module specification

The commercial airline industry is one of the most dynamic and fast moving of all the service industries because of the unique combination of high capital investment in technology (aircraft) and the volatile nature of air travel.  This means that airline management is always having to strategically evaluate the future options for the airline and maintain the best return on investment by scanning the external environment and evaluate the best way ahead.  In addition, airlines need to try and develop a competitive advantage so that they cannot be easily undermined by competitors. 

Likewise, commercial airports need to develop plans of actions that anticipate the needs and wants of their airline partners and the ability to develop infrastructure that allows the seamless development of air travel opportunities for the future.  This is complicated by the various ownership structures and regulatory dynamics of the sector internationally for both airlines and airports and means that different regions of the world have different features in the decision-making process for the aviation sector.   

The module draws on a wide-range of academic research and professional experience. It introduces core strategic management concepts and encourages students to develop a critical, analytical approach to solving work-based management issues. Students will develop an awareness of different theoretical perspectives so that the complexity of managerial work is explored rigorously. The module explores a range of strategic and operational perspectives through academic research and an examination of work-based issues. It encourages students to adopt a reflective approach on current practice and critique academic theory in relation to their future leadership and management development. This module contains a strong experiential learning approach.

This module aims to stimulate the student’s critical awareness and application of key strategic management theories to their own practice and develop their ability to evaluate current practice in the light of relevant academic theories. It is expected that students will develop an increased awareness of the impact and influence of leaders and their own leadership development.

N/A

1. Context – the historic development of airlines and airports in the US, Europe and Asia LO1

2. Introduction to the strategy process and the levels of strategy LO1

(functional, business, corporate) –

3. Industry and environmental analysis LO1

4. Internal analysis  LO2

5. Business Strategy - aviation business strategy  LO2

6. Strategy in the Global Environment  LO2

7. Corporate Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility LO2

8. Mergers and Acquisitions and alliances – cooperation or competition LO3

9. Strategic Purpose and structure  LO3

(airport master planning in context)

10. Starting and growing – development of                                                   

competitive advantage for airlines and airport businesses  LO3

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 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 weeks lecture content.

Module Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

LO1. Evaluate the strategic landscape and preparation for decisions using appropriate environmental scanning tools.

LO2. Critically evaluate the overall benefits of enlightened strategic thinking in the context of a volatile world for air travel.

LO3. Assess the sources of competitive advantage that link to airlines and airports success and strategic tools.

The assessment instruments for this module include a narrated PowerPoint to highlight the key methods of environmental scanning for an airline or airport strategic situation. This will be accompanied by a report that highlights the actual benefits of the strategic decisions and justifications.

Core Texts:

Cronrath, E. (2020) The Airline profit cycle:  A system analysis of airline industry dynamics, Routledge

Grundy, T. (2017) Dynamic competitive strategy: Turning strategy upside down, Routledge

Taneja, N. (2021) Airlines in a Post-Pandemic world: Preparing for constant turbulence ahead, Routledge

Core Texts for Airport Strategy -

Delmon, J. (2020) A decision makers guide to public private partnerships in airports, Routledge

Graham, A. and Morrell, P. (2017) Airport finance and investment in the global economy (2017), Routledge

Graham, A. (2020) Managing Airports an International Perspective, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford

Additional Texts: Aviation strategy generally -

Baldwin, R. (2016) Developing the Future Aviation System, Routledge

Baum, H. (2014) Strategic Management in the Aviation Industry, Routledge

Budd, L. and Ison, S. (2017) (Eds.). Air Transport Management: An International Perspective, Abingdon, Oxon: Routeledge

Burghouwt, G. (2016) Airline Network Development in Europe and Implications for Airport Development. Routledge

Bruce, P. (2016) Understanding Decision Making Processes in Airline Operational Control, Routledge

Flouris, T. (2006) Designing and Executing Strategy in Aviation Management, Routledge

Harris, D. (2015) Decision Making in Aviation, Routledge

Harvey, G. (2014) Management in the Airline Industry, Routledge

Henk,E. (2016) Log on; take off, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot

Kleyman, B. (2016) Managing Strategic Airline Alliancces, Routledge

Lawton, T. (2010) Strategic Management in Aviation, Ashgate Publishing

Taneja, N. (2017) Twentyfirst Century Airlines, Routledge

Taneja, N. (2016) Airline Industry: Poised for Disruptive Innovation? Routledge

Reading List Talis

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/3BA72109-8354-5082-45CF-710360371030.html?lang=en-gb&login=1