| | The College is now offering the new Advanced Professional Diploma in Strategic Hospitality Management devised by BTEC/EDEXCEL, the largest vocational awarding body in UK. This is a recognised postgraduate business qualification in Britain and is a professional qualification in its own right. It is accepted as a route to an MBA. In some cases exemption from the first year of an MBA.
Course Duration See full list of fees & start dates
Subjects to be studies are:
core
1. Hospitality Management Strategies
2. Strategic Customer Care in Hospitality
3. Management Report
options
1. Strategic Marketing in Hospitality
2. People Management & Development
3. Managing Continuous Professional Development
4. Business Excellence in Hospitality
5. Securing the Competitive Edge in Hospitality
6. Strategic Financial Control in Hospitality
Students will also be required to complete a substantial Management Report.
Entry qualifications
Students are likely to benefit mostly from the programme if they have at least one of the following:
1. Experience of working in a strategic management position
2. An appropriate professional qualification (eg HCIMA Certificate or Diploma)
3. First Degree (eg in Hospitality, Travel & Tourism or Business Studies disciplines)
4. A BTEC Higher National Certificate or Diploma (eg in Hospitality & Catering, Travel and Tourism or Business Studies disciplines
Syllabus
STRATEGIC HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
This is a level 5 qualification and has been mapped against the National Occupational standards for NVQ level 5. The course leads to a qualification issued by EDEXCEL and is called the BTEC Advanced Professional Diploma in Strategic Hospitality Management.
The qualification relates to a wide range of issues that are specific to the hospitality industry and will lead to the development of applied knowledge, skills and understanding.
The course has been designed to meet the demands of the target audience and to give students access to current hospitality strategic management studies.
Entry qualifications:
Students are likely to benefit mostly from the programme if they have at least one of the following:
1. Experience of working in a strategic management position
2. An appropriate professional qualification (eg HCIMA Certificate or Diploma)
3. First Degree (eg in Hospitality, Travel & Tourism or Business Studies disciplines)
4. A BTEC Higher National Certificate or Diploma (eg in Hospitality & Catering, Travel and Tourism or Business Studies disciplines
Content
Unit 1. Hospitality Management Strategies
1.Strategic issues and trends
Strategic: definitions long term and broad to achieve missions, medium-term and specific to provide operations, short term and specific to address threats to opportunities
Issues e.g. shared vision/mission, competitors/collaborators, procurement Financial accounting, fraud management and control, labour market, eg staffing skills, gap shortage, wages, contracted hours, the external operating environment, political economic, legal geographical, impact on the organisation
Trends e.g. environmental internal/external), labour market, social, customer demand/lifestyle, demographics global potential impact on the organisation, management contracts
Analytical skills and techniques: long term overview, holistic approach, assess, direct and evaluate solutions, leadership and delegation, time management, change management, project management, performance indicators/key business measures
Organisation: eg hotel, restaurant, bed and breakfast, café, on licensed outlet, club contract caterer, leisure/recreation outlet, travel catering, educational establishment, in store catering, fast food outlet
2 Analyse information
Information: quantitative, qualitative, sources (people within/outside the organisation, internal information systems, published media, and specially commissioned research)
Analysis: types (formal, informal, planned, ad doc), techniques and methods, e.g. meetings, desk work, IT systems, management and interpretation of information, patters, trends, conclusions
Decision making, affecting operational performance, affecting organisational policy, consistent with the organisations values, policies, guidelines and procedures, advice and guidance, conflict, problem solving, awareness of issues for personnel, multi-cultural issues, implications for operation
Advise and inform: stakeholders, e.g. management, colleagues, employees, shareholders, statutory authorities, impact on the wider community, clear, concise, accurate communications, internal/external channels, involving and motivating appropriate personnel, managing meetings, group dynamics, clear direction, dangers of poor communications, e.g. wrong assumptions, misinterpretations
3 objectives and strategies
Objectives planning, implementation, monitoring delivery, evaluating outcomes, timescales, controlling deadlines
Strategies long, medium, short term
Present: communicating to appropriate audience, use of resources
