Professor Paulette Cormier-MacBurnie, Assistant Professor, Tourism and Hospitality Management

Paulette Cormier-MacBurniePaulette is an Assistant Professor and the Tourism Program Coordinator for the Department of Business Administration and Tourism and Hospitality Management at Mount Saint Vincent University. She is currently studying courses in the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program at Athabasca University and holds a Master of Arts in Education, Graduate Studies in Lifelong Learning, a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology, and a certificate in Management Development for Women. Paulette has experience working as a Lecturer and Senior Lab Instructor in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management and has taught labs in the Department of Applied Human Nutrition. Additionally, she has work experience in the areas of food service, hospitality, and fitness and is an instructor for various managerial level food safety courses.

Paulette’s research interest focuses on workplace learning in Tourism and Hospitality Management and on student engagement. She has worked on projects focusing on the workplace learning of Chefs, Human Resource Management devolution in the hotel industry, Tripadvisor reviews and owner responses in the Bed-and-Breakfast sector in Nova Scotia, and the Learning Passport Program as a student engagement initiative. She is currently working on a research project focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on the food and beverage industry.

Detailed Profile

Professor Paulette Cormier-MacBurnie
Assistant Professor
Tourism and Hospitality Management

Office: McCain Centre 405K
Phone: 902 457 6517
Fax: 902 445 2582
Email: Paulette.Cormier@msvu.ca
Office Hours: Available by appointment.

Qualifications:
Academic: BScHE, MDW, MAEd, Mount Saint Vincent University, DBA (Candidate), Athabasca University
Professional Designations: ServSafe Instructor, Advanced.fst Instructor
Courses: Allergen Training for the Food Service and Food Retail Industry, Applying HACCP Principals for the Food Service Industry, St. John’s Ambulance First Aid, WHMIS, Train the Workplace Trainer (Tourism)

Joined the Mount: 1995

Relevant Work Experience:
Food service supervisor (institutional), Cook (institutional), Server (restaurants), Educator and Fitness Instructor/Co-ordinator (Spa)

Labs Taught:
THMT 116L (Introduction to Food Service Management), THMT 216L (Planning and Management of Food Service Operations), THMT 316L (Food Service Management), THMT 411L (Catering Technology and Systems), NUTR 315L (Food Service Systems)

Courses taught:
THMT 1101 (Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality), THMT 1116 (Introduction to Food Service Management), BUSI/THMT 2202 (Communication & Self-Management Skills) THMT 2216 (Planning and Management of Food Service Operations), THMT 3401 (Managing in the Service Environment), THMT 4411 (Current Issues in Food, Beverage and Catering Management)

Research Interests:
Informal learning and learning through practice in restaurant kitchens; student engagement.

Research and Publications:
Refereed Articles in Scholarly Journals

  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P. Gonzalez Cerdeira, M., Guy, J. & Hicks, E. (2023). An examination of the extent to which the Mount Saint Vincent University Business and Tourism Learning Passport programme influences undergraduate students’ learning experiences using the Jones (2018) conceptual model. International Journal of Innovative Business Strategies (IJIBS), 9(1), 547-553. doi: 10.20533/ijibs.2046.3626.2023.0070
  • Blayney, C., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., & Young, J. D. (2020). The devolution of human resource management to line managers: A preliminary examination of the hotel industry in Halifax, Canada. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism. doi: 10.1080/15332845.2020.1763760
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., Sneddon, G., & Young, J., D. (2018). The B&B sector in Nova Scotia: Some preliminary evidence from Tripadvisor reviews. Small Business Institute Journal, 14 (2), 41-60.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Kelleher, N., Mombourquette, P. Sneddon, G., Young, J. (2017). Small business employees’ intention to learn: Establishing research directions. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 17(4), p. 112.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Hicks, E., & Mombourquette, P. (2016). Evaluation of a learning passport program on student engagement at Mount Saint Vincent University. International Journal of Business Research, 16(1), 105-124. doi:dx.doi.org/10.18374/IJBR-16-1.6.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Doyle, W., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2015). Canadian chefs’ workplace learning. European Journal of Training and Development, 39(6), 522-537. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-01-2015-003.

