module specification

This module will focus on the concept of e-commerce within aviation management and the impact of the digital age will continue to have on the strategic activities of airlines and airports.  The start of the e-commerce revolution was back in 1995 with the first innovators including Alaskan Airlines and British Midland developing their first website booking engines.  Since this time the global online travel sector has grown to generate more than half a trillion dollars in revenue.

Airline e-commerce in all its forms is projected to grow significantly as we move into the 21st century.  The ‘e’ story is about the continuing evolution of internet-based technologies and the proliferation of new internet-based applications.  This development is shifting and enhancing the power of consumers and airlines to a more direct relationship and minimising the power of the intermediaries (travel agents).  A particular focus on the new types of airlines and airports that are exploiting the e-commerce agenda and how the legacy carriers are having to adapt to these new sales and marketing dynamics.

N/A

E-commerce introduction

• Definition of airline e commerce
• Brief history of e commerce –
• How have airlines adapted to these environment
• E commerce models
• Common e commerce activities
• The benefits of airline e commerce orientation  

(all linked to LO1)

• Introduction to e marketing
• The role of online media formats
• The pros and cons of these formats
• Key aspects of domain name management
• Management of digital media agencies 

(all above linked to LO1)

Introduction to e-sales and distribution

• Definition – what is e sales / e distribution
• What has it replaced
• E sales globally phenomenon
• Selling directly or indirectly
• E sales by region of the world
• The new role of Global Distribution Systems (GDS)
• Online travel agencies (OTA)

(all above linked to LO1)

Brand building with e commerce

• The potential for brand development using e commerce
• The development of digital competitive advantage
• Why brands need a holistic approach with digital platforms
• The customer feedback loop online
• PR management with e commerce interface  

(All above linked to LO2)

The formal delivery of the teaching and learning will be based on three contact hours per week spread over 12 weeks. The contact hours will be formed of a two-hour interactive session which draws from teaching and learning strategies such as workshops, lectures, guest speakers, case study discussions, panel discussions and debates, videos, online Weblearn platforms, as well as scenario-based real time activities and simulations.

Peer to peer learning will also feature within the programme as students work together to develop solutions to practically based solutions and assess/ critique the relevant impact.

Groupwork will form a large part of the sessions, with student participating in active learning as they disseminate and discuss relative experience and acquired knowledge.

The remaining hour of contact time will be a seminar-based approach where students will explore current themes and trends in more detail.

We will also make use of alumni students to provide a careers perspective for this section of the industry and make use of guest lecturers to provide contextual learning.

Groupwork will form a large part of the sessions, with students participating in active learning as they disseminate and discuss relative experience and acquired knowledge.

The remaining hour of contact time will be a seminar-based approach where students will explore current themes and trends in more detail.

We will also make use of alumni students to provide a careers perspective for this section of the industry and make use of guest lecturers to provide contextual learning.

Within the module there is significant opportunity to participate in proactive learning activities via the use of Weblearn facilities which promote inter-active discussions between both peers and lecturers and enables learners to share resources and access links to external journal articles, websites and other sources.

Discussion and debate are actively encouraged both within the classroom context and via Weblearn. Students participating in this degree come from a variety of backgrounds and often have a wealth of industry experience upon which to draw. It is useful to access this via proactive and inter-active classroom management.

Students have a responsibility to prepare for forthcoming lectures so as to ensure that they fully understand the concepts discussed and, so as they can participate fully in debates and discussions. This can be done via accessing the module specifications on-line or via Weblearn, and ascertaining the forthcoming week's lecture content.

LO1

Critically evaluate the commercial benefits of e-commerce and its transformative potential through an assessment of e-commerce, e-sales and, e-distribution.

LO2

Critically analyse the brand benefits of e-commerce and the digital revolution in the wider context of airlines, airports, and consumer relations.

There will be two in-course assignments which will be weighted as follows:

An individual presentation where-by students take on the role of an e-commerce consultancy company and respond to a tender issued by an airline. The focus of this tender is a review of e-commerce operations and the development of a new e-commerce strategy. It is anticipated that students present to a panel made up of industry professionals who would have input as to the relevance and feasibility of the propositions. Weighting of 20%.

Individual report of 1,500 words with a weighting of 80% demonstrating a relevant issue for an airline or airport that demonstrates first mover advantage in development of digital strategy to support e-commerce, e-sales and e-marketing.

Core Texts:

Hanke, M. (2016) Airline E-Commerce. Log on and Take-Off. Routledge

Laudon, K. (2018) E-Commerce. Pearson

Larsson, T. (2016) E-Commence Evolved. Creative Space Independent Publishing.

Other Texts.

Laudon, K.C. 2016. E-commerce: Business, Technology and Society. Harlow, UK. Pearson

Rose, N (2014) API Management. The Key to Improving the Consumer Travel Experience.

Laudon, J. (2016) Management Information Systems. Managing the Digital Firm. Pearson

Li, F. (2017) What is E-Business? Wiley-Blackwell

Bones, C. (2015) Leading Digital Strategy. Kogan Page

Burberry, J. (2015) E-Commerce Strategy. Amazon Media

Ramirez, R. (2016) Strategy for a Networked World. ICP

Mayer-Schoonberger, V and Cukier, K. (2013) Big Data London: John Murray

Websites:

IATA.org

ICAO.org

SITA. 2015. Airline IT trends survey 2015. https://secure.sita.aero/globalassets/docs/surveys-reports/airline-it-trends-survey-2015.pdf

Journals:

The Journal of Air Transport Management ,

Aviation Management Education

Airline Business

Airport Business

Other:

All Major Airlines and Airports will have sections on their websites concerning their e-commerce strategy.

Reading List Talis

https://londonmet.rl.talis.com/lists/0D851895-084C-21D6-FCE4-B1D37ED842F8.html