Prof. Dr. Thorsten Merkle

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Head of Expert Group Hospitality and Service Management
• International Relations IFM

Education and Continuing education

Education

• flight instructor FI(A)
  Flugschule Grenchen
  08 / 2022 - 12 / 2022
• commercial pilot CPL(A)
  alpaviation
  03 / 2019 - 07 / 2021
• PhD / Business and Management
  University of Gloucesterhire
  10 / 2011 - 03 / 2017
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education
  University of Derby
  08 / 2013 - 10 / 2014
• MBA / international Management
  Europäische Fernhochschule Hamburg
  03 / 2008 - 09 / 2009
• Diplom Betriebswirt (FH)
  Hochschule Heilbronn
  10 / 1998 - 03 / 2002

Network

Membership of networks

• Institute of Hospitality: Member
• International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE): Member
• Higher Education Academy (HEA): Fellow
• Washington State University: Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living: Faculty Fellow
• Chairperson: CHRIE Special Interest Group: The Business of Ageing in Hospitality

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8945-1438

Media presence

Magazin ARTISET

Projects

• Evaluation and Analysis of Strategic Management Indicators for Healthcare Properties / Team member / ongoing
• Technologization and Digitalization in Swiss Residential and Nursing Homes / Deputy project leader / ongoing
• Catering concept Zollikerberg / Project leader / ongoing
• Food Waste Measure in Airline Catering / Deputy project leader / completed
• Zipp & Scan / Deputy project leader / completed
• Digitalisation and technologisation in care homes / Team member / completed
• Nudging for Sustainability / Deputy project leader / completed
• Improving the well-being of residents in care homes by making catering services more flexible with the help of technology / Team member / completed
• DIGINUT – Comprehensive Digitalisation of Patient Nutrition Uptake in Health Care / Co-project leader / completed
• DC4HC – Digital Competence for Healthcare / Project leader / completed

Publications

• Merkle, Thorsten; Das, Sushanta,

  2025.

  Passenger delight in liminal spaces : uncovering the dynamics of airport airside F&B.

  ICHRIE Research Reports.

  10(6), pp. 5.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.61701/382227.968

• Merkle, Thorsten; Seenivasan, Satheesh; Das, Sushanta,

  2025.

  Effect of street-pricing deregulation in U.S. airports on customer satisfaction.

  ICHRIE Research Reports.

  10(3), pp. 1.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.61701/957987.659

• Ratten, Vanessa; Lux, Andrei; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2025.

  Tips from management editors : managing your academic reputation, post-publication promotion and building your network.

  Journal of Management & Organization.

  31(1), pp. 1-6.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2024.54

• Jeanfavre, Elsa; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2024.

  Nachhaltiges Management von Hotelinfrastrukturen : Untersuchung der Zieldivergenz zwischen Eigentümern und Betreibern.

  Swiss Real Estate Journal.

  (29), pp. 59-66.

• Gerber, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2026.

  Non-medical support services in healthcare organizations.

  In:

  International Encyclopedia of Business Management.

  Elsevier.

  pp. 455-459.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13701-3.00245-0

• Merkle, Thorsten,

  2026.

  Overtourism.

  In:

  International Encyclopedia of Business Management.

  Elsevier.

  pp. 650-654.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-443-13701-3.00488-6

• Merkle, Thorsten,

  2026.

  The evolution of tourism, hospitality, and service management.

  In:

  International Encyclopedia of Business Management.

  Elsevier.

  pp. 339-344.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13701-3.00602-2

• Merkle, Thorsten; Knaus, Dominik; Siegrist, Chantal,

  2024.

  Closing the service innovation gap in hospitality management : the case of a fast-food chain in Switzerland.

  In:

  Sigala, Marianna; Fang, Marcela; Yeark, Anastasia; Albrecht, Julia N.; Vorobjovas-Pinta, Oscar, eds.,

  Case Based Research in Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality.