Formulate: measures and criteria, eg performance against organisational objectives, against performance indicators, against other organisations, consider alternative proposals, consultation with colleagues and other stakeholders, possible failure of proposal
Unit 2 Strategic Customer Care in Hospitality
1. Customer care strategies
Customer’s types, characteristics, behaviour, expectations, needs, importance of patterns, eg repeat business, length of stay, the ‘virtual customer
Care strategies: types, purpose, e.g. long term, medium term, short term, customer care focus/culture, customer relations, identifying and responding to customer needs eg products, services, premises facilities, appreciation/complaint handling, quality standards, understanding the markets, eg internal/external customers, levels of satisfaction, levels of authority for customer care staff, empowerment, managing diverse markets, trends in provision, bench marking, continuous improvement, impact on organisation
Organisations: reg hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfast, on licensed outlets, clubs, contract caterers, fast food outlets
2 customer feedback
Feedback range, purpose, costs, benefits, gathering feedback, e.g. questionnaire, interview, comment card, guest history, guest satisfaction tracker, mystery guest audits, responding to feedback, eg staff training, customer care course, sales procedures, validating information, comparisons with other organisations, benchmarking, quality models, e.g. 1ISO9000, Excellence through people (British Hospitality Association), Hospitality Assured (Hotel Catering and International Management Association)
Impact on strategies establishing and interpreting customer needs, exceeding expectations, guest history development, response to customer care situations, modifying strategies based on feedback, attention to detail, response to customers
3 propose and evaluate realistic improvements
Propose: communications to appropriate audience, eg management, staff, other stakeholders, use of resources, eg OHT’s presentation software/hardware
Evaluate: measures and criteria, e.g. performance against organisational objectives, against performance indicators, against other organisations, alternative proposals, possible failure of proposed indicators, against other organisations, alternative proposals, and possible failure of proposed improvements, consultation with colleagues and other stakeholders
Realistic: manageable, controllable, cost effective
Improvements: eg to method of provision, to staff training, to feedback methodology, monitoring delivery and implementation, evaluating outcomes, disseminating information, timescales, continuous improvement, impact on the organisation
Unit 3 Management Report
1. Management research
Management research: purposes of management research and consultancy, overview of the management research process, the iterative nature of the research process, the importance of theory, epistemologies and practices
Research skills: literature and information technology skills, planning and undertaking a literature search, use of CD ROM databases and internet, secondary data sources for management research including organisational data, advantages and disadvantages of different sources, issues of validity, reliability and generality, referencing, writing critically
Organisational contact: organisational policies, procedures, resource constraints
2 strategies
Research strategies: planning an enquiry, formulating and clarifying research questions and objectives, negotiating access, costs, benefits, validity
Ethical implications: ethical considerations and ethical codes, ways of gaining access, trust and support, confidentiality of responses, conditions and guarantees to participants, power relationships, organisational contexts
Research proposal: presentation proof research proposals, differing requirements of organisational and academic audiences, the need for critical evaluation, costs, benefits, resources, timescales/milestones, risk factors, contingency plans
3 select and utilise
Selection: data collection, methods, probability and non probability sampling, issues of sample size and generality, observation techniques, focus groups, group and individual interviews, semi-structured and in – depth interviews, questionnaires, computer aided interviewing, internet surveys, pilot testing, designing data collection methods for computational analysis, data referencing
Utilisation: hypotheses, conclusions, recommendation
4 synthesise and analyse
Synthesis: sufficiency, validity and reliability of information, organisational context, values, policies, guidelines and procedures, advice regarding conflict of information, sponsors’ role, constraints, confidentiality
Analyse: preparing data for analysis, techniques, using analysis software (eg Excel, SPSS), descriptive and inferential statistics, responsible and intelligent use of statistics, assumptions, validity, reliability and generality, presentation of results, currency, differentiation between fact and opinion
