International Events, Leisure and Tourism ManagementMSc

E Commerce Strategy for Aviation

This module will focus on the concept of e-commerce within aviation management and the impact of the digital age will continue to have on the strategic activities of airlines and airports. The start of the e-commerce revolution was back in 1995 with the first innovators including Alaskan Airlines and British Midland developing their first website booking engines. Since this time the global online travel sector has grown to generate more than half a trillion dollars in revenue.

Airline e-commerce in all its forms is projected to grow significantly as we move into the 21st century. The ‘e’ story is about the continuing evolution of internet-based technologies and the proliferation of new internet-based applications. This development is shifting and enhancing the power of consumers and airlines to a more direct relationship and minimising the power of the intermediaries (travel agents). A particular focus on the new types of airlines and airports that are exploiting the e-commerce agenda and how the legacy carriers are having to adapt to these new sales and marketing dynamics.

Financial Decision Making for Events, Leisure and Tourism

The module introduces you to financial decision making principles and financial analysis of business performance with examples from Events, Leisure, Tourism, Culture and the broader Creative Industries sector.

The module starts by looking at the role of financial statements in a business and explores how they capture the value of a business. You will develop an overview understanding of fundamental accounting/finance concepts and principles and techniques in relation to financial statements analysis. You will also explore issues of management accounting techniques and examine their use in financial management decision making. You will also discover the key sources of finance for business and understand how to determine the most appropriate financing strategy for a business.

Finally, you will explore links between finance, corporate governance, strategic financial decision making, company value and transactions, using different cases in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism, Culture and the broader Creative Industries, to illuminate understanding.

Aims of the module:
1. To enable students to develop an overview understanding of financial decision making principles through examples from Events, Leisure, Tourism, Culture and the broader Creative Industries sector.
2. To enable students to critically understand the value and usefulness of financial statements; by focusing on fundamental concepts, principles and techniques in relation to financial statements analysis, through the application of appropriate examples, tools and procedures.
3. To identify issues of financial management and accounting techniques, and how results from such analysis may support the development, measurement and management of decision-making in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism, Culture and the broader Creative Industries sector.
4. To identify and evaluate links between accounting, financial statement analysis, corporate accounts and financial management strategies, in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism, Culture and the broader Creative Industries.

Fundamentals of CSR and Sustainability

The field of corporate social responsibility has practically transformed our world and reoriented the way corporate entities conduct and perceive their operational activities. Corporate managers and those who represent corporate entities are expected to always behave ethically. Modern societies now expect that solutions to our social and environmental problems cannot only be the prerogative of nation governments, businesses of the 21st century have a lot to contribute when finding solutions to these problems. The demands modern stakeholders put before corporate entities have continued to increase; tomorrow’s managers need to know how to meet these demands. Some scholars have in fact argued that corporate social responsibility has drawn our attention to some of the excesses which globalisation has brought unto the corporate scene in the 21st century. We have seen some unacceptable practices which have accompanied globalisation and consequently made the job of CSR and what it advocates much more difficult. Many things have been made a lot more challenging for everyone because of this. We cannot ignore the adverse impacts of these excesses. There are several unacceptable practices in the form of injustices and human rights abuses, extreme poverty in several nation states both - emerging and even some advanced nations, environmental degradation, some irresponsible and reckless practices by some corporate leaders and terrorism on a very large scale. In recent years, a number of social, economic and environmental problems have continued to cause concern to us all, for example, climate change, waste management and irresponsible use of our depletable resources just to mention a few. Sustainable Development is a buzzword in CSR; both corporate and individual citizens still need to demonstrate that we are serious in executing what sustainable development means to us, what it requires from us all and how the needs of future generations of all inhabitants of this planet would be sustainably met; these are issues tomorrow’s managers would need to know how to embed in corporate strategies. This module aims to lay the foundation on how modern managers should address these and other CSR related issues.

Note: If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the School reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Fundraising and PR for Events, Leisure and Tourism

The module presents an overview of the current key issues of Fundraising and Public Relations (PR) in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism and the broader Creative Industries. This module aims to develop a broad, informed and critical understanding of some of the key and complex issues surrounding fundraising, in UK and worldwide. It also examines some key contemporary issues, theoretical and practical perspectives in PR at both national and global levels. Both underpinned by current academic and professional research in Fundraising and PR, to aid students to gain insights into contemporary, academic and applied practices.
Aims of the module:
1. To enable students to enhance their understanding of the theory and practice of Fundraising and PR in the relevant industry context.
2. To enable students to critically understand and use theoretical and practical skills and tools related with Fundraising and PR in the relevant industry context.
3. To equip students to critically discuss issues and increase their awareness of the impact and influence of Fundraising and PR related issues in the decision making process of Events, Leisure, Tourism and the broader Creative Industries sector.
4. To stimulate critical awareness in the light of relevant academic theories and current professional practice, and the ability to apply, current theories, practices and tools of Fundraising and PR, in professional settings.

