MIB - Master of International Business in Hotel, Resort and Spa Management

This module explores interconnected processes from multiple business disciplines within the Hotel, Resort and Spa (HRS) Industries. Topics include understanding and evaluating a resort & spa's key process indicators and objectives; quality management's role in a resort & spa's system of operation; processes that improve the overall guest experience; regulatory requirements to optimize business operations and processes that minimize risks and continually improve all aspects of the business. Successful completion of this module requires the preparation and defence of a business proposal related to a HRS Industry.

The service sectors are dynamic and rapidly changing, reflecting global trends and changes in consumersʼ attitudes, behaviours, knowledge, tastes and preferences for a variety of services, resulting in a series of challenges for future managers. An understanding of current trends within the industry allows effective managers of service organizations to adapt to this changing environment.
This module seeks to engage students in a dialog with guest lecturers and business leaders to discuss possible solutions to future developments.

In the global employment market, successful careers are not built on educational qualifications alone, but on the ability to demonstrate leadership qualities. Students seeking to enhance their careers in leadership and management positions in the international industry, must therefore develop a portfolio of transferable skills at a professional level to work with self direction and originality through their academic studies and onwards to career development in the international workplace.

With the increasing level of globalization of service, one of the main areas facing the service sector has been how to manage culturally diverse workforce. Managing a multicultural workforce, either within a business unit or within a global corporation, can be a demanding task of managers. This module attempts to provide the student with an opportunity not only to understand cultural difference and how this impacts upon the service sectors, but also to critique relevant theories with applications into practice and to formulate an appropriate strategy to manage cultural diversity.

This module introduces the role, objectives and activities of operations and project management. Examples and case studies are drawn from a variety of organizations with an emphasis on the ʻfitʼ of operations and project strategy. The aim of this module is to develop an understanding of a portfolio of techniques for operations and project management and their selection and use in appropriate situations. This includes an appreciation of the development of alternative theoretical perspectives behind management thinking in this field. On completing the module students should be able to recommend a complete operational and project management strategy for a given business context.

In todayʼs increasingly global and competitive marketing environment there has been a shift from traditional marketing techniques towards a more aggressive style of marketing. This trend is all too evident in the international hotel, resort and spa industry. There is a need to look beyond the traditional approach to marketing and to instead identify a strategic alternative approach necessary for the international industry today. The need for a range of marketing techniques is paramount to the successful marketing of a hotel, resort or spa; this module aims to build on previous knowledge of public relations, relationship marketing, guerrilla marketing and electronic marketing for the global hospitality industry.

This module explores the comprehensive application of financial management for the spa industry for future spa operations managers and supervisors. Topics include: understanding the components of a spa financial statement, capturing the key drivers of daily revenues and expenses, using ratio analyses as a business evaluation tool, and understanding the basic principles of spa accounting and financial responsibility. This module offers the opportunity to use various problem-solving methods to apply them to managerial situations tailored for the spa industry. Students analyse, quantify, and evaluate the “wellness” of specific spa businesses, and use these skills to set the course for greater financial success.
As more hotel, resort and spa managers are expected to provide financial results, the spa retailing function is being viewed as a strong profit-generating source. This module focuses on the issues associated with spa retail management, the necessary retail mix as well as the importance of the staffing and training of the retail team. Additional topics include solid strategies and tactics to develop a clear and precise retail plan along with the process for immediate implementation.

This module is built on the actual running and managing of F&B outlets. Students will first analyse the existing F&B operations and then propose an alternative strategy or concept. This new concept is then implemented, managed and tested for its feasibility by the students.

This module provides a comprehensive overview of the general operating procedures in a spa. Students will develop an understanding of principle skills required to manage and operate in the multi-faceted spa industry. Topics include: market review and competitive analysis, an overview of current industry statistics, and spa menu development. This module will also include an introduction to revenue generation, retailing and inventory controls, and spa facility design standards; compensation models and employee retention; software selection as it relates to marketing, reservations client file management; development of standard operating procedures; reservation training and effective reservation yielding protocols. Participants will engage in active case study scenarios and hands-on operational analysis.

This module aims to synthesize the key management disciplines within one capstoneproject, comprising considerations of market research, financial analysis, and human resource management.