Unit 4. Strategic Marketing in Hospitality
1.Market analysis
External: types of analysis, eg Porter’s competitive forces, PESTEL (political, environmental, social, technological, economic, legal) target markets, competitors, global and European influences, environmental considerations, market research, impact on the organisation
Internal: customers, needs products/services portfolio, organisational factors (eg skills, resources, systems, roles, relationships), gap analysis (revenue/profit), competitive position, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), risk analysis, customer/quality provision, forecasting techniques, contribution to marketing function
Organisations: e.g. hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, on-license outlets, clubs. Contract caterers, leisure/recreation outlets, travel catering, educational establishments, in store catering, fast food outlets
2 Marketing strategy
Strategic issues: products/services, eg food, drink, accommodation, business services (meetings, conferences, work space), leisure provision, market share, alternative mixes, customer relationship management, external environment, feasibility study, resources, revenue generation, return on investment, organisational implications, customer implications, service labels, publicity, operational implications, technology, eg e-commerce, internet, intranet, ICT development, outsourcing, partnerships/consortia agencies.
Tools and techniques: market segmentation, marketing mix, pricing, marketing communications, promotion, customer service/feedback
3 projected outcomes
Projected outcomes: eg improve income, develop range of products, expand market share, create added value, and enhance service delivery, impact on organisation
Analysis: techniques and methods, eg market research, meetings, desk work, IT systems, management and interpretation of information, patterns, trends, conclusions
Market analysis: measurement tools, eg turnover, stability index, median length of service, techniques, eg qualitative,
Manpower planning: types of working arrangement, e.g. permanent, fixed term, type’s pf contract, eg full time, part time, casual, strengths and weaknesses
Organisations: eg hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, on-license outlets, clubs. Contract caterers, leisure/recreation outlets, travel catering, educational establishments, in store catering, fast food outlets
2. Employee resourcing strategy
The organisation: needs, eg skills, people quality initiatives, eg Investors in People (IiP), Hospitality Assured, Employer Excellence scheme, training strategies, industrial relations, forms of employee representation
Employment package: framework, wages, bonuses, performance-related pay PAYEand National Insurance system, rewards and benefits, eg stakeholders pension schemes, health care schemes performance payments, incentive schemes, related employment costs, eg employee insurance, sickness/absence, uniforms, accommodation/food, transport national and local training and development framework, calculation of costs, cost implications for the organisation
Recruitment and retention: policies, methods of selection, eg recruitment process types of interviewing, assessment centres, career planning, labour turnover, exit interviews
3. Leadership and performance management
Leadership: styles, motivation, measuring employee satisfaction, team leadership, methods of communication
Performance management: productivity measurement, management and improvement, eg use of flexible working, transferable skills, competency, cost of labour, use of technology, building successful teams, employee involvement, controlling absenteeism
4 legal frameworks
Recruitment and employment: eg discrimination, working time regulations, employment relations, access to medical reports, employment of temporary and casual workers, terms and conditions of employment, work permits for international staff, current trends
Statutory provisions: welfare pf people at work, human rights, health and safety of employees, equal opportunities
Codes of practice: eg grievance, disciplinary, dismissal, implications for employer/employee
Organisation: applications and implications of legal framework, e.g. National Minimum Wage, working time directive, structural changes, e.g. transfer of undertakings, redundancy, laying off staff
