Master of International Hotel Management

Managing food and beverage operations requires cross disciplinary skills knowledge and understanding to manage the complexities of achieving high quality outcomes for guest experiences, staff and a hotel’s reputation in an internationally competitive and changing environment. At the same time, it requires managing financial aspects (costs and revenues) specific to the food and beverage operations. This subject will enable the students to develop the knowledge and skills required for the management of food and beverage operations within competitive and changing international hotel operating environments.

The revenue derived from hotel accommodation is a significant contributor to the overall profitability of a hotel. Depending on the type of hotel operation, it may include (but is not limited to) the management of front office, housekeeping/hotel facilities, security and engineering. Managing accommodation requires cross disciplinary skills, knowledge and understanding to navigate the complexities of achieving high quality outcomes for guest experiences, staff and a hotel’s reputation in an internationally competitive and changing environment. At the same time, it requires managing all financial aspects (costs and revenues) specific to its accommodation departments in close cooperation with all other hotel areas. This subject will enable the student to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding of managing accommodation and related hotel areas within competitive and changing international hotel operating environments.

This subject will enable the student to develop an understanding of key financial and operational performance indicators, central to ensuring the current and future profitability of international hospitality business. Students will develop a range of technical skills to measure financial performance which include budgeting, forecasting and cost control. Demonstration of the ability to analyse, synthesise and communicate key aspects of financial accounting into professional practices is a core outcome of this subject.

This subject will enable the student to investigate and critically evaluate the theory underpinning International Services Marketing. Students will examine the global, social, cultural, commercial, ethical and technological influences and models of consumer behaviour that form the service and product expectations of international hotel guests. The student will examine the significance of the strategies and implications of contemporary services marketing including Customer Relationship Marketing, complaint and service recovery, pricing strategies, consumer strategies, loyalty and retention, target market profitability, competitive analysis, benchmarking and brand differentiation, sales force strategy, information technology and communications, balancing capacity and demand and monitoring consumer buying patterns and behaviours. On completion of this unit, students will demonstrate a managerially-relevant approach and ability to understand the successful marketing of services and delivery of customer service as critical elements in the development of guest expectations and building customer experiences.

This subject will enable students to examine and connect fundamental HRM tools such as planning, development, implementation and evaluation to critical HR activities. Students will link HRM business strategies and hotel operations to workforce design requirements needed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in industry. Through analysis of HRM theory, practice and application, students will gain the ability to manage the hotel workforce in an ever changing HRM environment.

Strategic Management is concerned with longer term strategic decisions and directions, strategy formulation, implementation and performance monitoring. It draws on knowledge of other disciplines such as marketing, economics, human resource management, leadership, finance and sustainability management. The subject is focused on theoretical models, frameworks (macro-micro-environment, competitive analysis), case studies and practical hospitality industry application of both business and corporate strategy in an international context. Central to this course is the question on how to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. The subject will prepare students to research and critically analyse the business strategy of an individual hotel or a hotel brand and the corporate strategy of hotel corporations and to synthesise knowledge from theoretical concepts and frameworks and apply them in the context of the hotel industry.

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This subject will enable the student to critically evaluate the role of revenue management in hotel business performance and apply complex knowledge of strategic pricing to managing international hotel business operations.

This subject will enable the student to critically reflect upon the key principles and importance of design, art and theatre in contemporary hospitality management and in a broader cultural context. This includes research, analysis and interpretation of the role of artistic applications in creating the guest experience in a hospitality setting. At the conclusion of this subject, students will have developed a critical understanding of the importance of aesthetic and theatrical aspects in providing the guest experience in hotel and hospitality operations and be able to make recommendations towards good practice.

This subject will enable the student to understand the increasing role and application of information communication systems in the hospitality industry in different competitive aspects, understanding of critical reflection on strategies, concepts and ideas that currently changing hospitality practices. This subject will also enable students for developing perception of the technological interfaces for business success.

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Branding is a promise of value to the customer and often the most important intangible asset of any hospitality business. The subject will cover the relevance and importance of brand management in the hospitality industry. The core of successfully establishing, growing and measuring brand equity lies in accurate positioning and effective brand management and integrated communication strategies. The subject covers elements of brands, positioning, differentiation and values, service branding, building and measuring customer based brand equity, luxury brands, challenges of modern markets, integrated marketing communication programs, brand extensions and brand portfolios, the consumer mind and global branding strategies. The subject will enable students to research and critically analyse hotel brands and hotel corporations with a focus on building and measuring brand equity and synthesise knowledge to formulate recommendations for brand management strategies.