Papers in Conference Proceedings

  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Guy, J., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2023). Micro firms and talent management: Research directions. Proceedings of the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences, March 3-5, 2023, Las Vegas, NV. (Best paper in track award).
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., Sneddon, G., & Young, J. D. (2022). B&B operations in Atlantic Canada: Examining online reviews and B&B performance. Proceedings of the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, March 4-6, 2022, Las Vegas, NV. (Best paper in track award).
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2020). Reflection and learning: Development of small business owners/managers and employees. Proceedings of the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, February 28 – March 1, 2020, Las Vegas, NV. (Best papers of tracks).
  • Blayney, C., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., & Young, J.D. (2019). Facilitators and barriers to devolution of human resource management in Canadian hotels (Abstract presented). Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Tourism Research (ICTR 2019), Porto, Portugal, March 14-15.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2018). A framework for workplace learning: Drivers, strategies, outcomes, and evaluation. Proceedings of the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2018). The role of facilitators, barriers, individuality and technology in designing a framework for workplace learning. Proceedings of the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Best Papers of Tracks.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Hicks, E., & Mombourquette, P. (2016). The Learning Passport as an engaging educational tool. Proceedings of the International Academy of Business and Economics Conference, Orlando, FL.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Doyle, W., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2015). Assessing workplace learning effectiveness: A preliminary study of professional chefs. Proceedings of the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Hicks, E., & George, W. (2013). Learning outside the Classroom: The Learning Passport. Proceedings of CASAE/ACÉÉA, University of Victoria, British Columbia, CA.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P. (2010). Informal learning in restaurant kitchens. Proceedings of CASAE/ACÉÉA, Concordia University, Montreal, CA.

Papers Presented at Conferences

  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., Sneddon, G., Young, J. D. (2023). Small business owners/managers and employees: Informal-learning evaluation. Paper presented at the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, March 3-5, 2023. Las Vegas, NV.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., Sneddon, G., & Young, J. D. (2022). Bed-and-breakfast owners/managers in Atlantic Canada: Examining relationships between online review behaviour and entrepreneurial orientation. Paper presented at the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences Conference, March 4-6, 2022, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2022). Workplace learning of employees in micro firms in Nova Scotia, Canada: Guidance for owners/managers and directions for future research. Paper presented at the North American Management Society Division at the Midwest Business Administration Association Conference. March 23-25, 2022 Chicago, IL.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (2018). Tacit and explicit knowledge: Considering the small business firm. Presented at the North American Management Society Division at the Midwest Business Administration Association Conference. April 18-20, Chicago, IL.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P. (2020). Intention to leave in the chef profession. Abstracted presented at the International Academy of Business and Public Administration Disciplines Conference Proceedings, Online Fall Conference, October 22 – 24, 2020.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Sneddon, G., Young, J. (2017). Some preliminary quantitative evidence from Tripadvisor reviews: The Bed-and-Breakfast sector in Nova Scotia. Abstract presented at the Small Business Institute Conference, San Diego, California.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Sneddon, G., Young, J. (2017). The bed-and-breakfast sector in Nova Scotia: A qualitative analysis of negative Tripadvisor reviews and owner responses. Presented at the Small Business Institute Conference, San Diego, California. Competitive Paper.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P. Mombourquette, P., Sneddon, G., & Young, J. D. (April, 2016). Managers’ roles in workplace learning: A preliminary examination and directions for future research.  Presented at the North American Management Society Division at the Midwest Business Administration Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Mombourquette, P., & Young, J. D. (April, 2016). Self-directed learning orientation: Links to workplace learning outcomes.  Presented at the North American Management Society Division at the Midwest Business Administration Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Kelleher, N., Mombourquette, P., Sneddon, G., & Young, J. D. (February, 2016). Small business employees’ intentions to learn: Establishing research directions.  Paper presented at the Small Business Institute Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Peer Reviewed Poster Presentations

  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Gonzalez Cerdiera, M., Guy, J., & Hicks, E. (2022, November 14-16). Applying Jones (2018) Undergraduate Student Experience Conceptual Model to the Business and Tourism Learning Passport (LP) Program, London International Conference on Education. London, UK.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P. (2022, October 14-15). Intention to leave and intention to stay, the lived experiences of culinary professionals. 2022 Graduate Student Research Conference. Athabasca, Canada.

Non-refereed Presentations

  • Blayney, C., Cormier, P., Matthews, M. (2020). Navigating COVID-19: The future of tourism & hospitality. Presentation with Halifax Chamber of Commerce found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zthc6mkazM
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Hicks, E., Mombourquette, P. (2017). Applying James Lang’s “Small Teaching” to the Business & Tourism Learning Passport program. Poster presentation of the MSVU Atlantic Universities Teaching Showcase.
  • Blotnicky, K., Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Hicks, E., & Mombourquette, P. (2017). The Learning Passport. Session presentation of the Atlantic Universities’ Teaching Showcase, MSVU.
  • Cormier-MacBurnie, P., Hicks, E., & George, W. (2011). The Learning Passport: A MSVU Student Engagement Initiative. Poster presented at the Mount Saint Vincent University Research Day.

Thesis
Cormier-MacBurnie, P. (2010). A study of how kitchen employees learn through informal learning and learning through practice in the workplace. (MAEd Lifelong Learning).