Semester 2 

An important part of the manager’s job is to be able to identify and respond to problems that occur in hospitality operations and to take corrective action to return the operation to an appropriate position.  This module builds on the student’s understanding of key concepts and allows them to apply that understanding to a realistic and constantly changing scenario. 

The aim of this module is to provide students with the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge gained in previous modules to the analysis of a simulated business operation, to take decisions about the future of that operation and evaluate their results.

On successful completion of this module the students will be able to: 
·               Establish an operating strategy for a business operation and translate that into an outline business plan. (C) 
·               Analyse operational data and identify strengths and weaknesses in the underlying operation. (C) 
·               Propose and justify future action to return the operation to the desired position. (C) 
·               Evaluate the results of action taken. (C) 
·               Examine the roles played during group sessions and how these can be developed and performance improved. (T) 

·               Operations strategy and operations synergy 
·               Control and performance measurement 
·               Measuring results, service quality, flexibility and resource utilisation 
·               Business and operational planning 
·               Performance analysis and evaluation 
·               Group behaviour and analysis

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to allow students to experience the pressure of managing a business operation using a business simulation exercise and to link these experiences through a series of inputs and exercises to a series of underlying theories, concepts and models. 
The teaching and learning methods include the use of the Cornell Restaurant Administration Simulation Exercise.  CRASE is a competitive management exercise approximating a real world environment in which several freestanding organisations are competing for business in a closed, but elastic, economic system.  Each exercise runs with eight competing teams and is fully interactive, so that no two years can experience exactly the same results, although the underlying economic model ensures that the key drivers can be identified. 
In addition to the simulation exercise there will be a series of lectures and seminars to expand on some of the key underlying principles and the issues discovered through the discussion of the simulation exercise. 
In order to achieve the threshold standard for the award of credits for this module, the student must meet the following criteria related to the learning outcomes described above: 
·               an ability to forecast the likely results of a proposed course of action
·               an ability to identify common elements from a complex set of changing circumstances 
·               an ability to evaluate previous action and propose more effective solutions 
·               an ability to review group behaviours and identify issues 
The assessment methods include: 
Group report 
·               Providing an outline business plan for the operation and a forecast of results for the first year.  (5%) 
·               Evaluating the performance of the group's restaurant, the actions taken and suggesting alternative solutions.  (45%) 
Individual assignment 
·               Evaluating the structure and performance of the group and how this has affected restaurant performance overall. (25%)
·               Proposing and justifying measures of performance appropriate to a hospitality organisation. (25%) 
Assessment Strategy: 
The assessment strategy is designed to draw on the student’s experiences through the exercise to build up a picture of the rationale and principles used to manage the business and explain the results achieved.  In addition students are asked to comment critically on the performance of their business as a whole and identify where alternative actions could have been taken. The final element of the individual work requires the student to explore the theoretical frameworks underlying operations analysis and propose an applied operational control measure. 

Essential Reading 
Fitzgerald, L. and Moon, P. (1996) Performance measurement in service industries : making it work.  London: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants – eBook accessible through the Library. 
Recommended 
Davis, B., Lockwood, A., Pantelidis, I. and Alcott, P. (2008) Food and Beverage Management.  4^th edn.  Oxford : Butterworth Heinemann. 
Fitzgerald, L. et al. (1991) Performance measurement in service businesses.  London: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. 
Jones, P. (1995) The Management of Food Service Operations.  Cengage Learning EMEA. 
Background Reading