darjeeling" (Indian region
famous for its tea) and "Tuscany" (a region in Italy famous for
its olive oil).
Jean-Pierre Poulain

40. • A geographical indication is a sign used on food stuffs produced in a certain place and
which possess the characteristics, qualities or reputation of a certain region.
• A geographical indication usually consists of the name of the place of origin and to be
protected, a product must therefore derive its qualities or reputation from that place. An
example of a current geographical indication is “Tuscany” for olive oil produced in a
specific part of Italy (protected by Italian Law No. 169, 1992).
• Protection of a geographical indication is new in Malaysia. It may be used by the owner
to prevent unauthorized parties from falsely using a geographical indication to indicate
as genuine a product with specific qualities and characteristics when they are in fact an
imitation.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

41. Jean-Pierre Poulain

42. What is AOC ?
• AOC stands for "Appellation d'Origine
Contrôlée" (French certification of origin
granted for wine, cheese, butters) “CDO”
“Controled Designation of Origin” means
that the origin of the cheese is controlled.
This is an official certification of quality
which ensures that the cheese is:
– Made according to a traditional production
process and in a specific region.
– Tested according to the strictest conditions
for quality control.
– Tasted by a jury of professional.
• There are about 50 kinds of cheese
with AOC Label in France .
Jean-Pierre Poulain

43. Jean-Pierre Poulain

44. Toward a market of high cultural value products
• To develop cultural value of the products
to get absolute advantages.
• A “high identity” product like Champagne
can be imitated, but not equalized! The
more it is imitated the higher the value of
the original is.
• High cultural value products is a way to
relocate the benefits of tourism to diffuse
it among farmers, caterers, food artisans
on the concerned area.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

45. • Food studies can be useful to:
– Help the tourists to understand a culture.
– Develop high identity products.
– Develop creativity in gastronomy.
– Relocate and diffuse the benefits of tourism activity.
– Develop collective certifications.
– Develop protected food designation products.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

46. Further researches and applications
• The social construction of the market:
– To develop indicators to measure the amplification effects and to compare the
economical models .
– To study the social interactions between the several actors (Critics, journalists,
chefs….)
– To study the different paradigms of the construction of gastronomy and their
connections with cultural frameworks .
– Construction of value
– Etc.
• Applications :
– To manage the promotion of a chef
– To set up training for critics, journalists.
– etc.
Jean-Pierre Poulain

47. Pour en savoir plus
 J.-P. Poulain, Sociologie de l’obésité, PUF, 2010.
 J.-P. Poulain, Sociologies de l’alimentation, PUF, 2005.
 J.-P. Poulain, Manger aujourd’hui, Attitudes, normes et pratiques, Privat, 2001.
 J.-P. Corbeau et J.-P. Poulain, Penser l’alimentation, entre imaginaire et rationalité,
Privat, 2002.
 J.-P. Poulain et E. Neirinck, Histoire de la cuisine et des cuisiniers, Lanore, 2004.
 Guy Fontaine et J.-P. Poulain, Le tourisme dans les territoires d’outre-mer, 2001
 J.-P. Poulain et M. Teychene, La recherche en tourisme, Lanore, 2000.