STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module recognises the importance of human resources to the successful operation of Tourism, Hospitality and Events (THE) organisations and will emphasise the strategic aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM) that influence the development of organisations. THE companies need to develop and implement a strategic human resource perspective to achieve competitive success, especially in the current economic climate. The module is intended to provide an opportunity to review theoretical frameworks and concepts underpinning Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) along with current trends and issues in strategic HRM for international THE sectors. It therefore approaches the economic, social, environmental and cultural aspects of managing THE businesses world-wide from a critical perspective and asks students to consider how societal and organisational advantage can be achieved through strategic approaches to the management of HR. The module will provide a grounding in the knowledge and application of strategic HRM practices within tourism, hospitality and events sectors across a range of current and strategic HR priorities including employee resourcing, employee development and growth, reward systems, performance management, international SHRM and employee relations. The content of the module will review several case studies from across THE sectors and will consider the role of significant contextual factors like technology, social sustainability and culture.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

XU Tracy (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 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Models of HRM
• Managing People-Process-Technology dynamics
• Strategic HRM- attracting, resourcing, developing and retaining talent
• Sustainable HRM- responsible leadership
• Contemporary leadership
• International HRM

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Group Presentation will become an Individual Presentation (reduced to 20% of Group Presentation, to equal average group size of 5 students)The same 2000 words individual report will be assigned as the alternative assessment. 

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to encourage students to both develop their individual ability to analyse in depth THE companies¿ strategic HRM practices, and work together in groups to critically reflect on SHRM for THE businesses in the current environment.Group assignment:In groups of 4-6, students will review theoretical concepts and current research around SHRM to comment on its suitability for international THE organisations. The theoretical review will be supported with examples from practice to reinforce or challenge established research concepts. Individual assignment:Students will be asked to evaluate the strategic HRM approach of one company in the global hospitality and event industry. Therefore, each student, through thorough research, will present a case for the establishment of competitive advantage through people. Appropriate theory, models and concepts should be used to underpin the discussion. Evaluation whether such competitive advantage has benefits for the sustainability of the business will be also needed.Length: maximum 2000 words Formative assessment and feedbackFormative feedback on student performance during the module includes:

• Verbal feedback in lectures/workshops

Module aims

• This module aims to develop an awareness and understanding of the complexities associated with strategic HRM in THE companies. Students will be introduced to the models and concepts underpinning Strategic HRM and consider the growing influence of other approaches to managing people including Sustainable HRM. The aims of the module is also to provide students with a range of perspectives for reviewing the strategic HR approaches undertaken by THE organisations at national and international levels.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to encourage students to think critically about the strategic HRM of companies in the international hospitality and event industry.

The module will focus on providing students with a combination of the necessary conceptual knowledge and practical skills to make critical and strategic business decisions in a global context, with an emphasis on business sustainability in the services sector, including hospitality, tourism, transport, and events.

 

This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to understand and critique theory through real world cases on strategic HRM. Such an approach will encourage students to explore and critically evaluate theoretical perspectives. The student experience of learning is designed to be:

• a blend of class, discussion-based learning


• through set lectures and seminars


• group workshops and case-study group work


• where appropriate and available, guest presentations by invited industry professionals


• guided study - students will be provided through SurreyLearn with a series of activities including academic reading and discussion forum to extend their understanding of SHRM and the assessment.

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: MANM321

Other information

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

Digital Capabilities: This module focuses on developing students’ capabilities in analysing data and capturing HR insights for managerial decision making. 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.

Employability: The assessment in this module require students to extract business insights from HR practices in the hospitality, tourism, and event industry, to present the managerial implications of these insights. This will prepare students to be successful managers in the digital age.  

Global and Cultural Capabilities: Students will learn how to interpret HR practices and their implications to service business in a global context by extracting, comparing, and contrasting individual and group behaviours, as well as sectoral, national, and regional differences. 

Sustainability: Students will learn how to reflect on how to interpret business intelligence to support sustainability in the services industry. 

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students will be required to use a range of sources to identify relevant information, conduct independent research, network with relevant companies/organisations, and work collaboratively with peers to extract patterns and critical insights from HR practices. Finding solutions through unstructured problems is the key learning aspect of this module that will develop students’ resourcefulness and resilience.   

Programmes this module appears in

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 2025/6 academic year.