This subject will enable the student to develop and understand both the entrepreneurial mind-set and the important role of both entrepreneurship and entrapreneurship within a hospitality industry context. It will provide tools to be innovative and to evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities in the fast paced, dynamic and multi-faceted hospitality industry, providing the skill set needed to be agents of change within their organisations and beyond.

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This subject will enable the student to understand and apply hospitality business analytics modelling through exploring statistical techniques which are necessary for the modern hospitality business environment. The subject covers areas such as data exploration and visualization in hospitality business, information technology, various analytical methods used in decision making. Upon completion of the subject students will be able to prepare and execute informed strategies to achieve competitive advantages in the hospitality business.

This subject will focus on the student’s ability to interpret the challenges of balancing global political, workforce, technological and financial considerations along with personal needs in the pursuit of effective, contemporary and ethical change leadership. Through research into the use of leadership theory and the understanding of the multifaceted nature of organisational leadership, the student will synthesise complex information to develop their personal leadership portfolio for application within the international hotel environment. The student will critically analyse and reflect on the theories associated with leading change in the context of the larger hotel organisational culture.

This subject will develop the specialised skills required for effective decision making in the diverse, complex and rapidly changing international hospitality business environment. Students will gain technical knowledge of the critical forces driving change in the global political, geographic and economic environments and their impact on a diverse and complex international hospitality business environment. This knowledge will enable them to identify, explain and analyse the effects different economic, political and cultural contexts have on hospitality businesses as they operate or expand offshore or face non-domestic competitors at home. The student will apply their skills to synthesise innovative solutions to complex scenarios, with a focus on the use of the multinational company structure, by using their knowledge of global competitive forces and the associated economic, political and cultural contexts.

This subject will enable the student to prepare a foundation of research skills which will enable them to integrate theory with the practice of work to develop their knowledge, skills and professional networks through lived experience in a natural workplace setting when undertaking their future work Integrated learning experience.

This subject explores the major ethics and justice theories and applies these to an international hospitality context. Students will critically examine unethical impacts of global hospitality and challenge current norms and business practices. In the context of complex global issues, best practice leadership for social impact will be analysed. At the conclusion of this subject, students will understand and appreciate the importance of business ethics, corporate social responsibility and community engagement.

This subject develops the specialised skills required to use professional judgement in the choice of property management strategy. The subject has a multidisciplinary approach integrating the legal, accounting and design aspects of developing and managing different classes of property within hospitality business structures. The student will gain advanced understanding of the application of contract law principles and contract management in complex scenarios and reflect on the risks associated with different types of leases. Students will also gain technical knowledge in the evolution and use of different types of business ownership and critically analyse the possible competitive advantages associated with complex multi-owner arrangements separating real estate, brand and management functions.

This subject will enable the student to evaluate the contemporary environment, function and role of International Human Resource Management. Through complex analysis of foundational and contemporary theory and practice, the student will apply mechanisms specific to the international hotel industry which recognises the effective use of people as a source of competitive advantage.

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In an increasingly competitive global hospitality environment driven by rapid changes in consumer behaviour, expectations and new technologies, companies must continuously find new ways to differentiate themselves from their competition. Organisations with customer centricity at their core that build customer relationships strategically, and internationally design a holistic customer experience focusing on delivering service excellence across all customer touchpoints, are gaining competitive advantage. This subject will enable students to review, critically analyse and synthetise complex information or problems of strategic customer relationship and customer experience management principles, and apply theoretical concepts and frameworks in the hospitality industry. This subject will enable students to initiate, plan and implement strategies to improve customer interactions, service delivery and manage customer relationships more effectively.

This subject will enable the student to acquire and develop a systematic approach to the theory of research methodology. The student will acquire and apply the specialised theoretical and research methodology knowledge and skills to organise the collection, selection, presentation and analysis (incorporating ICT techniques) of a range of data. The student will utilise the collected data to create, adapt and synthesise innovative research based solutions to practical hospitality business operations. The student will also acquire the skills to utilise the research methodology selected to convert the collected data into appropriate management information including the appropriate use of visual information depictions. 

The Academic Committee may recommend to the Principal that a student not be permitted to undertake Professional Practice and Research if the student is not making satisfactory progress in subjects related to Professional Practice and Research and/or where a student has failed 50% or more of the subjects attempted in a study period and/or where the student has failed a subject for the second time and/or where the student has not completed a minimum of 200 hours of industry experience.

This capstone subject will enable the student to integrate theory with the practice of work to develop their knowledge, skills and professional networks through lived experience in a natural workplace setting. This natural workplace setting may include an international hotel, tourism or hospitality setting. The subject will also enable the student to develop an understanding of and apply research methods in the workplace. Students must provide evidence of the completion of a minimum of 600 hours of work.