Marketing Management for Events, Leisure and Tourism

This module critically explores issues of marketing management in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism and the Creative Industries. It covers some of the essentials of marketing management theory and offers a structured approach to identifying, understanding and solving marketing management problems.
The concepts, principles and frameworks examined in the module apply nationally and internationally to a wide range of organisations and sectors, with a focus in core Events, Leisure, Tourism and the Creative Industries activities.
This core module supports the development of the learner through their engagement with marketing management theory and further develops their prior relevant skills through the application of theory to practice.
It also prepares for and develops an organisational level leadership and/or management role in marketing management. The module draws on a wide-range of academic research and professional experience. It introduces some of the core marketing management concepts and encourages students to develop a critical, analytical approach to solving work-based marketing management issues. Students should be able to develop an awareness of different theoretical perspectives to explore the complexity of marketing management work as rigorously as possible.
The module provides an overview of current academic research, practical industry examples and work-based issues. It encourages students to reflect on current practice and on the role of marketing management in the Events, Leisure, Tourism and the Creative Industries sectors.
Aims of the module:
1. To enable students to enhance their understanding of the theory and practice of marketing management in the relevant industry context.
2. To enable critical understanding and deploy theoretical and practical marketing management tools applied to contemporary challenges in the industry.
3. To equip students to critically discuss issues and make marketing management observations and recommendations applicable to the appropriate sectors, organisations and brands.
4. As well, this module aims to stimulate the student’s critical awareness and application of marketing management theories to their own practice and develop their ability to evaluate current practice in the light of relevant academic theories. It is expected that students will develop an increased awareness of the impact and influence of marketing management related issues and decision making.

Project and Quality Management for Events, Leisure and Tourism

The module critically explores current issues of project and quality management in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism and the Creative Industries. Managers and executives at all levels within the Creative Industries sector typically manage projects and deal with quality management issues. The module covers essential concepts and offers key knowledge, skills and a structured approach to identifying, understanding and solving some of the issues of project and quality management.
The concepts, principles and frameworks covered, apply both in the UK and internationally, to a range of organisations and sectors, focusing on Events, Leisure, Tourism and the Creative Industries.
Aims of the module:
1. To enable students to enhance their understanding of the theory and practice of project and quality management in the Events, Leisure, Tourism and Creative Industries context.
2. To enable students to critically understand and use, theoretical and practical skills and tools, which apply to project and quality management business challenges in contemporary Events, Leisure, Tourism and the Creative Industries.
3. To equip them to critically discuss issues and make appropriate choices, based on project and quality management observations and recommendations that are applicable to their sectors, organisations and brands.
4. To stimulate students’ critical awareness of academic theories and current professional practice, and their ability to apply theories and tools to the practice of project and quality management in their current and future career settings.

Business Consultancy Project-portfolio assessment

This module provides you with the opportunity to work on specific business issues that organisations are facing. Utilising your competences of handling and managing business challenges, starting from problem identification and concluding with solution-related recommendations, thus encouraging research into real world business issues impacting organisations.
Useful and applied business research, like useful reflection, leads to change. To that end, students will be encouraged to take a pragmatic approach to their research, seeking always to create actionable conclusions of value to business managers, owners and entrepreneurs.
The aims of the module are to:
1. Foster a critical awareness and deep interest in a management/business issue or topic associated with their subject specialist area and to combine knowledge and analyses acquired in modules to explore that topic in depth
2. Enable students to produce a full business research report and a management summary on an appropriate topic to a professional and engaging standard that provides the basis for action.
3. Encourage reflection to critically evaluate the success of a business-related project and assess personal competence in the light of current knowledge and skills.
4. Build each student’s knowledge and confidence in their chosen subject to facilitate employability.
The expectation is that students will undertake research in areas of interest to them that is in context to their chosen programme and that develops knowledge and skills that support employment. Examples of possible areas of research include:
• Evaluation of an opportunity to enter a new market e.g. is it feasible for a low cost airline to enter the market in Brazil?
• Evaluation of a specific firm’s strategy and performance e.g. how is Ford responding to the advent of electric vehicles, driverless technology and ride sharing?
• Analysis of the impact of technology change on a company, industry or sector e.g. how will driverless technology and ride sharing impact on car ownership?
• Analysis of trends to create potential strategic scenarios for a firm or industry e.g. what are the future scenarios for law firms in the light of the adoption of AI?
• Analysis of competition in a specific market or industry e.g. global competition in the rapidly growing e-bike industry
• Identifying solutions to a specific business problem e.g. with a small or medium sized business e.g. what needs to be done to grow the business to the next level
• Analysis of disruption in an industry and the implications for a specific incumbent e.g. how should a black cab driver respond to Uber and other ride sharing platforms?
• Analysis of the effect of government intervention in a particular industry e.g. the current trade dispute over subsidies to Boeing and Airbus
• Response from Banks and FIs to the changing customer interaction and business landscape in the post pandemic era

Dissertation

This module provides students with the opportunity to undertake research projects on specific research questions related to their course.

Students will critically investigate issues cognate to their programme of study. The aim will be to make proposals or recommendations for the future and / or a contribution to extant theory.

Students are expected to utilise appropriate investigative techniques and standards of data collection and analysis as they write their postgraduate research-based dissertation.

The dissertation will be 10,000 words in length.

The dissertation module has the following aims:

1. To facilitate a detailed investigation of one area or topic within the subject field;

2. To develop a thorough analysis and synthesis of theory, policy and practice in relation to the chosen topic;

3. To provide an opportunity for critical reflection on the research topic.

The expectation is that students will undertake research in areas of interest to them that is in context to their chosen course; the research supervisor will be allocated by the subject area within which the course is located.