Unit 5 People Management & Development 1. Labour market strategy Market factors: supply and quality of labour, growth of the industry, skills shortages, transient workforce, national recruitment problems, overseas staffing, demographics, population patterns, eg age, gender, influence on organisations, future labour market trends, work/life balance Market analysis: measurement tools, eg turnover, stability index, median length of service, techniques, eg qualitative, Manpower planning: types of working arrangement, e.g. permanent, fixed term, type’s pf contract, eg full time, part time, casual, strengths and weaknesses Organisations: eg hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, on-license outlets, clubs. Contract caterers, leisure/recreation outlets, travel catering, educational establishments, in store catering, fast food outlets 2. Employee resourcing strategy The organisation: needs, eg skills, people quality initiatives, eg Investors in People (IiP), Hospitality Assured, Employer Excellence scheme, training strategies, industrial relations, forms of employee representation Employment package: framework, wages, bonuses, performance-related pay PAYEand National Insurance system, rewards and benefits, eg stakeholders pension schemes, health care schemes performance payments, incentive schemes, related employment costs, eg employee insurance, sickness/absence, uniforms, accommodation/food, transport national and local training and development framework, calculation of costs, cost implications for the organisation Recruitment and retention: policies, methods of selection, eg recruitment process types of interviewing, assessment centres, career planning, labour turnover, exit interviews 3. Leadership and performance management Leadership: styles, motivation, measuring employee satisfaction, team leadership, methods of communication Performance management: productivity measurement, management and improvement, eg use of flexible working, transferable skills, competency, cost of labour, use of technology, building successful teams, employee involvement, controlling absenteeism
4 legal frameworks
Recruitment and employment: eg discrimination, working time regulations, employment relations, access to medical reports, employment of temporary and casual
Unit 6 Managing Continuous Professional Development
1. Skills audit
Audit: analysis of existing staff/organisational skills and needs, skills gap/shortage, future plans, projected changes, skills requirements to meet business objectives, impact on the organisation
Sources of information: personnel records, appraisal information, feedback from senior/line managers and staff, business plan and future development plans, Hospitality Training Foundation skills forecasts, Chamber of Commerce
Organisations: e.g. hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, on-license outlets, clubs. Contract caterers, leisure/recreation outlets, travel catering, educational establishments, in store catering, fast food outlets
2. Strategy for supporting continuous professional development
Strategy: policy development, aim, purpose, outcomes, timing, eg target commencement and completion dates, resources, eg locations, trainers, facilities, equipment, cost, focus of development, methodologies (in-house or external, e.g. consultancy/online), responsibilities (senior/line managers, staff), documentation and recording procedures, monitoring, feedback (trainer/trainee), cost/benefits analysis, benchmarking to quality standards, e.g. Investors in People (IiP), Hospitality Assured, benefits to the organisation
Objectives: long term and general to achieve mission, medium term and specific to meet operations, eg learning/performance targets, short term and specific to address threats and opportunities
Training and development framework: national and local context, government initiatives, e.g. new deal, modern apprentices, agencies, e.g. National Training Organisations, Learning Skills Councils, Local enterprise Companies, influence on the organisation/individual, policy for planning, delivering and evaluation training, cost of training and development, support from government agencies Constraints: e.g. budget, time, human resources, staff resistance/turnover, management commitment, commitment of staff, opportunity, availability of suitable training
3. Evaluate and present proposals
Proposal: aim/objectives, planning, implementation. Monitoring, delivery, evaluating outcomes, timetables controlling deadlines
Evaluate: measures and criteria, eg performance indicators, improvements to knowledge/skills, staff retention , morale, motivation, wage percentages, productivity, reduced absenteeism, repeat custom/increased sales, meeting corporate objectives,
Increased synergy, consider alternative proposals, consultation with colleagues and other stakeholders, possible failure of proposal
Present: format, style, communicating to appropriate audience, use of resources
Unit 7 Business Excellence in Hospitality
1. Quality models
Quality: definitions, quality gurus, evolution of quality, product quality and service quality, five quality gaps, benchmarking, best practice, self assessment, vision, continuous improvement
Models: development, eg Japanese, USA, European, Deming, Baldridge, European Foundation of Quality Management, ‘6 Sigma’, current focus, future trends
Hospitality contexts: e.g. small/large hotels, restaurants, pubs, bed & breakfast, fast food, contract catering, leisure centres, facilities management, hospitals
