Innovation and quality management in Tourism

CHARACTERISTICS

Year/semester: 2/3
ECTS: 6

TEACHING STAFF

Lecturers:
Dr. Lluis Prats
Dr. Marti Casadesús

AIMS OF THE SUBJECT

The competitiveness of tourism organizations has been significantly improved by technical innovations in areas like transport and IT. Nevertheless, the intensity and scope of the innovations vary in the different sectors of the tourism industry. Thus, very large firms in hospitality, transport and tour-operation have been developing new products and processes as part of their ongoing competitive strategy. However, SMEs innovative capacity in the tourism industry has remained low, probably because of their lack of R&D personnel and activity. This problem can be overcome, nonetheless, by imitating and adopting innovations available in the market, and even better, by participating in cooperating networks of small firms. Moreover, public administrations also need to carry out innovative activities in the areas of infrastructure, natural and cultural resources, etc. as far as they are responsible for some of the resources that make up the tourist product. Finally, the participation of researchers and research centres in these collective processes of innovation would further enhance their effectiveness. Accordingly, the innovation capacity of small tourism firms will depend, to a great extent, on the networking activity among them, and between them, the local administration and the universities; and on the Governmental policy on innovation and tourism.

On the other hand, the operational strategy is one of the most significant element in the overall competitive strategy of an organization. The decisions managers make on this field have a direct impact on the efficiency of the operations and the quality of the services granted by the organization. Despite the diversity of operational processes found in the many industries that make up the tourist sector, all of them can benefit by implementing advanced operations and quality management techniques.

Consequently, the aim of this module is to explain the available techniques for efficiency, quality and innovation management and their potential application to the different activities carried out by all types of tourist organizations.

COURSE SYLLABUS

1. Innovation management in tourism
   • Creativity and innovation in organizations
   • The management of innovation in services (including tourism)
   • Obstacles to innovation processes in tourism
   • The need for a tourism policy orientated to innovation
2. Operations and quality management in tourism organizations
   • The organization of processes in tourism organizations
   • Capacity and productivity management in tourism organizations
   • Quality management systems in tourism organizations
   • Techniques and tools for operations and quality management in tourism

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Berger, F. and Ferguson, D. (1991). Creativity techniques for hospitality managers.
• Fitzsimmons, James A., Fitzsimmons, Mona (2004), Service management operations, strategy, MC Graw Hill
• Hjalager, A-M (2002) Repairing innovation defectiveness in tourism, Tourism Management, vol. 23 pp. 465-74.
• Sundbo, J (2001) The Strategic Management of Innovation, Cheltenham.
• Sundbo, J. (1998) The Organisation of Innovation in Services, Copenhagen.
• Williams, C, and Buswell, J. (2003) Service Quality in Leisure and Tourism. Cabi

COURSE COMPETENCES

Students will be able to understand the relevance of creativity, innovation and quality management for the competitiveness of tourism products and destinations.

Students will be able to analyse and diganose the obstacles to the implementation of innovation strategies in tourism and to effectively design mechanisms to solve these problems.

Students will be able to design operational processes simultaneously leading to efficiency in production, quality of the service and innovation capability of a tourism organization