Strategic Hotel Management MSc

University of Surrey

The dissertation is compulsory to all MSc programmes and is the final element of the programme, providing an opportunity for a sustained period of independent study and research. It allows students to concentrate on topics that are of particular interest to them and it draws upon a range of different aspects of the taught programme particularly the Research Methods module. It also gives an opportunity for students to work independently with individual supervision.

Focuses on real estate financing for hotel projects through development, franchise and acquisition financing. Lectures will cover the financial returns to the owner, lender, and management company in the lodging investment. Will measure rates of return for owner, lender and manager, purposes of feasibility, valuation, debt and equity financing structures such as joint ventures, management contracts, franchise agreements, operations analysis, & leases. Emphasis will also be placed on the strategic transaction process such as investment underwriting, portfolio management, acquisitions, dispositions, and bankruptcy as well as asset management functions.

This module will build on students? existing knowledge, from their undergraduate studies in this area, of the operational issues facing hotels and the implications for profit performance. It will use a computer based hotel simulation exercise to allow students to experience the dynamics and complex interactions of hotel operation.

The Research Methods module aims to help students to develop an understanding of the research process and to undertake research leading to successful completion of their dissertation. It enables students to conduct research independently and also provides them with the knowledge, skills and understanding required to develop their proposal for their dissertation. The student identifies their area of research and develops research questions to be answered or hypotheses to be tested in the industry context relevant to their course of study. The module covers ideas, techniques, and methods relevant to different stages of the research process, stressing the interdependence of each stage in conducting effective, coherent and rigorous research. By covering the fundamentals of research methods and research methodologies, this module will enable students to conduct research independently and provide them with the knowledge and understanding needed to do a dissertation.

International hotels are key drivers of the hospitality and tourism sectors around the world and because they do business across borders, they are complex operations to manage. It is critical that management of such operations takes place within a guiding strategy. This module develops a strategic approach to the management of international hotel companies. It aims to provide students with the knowledge needed to become future corporate managers in international hotel companies. The strategy theory covered in this module will also have relevance to management of other parts of the hospitality sector.

This module will recognise the importance of human resources to the successful operation of hotels but will emphasise the strategic aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM) that will influence the development of hotel chains. Hotel companies need to develop and implement effective human resource practices and policies to achieve competitive success, especially in the current economic climate. The module is intended to provide an opportunity to review models and concepts underpinning Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and current trends and issues in the strategic HRM for international hospitality and event industry.

This module builds on the prior knowledge of the fundamentals of marketing that have been learnt through an undergraduate programme. In particular, this module recognises the importance of brand identity, brand value, and brand building and maintenance for the success of international hotel groups and will build on existing marketing understanding to build an appreciation of the different marketing strategies that companies can employ in this area.