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2010/1 Module Catalogue
 Module Code: MANM042 Module Title: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF INT'NL HOTEL COMPANIES
Module Provider: School of Management Short Name: MA217
Level: M Module Co-ordinator: ROPER AJ Dr (SoM)
Number of credits: 15 Number of ECTS credits: 7.5
 
Module Availability

Spring
Assessment Pattern

Unit(s) of Assessment

Weighting Towards Module Mark (%)

Group Presentation

50

Individual Essay (including analytical reviews)

50

Module Overview

The majority of research undertaken into the internationalization of hotels has been fascinated with modal choice decisions or market entry strategy with transaction analysis and the eclectic theory dominating as theoretical perspectives. However, a developing stream of research into how companies do business across borders is emerging; evaluating the strategic competencies and capabilities required for managing globally and being multinational firms. This module taps into this research stream with the aim of developing students into future corporate managers in international hotel companies. The module is therefore focused very much at the international and strategic levels. 
Prerequisites/Co-requisites

Hospitality and Tourism Operations Systems
Module Aims

The principal aim of this module is to evaluate those factors determining the success of international hotel companies in today’s business environment where asset light strategies are driving a ‘see change’ in the way that these firms compete and manage their businesses. It also aims to apply the learning from academic conceptual and empirical work to current developments amongst, in particular, the global major hotel companies.
Learning Outcomes

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

 

1. Understand and evaluate (using academic journal articles as an underpinning) the individual key issues required in the management of international hotel companies. 

 

2. Analyse and compare the international strategies and approaches of the global major hotel companies by gathering substantial secondary data.  

 

3. Synthesize and evaluate (using academic journal articles as an underpinning) the key issues and competencies required in the management of international hotel companies and come to a conclusion as to which hotel company is (or is likely to be) most successful in managing internationally.
Module Content

The module is based around a state-of-the-art model which suggests that the following issues and the capabilities arising from these issues will drive the success of international hotel companies:     

 

  1. Affiliation choices and strategies
  2. Ownership scope and size
  3. Location of properties
  4. Brands and customers
  5. Managers and people
  6. Designing organisation structures  

These six issues will form the basis of the tutor-led sessions and the research activities, presentations and essays developed by students.

Methods of Teaching/Learning

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to encourage students to think critically about the strategies, approaches and management of international hotel companies. The principal teaching and learning method is a three-hour weekly workshop. These workshops will usually comprise two elements: 

 

  1. Mini-lectures (often including interactive tasks) delivered by the module tutors designed to develop an understanding of underpinning theory and an introduction to academic debates.  
  2. Presentations given by groups of students where the international strategies and approaches of a number of hotel companies are evaluated against the issues and debates introduced in the mini-lectures and through student research.

The assessment strategy is designed to encourage students in the first instance to work with others to discuss and explore one of the issues above. In groups they will be asked to develop an informative, interesting, and creative presentation and submit online a bibliography of the references used to underpin and inform this presentation. The second assessment focuses on student’s individual ability to synthesize four of the six issues in the form of an academic essay including four analytical reviews of the most important academic journal articles used in this essay.

Selected Texts/Journals

Expected Purchase:  

 

Olsen, M.D., West, J.J., and Tse, E,C.Y. (2008). Strategic Management in the Hospitality Industry, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall.

Indicative Reading :  

 

Bender, B., Partlow, C. and Roth, M. (2008). An Examination of Strategic Drivers Impacting    Multinational Lodging Corporations, International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism           Administration, 9(3), 219-243.  

 

Brookes, M. and Roper, A. (forthcoming). International master franchise agreements: An           investigation      of control from operational, relational and evolutionary perspectives, The European Journal of   Marketing.  

 

Litteljohn, D., Roper, A. and Altinay, L. (2007). Territories still to find – The business of hotel   internationalization, International Journal of Service Industry Management, Special Issue     on  Internationalization of Service Firms, 18(2), 167-184. 

 

O’Neill, J.W. and Qu, X. (2006). The role of Brand Affiliation in Hotel Market Value, Cornell             Hotel & Restaurant Administration Quarterly, August, 47(3),  210-233

 Slattery. P., Gamse, I. and Roper, A. (2008). The development of international hotel chains in   Europe, In Olsen, M. & Zhao, J. Handbook of Hospitality Strategic Management,     Butterworth-Heinemann: Burlington , MA., 41-68.  

 

Students will be directed to further academic journal articles and sources of company information. 

 


 
Last Updated

10.12.2009