STRATEGIC TOURISM MANAGEMENT - 2022/3

Module Overview

This module aims to develop students' ability to explore and evaluate concepts and applications of strategy and innovation in tourism management and operations. It aims to explore strategic innovation as a dimension of the overall strategic management of a firm/destination where innovation is embedded in comprehensive attempts to maintain competitiveness. It is designed to explore real world case studies of innovation as a strategic approach applied by organisations and policymakers at global, national and destination levels and at different managerial and strategic climates. The module will equip students with the critical skills to evaluate the successful/unsuccessful implementation of tourism strategy and innovation. 

Module provider

Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

RODRIGUEZ Isabel (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

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  Strategic innovation as a key dimension of strategic management 
  


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  Strategy and innovation processes and techniques 
  


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  Strategy and innovation in tourism organisations and destinations. Case studies at a company level and policy level (e.g., clusters/networks, smart destinations, entrepreneurial ecosystems, etc.)  
  


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  Innovation strategies at different strategic climates: innovation as a response to radical changes or crisis (necessity driven) versus incremental cumulative innovation processes (opportunity driven).
  


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  Mission: This determines what an organisation / destination is trying to achieve and provides the aim and direction for strategy and innovation 
  


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  Strategic analysis: This provides information to an organisation / destination regarding the strengths and weaknesses of its internal resources and the opportunities and threats evident in its external environment. 
  


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  Strategic implementation: This shows how an organisation / destination puts its strategy and innovation into practice and includes evaluation. The implementation gap and barriers to successful innovation/strategy achievement.  
  


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  Holistic approaches for achieving strategic and innovative change
  

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

n/a

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate: 

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  ability to relate the theories of strategy and innovation to the tourism practice at a corporate, policy or destination levels.  
  


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  ability to critically analyse and evaluate the theories and disciplines that underpin strategy and innovation in tourism. 
  

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  A task to identify and evaluate tourism strategy and innovation. This could be at global, national or local level, including policy and businesses (e.g., strategic innovations for sustainable tourism) and considering different strategic climates (e.g., as a response to crisis versus linked to more incremental and cumulative opportunities)  
  


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  Each student must choose a unique innovative strategy 
  


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  Provide a brief synopsis of the strategy (maximum 250 words) 
  


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  Critically evaluate the rationale, appropriateness of the strategy, factors heavily influencing (both positively or negatively) the nature and direction of the strategic endeavour and successful/unsuccessful outcomes. 
  


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  Provide an executive summary of the report (maximum 250 words) 
  


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  Length: Between 3000 and 4000 words long (excluding references). 
  

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  use of review questions and case studies 
  


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  review of student mini-presentations on their strategies chosen for assessment 
  


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  verbal feedback in lectures/tutorials  
  


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  peer-review opportunities 
  


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  Q&A sessions on the assignment
  

Module aims

• To develop knowledge of the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of tourism strategy and innovation
• To enable students to explore the interconnectedness between strategy and innovation, and the outcomes related to it
• To develop a critical understanding of innovation as a strategic approach for organisations and policymakers at global, national and destination levels and at different managerial and strategic climates (e.g., necessity-driven vs opportunity driven)
• To apply the theoretical models of strategy and innovation to real world case studies
• To develop a critical understanding of the opportunities and barriers to influence the successful implementation of tourism strategy and innovation

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

 The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: 

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  provide an opportunity for the theoretical background already established in earlier parts of the¿course to be understood within the broader concept of strategy and innovation. 
  


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  explore the gap between theory and practice in tourism 
  


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  provide an opportunity to apply theories and concepts to chosen case studies 
  


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  provide opportunities for the students to explore, develop and evaluate the issues individually¿and in collaboration and discussion with peers, lecturers and visiting speakers 
  

• lectures


• case studies


• discussion


• field visits


• visiting speakers


• individual assignment work


• guided reading and study


• student presentations

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM146

Other information

This module adopts the university curriculum framework which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:

Employability: The module teaching and learning strategies is observation and reflection on field trip to tourism organisations in the UK. During field trips students will develop employability capabilities through meeting with people in the industry during field trip and networking with guest speakers who are from the industry. Throughout, the module, they will develop their critical and creative thinking skills through debate and analysis of tourism organisations' strategies and innovation policy which are essential skills for working in the toursim industry. . 

Digital Capabilities: Teaching and learning materials are provided in several formats, and students are encouraged to use discussion boards for communication. Students will be provided instruction on digital literature review searches that aides in the development of independent learning and assessment preparation. Students will use the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE),SurreyLearn, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and data analytics software to facilitate learning. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors and peers.  

Global and Cultural Capabilities: The module involves the introduction of diverse social science perspectives, which draw from a range of disciplines, countries, cultures and environments. This allows students to engage with diverse global and cultural perspectives through in-class discussions and the final exam. The high level of critical analysis required by the module ensures that all students have a voice in the classroom, including those who do not have English as a first language. This creates discussion and dialogue to co-construct meaning with others through in-class discussions.  

Sustainability: This module motivates students to critically evaluate tourism strategies and innovation policy . This includes debate with other students on the relevance of sustainability and tourism strategy and innovation policy. Students will also apply their knowledge to real world sustainability problems through in class case studies and discussion that will allow students to gain insight into creating recommendations for implementing sustainable tourism concepts in tourism strategy and innovation. 

Resourcefulness and Resilience:The assessment strategy which comprises two stages; formative assessment (mini-presentation) and summative assessment (individual report). Through this strategy, this module empowers students to build self-evaluation into assessment process and create space for students to reflect on own performance whilst reviewing feedback.The critical nature of the in-class discussion will also help to foster openness by encouraging students to understand discuss contrasting perspectives. 

Additional cost for possible field trips is £ 30 per student.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2022/3 academic year.