2. Business health check
Health check: characteristics (enablers, results, scope, deployment), leadership, people management, processes, policy and strategy, resources, customer satisfaction, people satisfaction, impact on society, business results. Process: purpose, procedures, sources of information, analysis, outcomes
3. Strategic action plans
Action plan: purpose, aims/objectives, eg specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time constrained (SMART), resources, targets Initiatives: eg mission statement, business plans, quality audits/checks, service standards, people development, health and safety, energy efficiency, risk assessment, Investors in People (IiP), Hazard Analysis Critical Path (HACCP), ISO 9000, synergy of business improvement Standards and procedures: relating to operational areas, eg food and beverage, front of house, customer care, information and communications technology (ICT), health and safety, sales and marketing, financial analysis and application, market/customer driven
Unit 8 Securing the Competitive Edge in Hospitality
1.Competitive edge
Competitive edge: definition, purpose, variations between different organisations Organizations: eg hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfast, on licensed outlets, clubs, contract caterers, leisure/recreation outlets, travel catering, educational establishments, in store catering, fast food outlets
2. Business performance
Performance: analysis techniques, eg Porters five forces, Business Excellence model, Boston Matrix, benchmarking, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), PESTEL (political, environmental, social, technological, economic and legal), 7 P;’S (product, price, promotion, place, process, political environment and people) competitors and collaborators.
Impact: eg financial, marketing, sales, diversification
3. Internal and external strategies
Internal strategies: defining values and policies to guide the work of organisations e.g., continuous improvement, business excellence model, Investors in People, Total Quality Management, ISO 9000, vertical integration, strategic alliance, synergy, organisational culture, cost leadership and cost focus, continuous professional development (CPD), training and development, profit analysis, turnovers, cost benefits
External strategies: eg differentiation, niche marketing, innovation, technology, quality, distribution and service, branding, hospitality industry benchmarking, strategic alliances
4. Projected outcomes
Projected outcomes: eg improve income, rationalise expenditure, expand product portfolio, enhance service delivery, improve employee performance, create added value and implement contingency planning
Performance indicators: quantitative, e.g. profit analysis, turnover analysis, cost-benefit analysis, productivity analysis, customer spend/satisfaction, qualitative, eg customer feedback, management/employee feedback, repeat business
Unit 9 Strategic Financial Control in Hospitality
1. Financial performance
Financial performance: profitability, growth, return on investment, ration analysis, eg liquidity, efficiency, investment, gearing, limitations of ratio analysis, recommendations for improvement
Control techniques: performance monitoring, eg analysis of variances between actual and budgeted results, target setting, involving department managers in setting targets, projecting volume/sales mix/profit expectation, medium and long term planning, capital budgets, project budgets
Organisations: e.g. hotels, restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, on-license outlets, clubs. Contract caterers, leisure/recreation outlets, travel catering, educational establishments, in store catering, fast food outlets
2. Risk assessments
Procedures: data gathering, analysis, decision making
Sources of finance: eg short/medium/long term, equity finance, venture capital, government funding, venture capital, overdrafts, hire purchase, leasing, sponsorship, risk implications for the organisation
Investment: time value money, appraisal methods, eg payback, net present value, internal rate of return, risk implications
Business failure: recognising symptoms, eg overtrading, insufficient capital, lack of controls
External environmental influences eg changes in interest/exchange rates, stock market fluctuations, labour law, environmental legislation, pressure groups, ethics, and impact on the organisation
3. Critical decisions relating to financial objectives
Critical decisions: obtain financial information needed to take critical decisions, analyse financial information for financial decision making, take the critical decisions, advise and inform others, e.g. team members, colleagues, shareholders, other stakeholders, impact on the wider community
Financial objectives: long term and broad to achieve mission, medium-term and specific to meet operational needs, short term and specific to address threats and opportunities. |
