International Hospitality Management

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The world of hospitality management has changed considerably over the last 3 decades due to major changes in leisure and vacation travel together with general increases in travel among different countries and regions. These changes have resulted in many travel agents altering their strategies and behavior.

?International Hospitality Management? will give the student the opportunity to learn how the biggest hotel chains have formulated their own strategies in a progressively more globalized world and adapted to new technology.
The course focuses on the growth of the top hotel chains in the 5 key tourist regions of the world. We will bring together the latest developments in global hospitality operations with contemporary management principles. We will develop a critical view of management practices and traditional theories, analyzing how appropriate they are to the hospitality and tourism industries in a multicultural context.

The course is designed to instill a greater awareness of the cultural factors influencing the strategies and performance of international hospitality organizations. It will focus on a critical analysis of the relevance and application of general management theory and practice to the hospitality industry.
The course is part of the ?International Hotel Management? specialization (?Itinerary?) for the Degree in Hospitality Management.

GENERAL SKILLS
Working in an international context:
The industry has a predisposition for professional mobility, which requires demonstrating and updating knowledge of significant international political and economic realities; as well as adapting oneself to the changes that this professional mobility creates and knowing how to properly communicate in foreign languages, showing interest and sensitivity towards other cultures and their people (promoting integration) such as: customs, traditions, religion, etc.
Having a business vision:
Motivating yourself to know and fulfill the customer?s needs (internal and external) when offering them services and/or products, taking care of all the related details, responding to their requests and suggestions and, if possible, anticipating their needs and requests, giving an immediate and appropriate answer.

SPECIFIC SKILLS
Understanding and implementing quality standards within the tourist/service process:
A professional in this area has to be capable of assessing the potential of a resource to be exploited for tourist purposes. This includes how to handle all the different tools that allow us to design, develop and exploit a project.
Identifying and managing the internal functions and operating processes of the business units:
Success in the management of tourist companies is measured by the capacity to coordinate different operating processes. This requires understanding how the complex structures, systems and processes which comprise various tourist activities work: accommodation, restaurants, intermediation, transportation, etc.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understand and accept diversity (gender, age, physical ability, intellectual ability and/or mental health), linguistic, social and cultural diversity (religion, ideology and/or ethnicity) as enriching personal and group development:
- Identify the different organizational structures that characterize international hotel chains and analyze the various human resource management models as a part of their business strategies.
- Ability to communicate successfully in foreign languages:
- Develop the ability to effectively and efficiently communicate in English.
- Develop an ability to observe and analyze the business environment:
- Understand the variables that influence the development of a particular hotel chain in an international environment.
- Identify the strengths of the company and competition:
- Improve observation and analysis of the key factors behind the success of hotel chains in the study.
- Understand the main models of international hotel management:
- Analyze the 'brands' of quality hotel chains.
- Understand management practices of hotel chains.
- Know the main trends, dynamics, conflicts, and paradigms observed in the evolution of the hotel industry:
- Review of new developments and trends affecting hotels and new technology.
- Identify the individual characteristics of each element of the study.

LEARNING METHODOLOGY
The learning strategies employed are mainly aimed at the student developing the abilities associated with the skills identified. Below we specify the teaching-learning methodologies which will be applied to achieve the skills to be gained, as well as specifying how they will be developed:
- Theory: master classes, lectures, group projects.
- Theoretical-practical: application activities, problem-based learning, problem solving, practical exercises, research.
- Presentations: presentations of results. This will allow the student to receive feedback on how to improve his or her oral communication techniques and become accustomed to using information technology.

EVALUATION SYSTEM
The tools used to evaluate the course are those which allow us to assess the course's contents in both a theoretical and practical way; such as objective tests, development tests, individual projects, group projects, in-class activities, oral presentations using IT, virtual forums, portfolios, practical cases, problem solving, etc.