The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of key characteristics for managing the service encounter. It will emphasise the Operations and Human Resource factors associated with the management of tourism organisations. It will specifically focus on the issues of flexibility and operational performance as well as the key issues facing tourism providers in a variety of environments

Topics covered in the module will be drawn from the HRM and Operations literature associated with the flexible firm, specifically primary and secondary workforces; recruitment, induction, outsourcing and socialisation; establishing the performing employee, maintaining and evaluating performance; employee reward and commitment; the legal issues associated with short-term employment including ethical and moral practices, the service design, workforce management/job design, quality management, capacity and inventory management relevant to tourism service encounters.

The learning strategy for the module requires students to commit 150 learning hours (including assessment) of this there will be 36 hours of class support and 114 hours of independent and self directed study. Support will also be given by access to Scheduled Tutor Office Hours to support the module.
12 hours of lectures/large group based activity
12 hours of formal lectures
12 hours of tutor led activity - workshops and case study activity
Learning support material will be provided for the module.
The lecture / tutorial pattern may vary with some activities taking place in medium sized workshop groups.
Students are also required to organise and review their lecture notes and undertake preparatory reading and research on assigned material in order to participate in, and lead, class discussions individually and as part of a group. In order to satisfy the assessment learning outcomes students should demonstrate an engagement with managers of an event or tourism organisation to assist their analysis of a specific organisation.
The contact hours will be different for part-time students as they will have work related experience.

Kozak M (2004) Destination Benchmarking: Concepts, Practices and Operations. CABI Publishing (ISBN 0851997457)
Laws E (2004) Improving Tourism and Hospitality Services. CABI Publishing (ISBN 0851999956)
McKean J (2003) Customers are People: The Human Touch. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, UK (ISBN 9780470848890)
Milakavich M E (2006) Improving Service Quality: Achieving High Performance in the Public and Private Sectors. 2nd Edition, Boco Raton, FL CRC Press, (ISBN 9780849338199)
Williams C & Buswell J (2003) Service Quality in Leisure and Tourism. CABI Publishing (ISBN 0851995411)
Zemke R (2003) Delivering Knock Your Socks off Service. 3rd Edition, American Management Association (ISBN 081440765X)

Business Library
Internet
PC with 'Office' software
Case Library

Details:- A small group or individual 2000 word assignment, which will assess all Learning Outcomes.

The small group assignment will be based on a critical review and evaluation of the impact of the operations management and human resource management strategies of an tourist attraction service encounter