  Singapore:

  Springer.

  pp. 179-192.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1891-7_10

• Merkle, Thorsten; Knaus, Dominik Lukas; Siegrist, Chantal,

  2023.

  An exploration of the service innovation gap in Swiss tourism.

  In:

  Ratten, Vanessa, ed.,

  Entrepreneurship Business Debates.

  Singapore:

  Springer.

  pp. 87-96.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1071-7_6

• Hörburger, Norbert; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2023.

  The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism in alpine areas of Switzerland.

  In:

  Ratten, Vanessa, ed.,

  Heritage Entrepreneurship: Cultural and Creative Pursuits in Business Management.

  Singapore:

  Springer.

  pp. 119-135.

  Palgrave Studies in Global Entrepreneurship.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5149-7_6

• Golding, Philippa; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2022.

  Matching business travel with wine tourism : the case of the canton of Grisons, Switzerland.

  In:

  Dixit, Saurabh Kumar, ed.,

  Routledge Handbook of Wine Tourism.

  Routledge.

  pp. 395-408.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003143628-35

• Merkle, Thorsten; Tajeddini, Kayhan; Vlachos, Ilias; Keane, Jim,

  2020.

  Entrepreneurship within airside food and beverage outlet patronage : the creation of ecosystems using outlet context and passenger’s emotions.

  In:

  Entrepreneurship as empowerment : knowledge spillovers and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

  Bingley:

  Emerald.

  pp. 127-150.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-550-720201010

• Knaus, Dominik Lukas; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2020.

  Open innovation in sports management : the case of the FIFA museum in Zurich, Switzerland.

  In:

  Sport entrepreneurship : an economic, social and sustainability perspective subject.

  Bingley:

  Emerald.

  pp. 43-53.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-836-220201008

• Merkle, Thorsten; Tajeddini, Kayhan; Mostberger, Sven; Rohner, Sarah; Schmid, Kira; Shaw, Eleanor,

  2019.

  Digital application : evidence from Zurich airport.

  In:

  Tajeddini, Kayhan; Ratten, Vanessa; Merkle, Thorsten, eds.,

  Tourism, Hospitality and Digital Transformation.

  London:

  Routledge.

  pp. 147-164.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429054396-9

• Schneider Stingelin, Colette; Merkle, Thorsten; Gerber, Nicole; Zigan, Nicole,

  2025.

  Residential and nursing homes : an exploratory study on the introduction and accompaniment of new technologies[poster].

  In:

  7th Digital Health Lab Day, Winterthur, Switzerland, 3 September 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Han, Dai-In; Ossola, Paola; Swanger, Nancy; Wang, Lorna,

  2025.

  The business of ageing in hospitality[paper].

  In:

  APacCHRIE 2025 Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 27-30 May 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Diez, Karin; Kramer, Iris; Ottenbacher, Michael,

  2025.

  Zipp & Scan : revolutionizing patient belongings management in same-day surgery – a pilot study from Switzerland[paper].

  In:

  APacCHRIE 2025 Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 27-30 May 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Das, Sushanta; Seenivasan, Satheesh,

  2025.

  Passenger delight in liminal spaces : unveiling the dynamics of airport airside F&B[paper].

  In:

  APacCHRIE 2025 Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 27-30 May 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Gerber, Nicole; Schneider Stingelin, Colette; Zigan, Nicole,

  2025.

  Technische Innovationen im Alters-und Pflegheim und der Umgang mit heterogenen Stakeholdern[poster].

  In:

  Spotlight FMplus, Zürich, Schweiz, 30.-31. Januar 2025.

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-32203

• Schneider Stingelin, Colette; Gerber, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten; Zigan, Nicole,

  2025.

  Alters- und Pflegeheim : explorative Studie zur Kommunikation für die Einführung und Begleitung neuer Technologien[paper].

  In:

  Jahrestagung der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft (SGKM-SACM), Chur, Schweiz, 21.-23. Mai 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Pfenninger, Mirjam,

  2024.

