What Is ManageFirst®?
ManageFirst is a competency-based, management development program brought to you by the most trusted organization in the industry — the National Restaurant Association (NRA) — and Pearson. Through a rigorous 18-month Job Task Analysis by more than 400 academics, operators, hiring managers, and executives, this unique program focuses on the key competencies critical for success in the industry defined by today's professionals while incorporating common course objectives across the 10 topic areas. In addition to the JTA process, extensive market and product research was performed to ensure that the program be designed to meet the needs of the academic community.
The ManageFirst Program Advantage
Developed by the industry, for the industry.
- More than 400 academics, executives, operators and hiring managers helped define this standardized, competency-based program.
- A rigorous 18-month Job Task Analysis was conducted to ensure that the program is relevant and practical.
- Competency-based topics reflect real-world industry needs.
- Emphasis is placed on the essential skills including interpersonal communications, ethics, accounting and financial skills, decision making, problem solving and more.
- Common course objectives and outcomes are also included to make ManageFirst a practical, well-rounded learning experience.
Certificates and Credential demonstrate student's mastery of competencies.
- Students earn ManageFirst certificates for each ManageFirst exam passed, demonstrating their mastery of this competency area. (view sample)
- Students who master five topic areas — four Core Credential Topics and one Foundation Topic — can earn the ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential. (view sample) 800 hours of industry-related work experience is also required, further enhancing the value of the credential.
Flexible.
- The program is scalable: you can use it as part of one class, throughout your entire curriculum, or as the basis for a continuing education or workforce development solution.
- While students will receive maximum benefit when certificates are issued through a registered ManageFirst Program Instructor, ManageFirst textbooks can be used stand-alone like other textbooks.
- Exams can be administered online or offline — meeting your needs and those of your students.
Easy implementation.
- ManageFirst topics align with the courses you teach so implementation of the program is easy and seamless.
- Instructor resources, such as Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations with key points and textbook images, a computerized test generator, and a comprehensive instructor's manual help to ensure quick and effective start up.
- The NRAEF processes all exams, and you receive full assistance in administration, support and customer service.
Program Components
Textbooks
The ManageFirst Program includes 10 topics/textbooks that can be used as standalone training materials or in conjunction with other materials. Full-color and exquisitely designed, these books contain the essential content for the topic as defined by industry, as well as learning activities, assessments, case studies, suggested field projects, professional profiles, testimonials and more!
What's New to the Second Edition?
- Revised Format: The "guide" format of the previous edition is completely updated. Now, an in-depth exploration of content on each topic, plus learning activities, case studies, professional profiles, research topics make them complete textbooks in each topic area.
- Inside This Chapter and Chapter Learning:
- Objectives: Bulleted lists of the section headings and learning objectives covered within each chapter.
- Case Studies: 1-2 paragraphs describing a real restaurant scenario, including questions for classroom discussion.
- Application Exercises: Questions that require students to apply math, critical thinking and writing skills.
- Review Your Learning: 10 multiple-choice questions testing student knowledge of important chapter content in certification exam format.
- Real Manager what would you do: Critical thinking skills reinforced with real-world scenarios faced by a real manager to give students the opportunity to discuss how to handle the situation.
- Field Project: Activities that require students to use information they learned in the chapter to complete a task for their field project.
ServSafe® and ServSafe Alcohol® are also part of the ManageFirst Program. They are standalone programs and therefore have their own textbooks. For more information on these two titles, please visit ServSafe.com.
Student Exam Prep — Online
This new online offering is available separately or packaged with each of the textbooks. Each one includes helpful modules on the importance and significance of the ManageFirst credential, test-taking strategies, and a comprehensive practice section with test questions and rationales that enable students to feel confident when the official exam day arrives!
Instructor Resources
Instructor resources are available electronically and include Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations (view sample) with key points and textbook images, a computerized test generator, and a comprehensive instructor's manual. Instructor's Manual (view sample) includes Learning Objectives, Chapter Summary, Key Terms, Chapter's Concepts and Teaching Tips, Case Study Answers, Application Exercise Solutions, Review Your Learning Answer Key, Field Project Explanations, Suggested In-Class Activities, and Suggested Homework Activities.
Exams
High-stakes, certification exams are available for each topic area covered in the ManageFirst Program. Online and paper exam formats are offered. Exams are to be administered in a proctored environment by a registered Instructor/Proctor. The National Restaurant Association processes all exams. For more info visit managefirst.restaurant.org
- The First Edition ManageFirst exams will remain live until October 1, 2012; with the exception of Nutrition, which will remain live until the ManageFirst Programs Exams for this title goes live on 10/22/12, and Menu Marketing and Food Production, which will remain live until 01/07/2013. (These titles were not revised for the Second Edition, but content was combined into other titles in the series.)
- ManageFirst Programs Exams (to be used for First Edition and Second Edition during this time period) will go live on October 1, 2012; with the exception of Nutrition, which will go live on October 22, 2012. The ManageFirst Programs Exams will remain live until January 7, 2013 or until the new Second Edition Exams go live.
- Second Edition Exams will go live on Monday, January 7, 2013, with the exception of our two new titles: Principles of Food & Beverage Management and Bar & Beverage Management, which will go live on December 5, 2012.
Click here for more information on the transition plan for certification exams.
Certificates
Participants in the ManageFirst Program earn ManageFirst Program certificates after passing the exam correlating to a ManageFirst topic. These certificates, provided by the National Restaurant Association, are a lasting recognition of a student's accomplishment and serve as a resource to be used in the job search process. See a sample certificate.
The ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential
Upon successful completion of five ManageFirst Program exams (four core topics and one foundation topic) and 800 hours of requisite documented work experience, a student is awarded the ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential. See a sample ManageFirst Professional Credential.
Back to topProgram Topics
The NRA ManageFirst Program includes 10 textbooks (plus the ServSafe® Food Safety Program & the ServSafe Alcohol® Program) covering these topics:
ManageFirst Core Credential Topics/Textbooks
- Controlling Foodservice Costs
- Hospitality and Restaurant Management
- Hospitality Human Resources Management and Supervision
- ServSafe Manager / ServSafe Coursebook
ManageFirst Foundation Topics/Textbooks (Elective)
- Customer Service
- Principles of Food and Beverage Management
- Purchasing
- Hospitality Accounting
- Bar and Beverage Management
- Nutrition
- Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing
- ServSafe Alcohol Fundamentals of Responsible Alcohol Service
How to Order
View our Titles Available page for ordering info.
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