module specification

To analyse the strategic significance of current global issues and corporate business and economic approaches that impact on the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry
NOTES: Barred with MN3027

Certificate level accounting, economics module
Intermediate module in the field of organisational behaviour, marketing

The graduate attributes focused on are A1, A2, A3

This core module identifies the significant aspects of the external international environment and their impact upon the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism organisation and aims to:

1. Anticipate major environmental changes and ethical developments and identify their impact upon the international organisation. (A3)

2. Analyse and synthesise the performance and contribution of key components of an organisation and identify the competitive advantage in foreign markets.

3. Evaluate the internal environment and resource position in the context of international strategic planning. (A2)

4. Analyse the strategic implications operating within a changing environment. (A2)

5. Develop and practice management skills such as active participation in meetings, team development and leadership with regard to the cultural differences in approach that can influence these interactions. (A1)

1. Environmental analysis of key factors affecting the public and private sectors,
the nature of international markets, the globalisation of competition in the
hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry

2. Corporate missions, conflicting philosophies or business objectives, problems posed, balancing global vision with local demands.

3. Concept of strategy, levels of strategic decisions, strategic analysis, formulating and implanting strategy. Structural analysis of the international competitive analysis, strategic options, the nature of strategic change. Internal analysis, identification and appraisal of global functional structure, managerial skills and attitudes, multinational ownership.

4. International diversification, financial political, economic, ethical and managerial implications, country risk analysis, international monetary framework and exchange rates, the socio-cultural environment, internal analysis, resource utilisation and control, portfolio analysis and flexibility, policies and operating procedures.

5. Contemporary issues that are shaping the global strategic development of business in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry

This module consists of 150 student learning hours initially comprising:

Staff/student contact: 30hours 30 hours
Directed learning: 60hours 60 hours
Self managed learning: 60 hours

The module will use a range of learning activities including formal lectures, seminars, group discussions, practical exercise, case studies, field visits and industry input. As a leading world city in the HLTT industry London will be used as a live case study

A news quiz will be used in the seminars to promote an awareness of current global issues pertaining to the HT industry

This module is integrative in nature and develops, within an international framework, a strategic perspective of the HLTT industry management function. The focus of the module is upon the issues of international competition within the HLTT industry and on the ways an organisation can configure and co-operate its international activities in order to gain a competitive edge over domestic and foreign rivals.
Through gaining an understanding of the purpose and processes of strategic analysis the student will enhance their contribution, as functional managers to the effectiveness of the total organisation. S/he will also be made aware of the importance of change, its impact upon organisational personnel. Students will explore the necessary tools, procedures and competencies needed to analyse, define, plan and manage change in an international context.

An extensive use of the internet is anticipated to engage in current global debate of HLTT and related issues.

On successful completion of this module students will:
1. Analyse the managerial implications of expanding business into the international arena (A1)
2. Compare strategic international approaches to managerial structures and control (A2)
3. Articulate the issues arising from managing human resources across international borders (A1, A2, A3)
4. Strategically comment upon the current issues facing managers in the international and global arena (A3)

The assessment has two components;

This module is assessed by coursework 100%
A group oral presentation of 15mins and question time with a 20% weighting
An individual report of 2500 words with a 80% weighting

Individual Report
An investment analysis integrating the political, economic, social, technological, ethical and environmental issues.
Students will produce a detailed country risk analysis from the viewpoint of potential management investors. They will choose a sector of the hospitality and tourism industry to analyse from an international perspective, and may liase with a service organisation specifically to gain their input into the detailed strategic issues. This will enable a capable student to produce solutions through a critical process. Ethical evaluations will be essential to the recommendations of the investment report. The learning outcomes one to four will demonstrated through the research and analytical learning experiences necessary to fulfil this section of the assessment

A group presentation (20% weighting) will incorporate the student ability to work in a team and produce a presentation researching and analysing the hotel provision in one country incorporating the four learning outcomes which will be demonstrated in the presentation outcomes.

Daily reading
National/International newspaper ie. FT, Times, Telegraph, Figaro,
London: Evening Standard
A Weekend national newspaper ie. Times, Sunday Business, Telegraph
TV/Radio news programmes
Journals as per the module descriptor

Essential Reading:
Weekly
Knowles T.,Corporate Strategy for Hospitality, Longman, 1999
Lynch, R. Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall, 2006

Journals
Investment Outlook
International Contemporary Hospitality Managment

Reading For Interest
Friedman T., The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Anchor Press, 2000

Web sites
these will be updated weekly in the lecture series