  Using AI in business model development at Masters’ level – findings from a preliminary study in Switzerland[poster].

  In:

  International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) Global Conference, Montreal, Canada, 24-26 July 2024.

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-31181

• Merkle, Thorsten; Jeanfavre, Elsa; Gerber, Nicole; Braun, Lisa; Kornsteiner, Tania; Umbricht, Benedikt,

  2023.

  Implementation of service robots in Swiss hospitals and hotels : an investigation of the barriers to use[poster].

  In:

  40th Annual European Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (EuroCHRIE) Conference, Vienna, Austria, 3-6 October 2023.

  Winterthur:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28843

• Merkle, Thorsten; Wrase, Isabelle,

  2023.

  Digitizing healthcare patient nutrition intake in Swiss hospitals[paper].

  In:

  Annual International CHRIE Summer Conference, Phoenix, USA, 19-21 July 2023.

• Gerber, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2023.

  Improving residents’ wellbeing in senior citizen homes with more individualized food services[paper].

  In:

  IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science.

  CIB W070 Conference on Facility Management and Maintenance, Trondheim, Norway, 8-11 May 2023.

  IOP Publishing.

  pp. 12016.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1176/1/012016

• Merkle, Thorsten; Bratschi, Thomas,

  2023.

  Developing an innovative curriculum for a BSc hospitality program in Switzerland[paper].

  In:

  Annual International CHRIE Summer Conference, Phoenix, USA, 19-21 July 2023.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Knaus, Dominik; Siegrist, Chantal,

  2022.

  Addressing the service innovation gap : the case of a fast food chain[poster].

  In:

  39th Annual European Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (EuroCHRIE) Conference, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, 24-27 October 2022.

  Winterthur:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-26008

• Merkle, Thorsten; Knaus, Dominik; Siegrist, Chantal,

  2022.

  An exploration of the service innovation gap in Swiss tourism[poster].

  In:

  2022 Annual International CHRIE Summer Conference, Washington, D.C., USA, 3-6 August 2022.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Schneider Stingelin, Colette,

  2025.

  Service-Outsourcing im Alters- und Pflegeheim – Zukunft oder Zumutung?.

  Clinicum.

  2025(5), pp. 80-81.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-34590

• Gerber, Nicole; Schneider Stingelin, Colette; Zigan, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2025.

  Digitalität in Alters- und Pflegeheimen : den Stier bei den Hörnern packen oder wie das Kaninchen vor der Schlange erstarren? Wir haben die Wahl!.

  Gerontologieblog.ch.

  Available from: https://www.gerontologieblog.ch/digitalitaet-in-alters-und-pflegeheimen-den-stier-bei-den-hoernern-packen-oder-wie-das-kaninchen-vor-der-schlange-erstarren-wir-haben-die-wahl/

• Diez, Karin; Kramer, Iris; Merkle, Thorsten; Zigan, Nicole; et al.,

  2025.

  Zipp & Scan-Prozess am Kantonsspital Baden zur Optimierung des Effektenhandlings von Same-Day-Surgery-Patient:innen[poster].

  In:

  Spotlight FMplus, Zürich, Schweiz, 30.-31. Januar 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Plüss, Till,

  2024.

  Organisationsformen des Facility Managements in Akutspitälern.

  Clinicum.

  2024(3), pp. 67-69.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-31486

• Merkle, Thorsten; Diez, Karin; Gerber, Nicole; Jeanfavre, Elsa,

  2024.

  Innovationsforschung im Bereich Gästeservice / Hotellerie in Spitälern.

  Wädenswil:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-29836

• Merkle, Thorsten; Plüss, Till,

  2024.

  Organisationsformen des Facility Management in Schweizer Akutspitälern.

  Wädenswil:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-29640

• Gerber, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten; Jeanfavre, Elsa,

  2023.

  Erhöhung des Wohlergehens von Bewohnenden in Alters- und Pflegeheimen durch Flexibilisierung der Verpflegungsleistungen mithilfe von Technologie : Schlussbericht der Vorstudie als Basis für weitere Forschungstätigkeiten.

  Wädenswil:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-26854

• Merkle, Thorsten,

  2022.

  Tourism innovation in Spain and Portugal

  [review of Joao Leitao, Vanessa Ratten, Vitor Braga (eds.). 2021. Tourism Innovation in Spain and Portugal : New Trends and Developments. Springer, xii, 187 pages. ISBN 978-3-030-80732-0].

  Thunderbird International Business Review.

  64(6), pp. 709-710.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.22310

• Klauser, Viola; Pfenninger, Mirjam; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2022.

  DIGINUT : Digitalisierung und Nutzen von Patientenernährungsdaten.

  Wädenswil:

  ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25314

• Wang, Lorna; Merkle, Thorsten; Han, Dai-In Danny; Ossola, Paola,

  2025.

  The Business of Ageing in Hospitality (BAH) ICHRIE Special Interest Group (SIG) inaugural meeting.

  In:

  42nd Annual European Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (EuroCHRIE) Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands, 11-13 November 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Hubeli, Jonas; Herren, Andreas; Möckli, Manfred; Bühler, Erich; Zanettin, Gabriela,

  2025.

  Für wen und wann ist Outsourcing sinnvoll?.

  In:

  10. Fachkonferenz: Das Pflegeheim der Zukunft, Schwyz, Schweiz, 26.-27. Juni 2025.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Das, Sushanta; Weddig, Andrew,

  2025.

  The next evolution of CX delighters in an airport.

  In:

  Passenger Terminal Expo & Conference, Madrid, Spain, 8-10 April 2025.

• Schneider Stingelin, Colette; Gerber, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten; Zigan, Nicole,

  2025.

  Digitalisierung und Technologisierung im Alters- und Pflegeheim.

  In:

  Neue Technologien für ein besseres Altern, Winterthur, Schweiz, 1. April 2025.

• Wang, Xuan Lorna; Han, Dai-In Danny; Merkle, Thorsten; Ossola, Paola; Swanger, Nancy; Xu, Tracy,

  2024.

  Silver Economy and Hospitality 4 Good.

  In:

  41st Annual European Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (EuroCHRIE) Conference, Doha, Qatar, 4-7 November 2024.

• Merkle, Thorsten,

  2024.

  Stellenwert Hotellerie.

  In:

  4. Schweizer Hotellerie-Symposium im Gesundheitswesen, Suhr, Schweiz, 22. Oktober 2024.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Han, Dai-In; Ossola, Paola; Swanger, Nancy; Wang, Lorna,

  2024.

  Creating an ICHRIE Special Interest Group (SIG) for the field of “Hospitality Management in Senior Living and Care”.

  In:

  International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) Global Conference, Montreal, Canada, 24-26 July 2024.

• Gerber, Nicole; Merkle, Thorsten,

  2023.

  Individualisierte Verpflegung – ein Megatrend.

  In:

  8. Fachkonferenz – Das Pflegeheim der Zukunft, Blezinger Healthcare, Luzern, Schweiz, 22.-23. Juni 2023.

• Merkle, Thorsten; Kaeuper, Peter,

  2021.

  DIGINUT : Digitalisierung im Verpflegungsbereich.

  In:

  FM Perspektiven: FM Innovationen in HC digital, Wädenswil, 26. November 2021.

• Merkle, Thorsten,

  2021.

  Foodflow – und plötzlich ist alles digital.

  In:

  FM Perspektiven: FM Innovationen in HC digital, Wädenswil, 26. November 2021.

Affiliations

Current Affiliations

International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education: Special Interest Group Chair
International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE): The Business of Ageing in Hospitality SIG: Chair, Richmond
03 / 2025 - 08 / 2026

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