BACHELOR DEGREE IN TOURISM & HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT 2014-2015 Academic Year TEACHING GUIDE AREA: TFG SUBJECT: Undergraduate Dissertation PERIOD: S8 Lecturers: Dr. Zaida Rodrigo (zaida.rodrigo@tsi.url.edu) Dr. Esther Binkhorst (esther.binkhorst@tsi.url.edu) Mr. Cristian Palazzi (cristian.palazzi@tsi.url.edu) Mr. Jorge Peralta (jorge.peralta@tsi.url.edu) Mr. Jordi Ficapal (jordi.ficapal@tsi.url.edu) Dr. Emili Valdero (emili.valdero@tsi.url.edu) Publication for the exclusive use of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management - Sant Ignasi (Ramon Llull University). Total or partial reproduction is prohibited.
BACHELOR DEGREE IN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT AREA: TFG SUBJECT: Undergraduate dissertation CODE: OB8DTH-II TYPE: Compulsory YEAR: 4th ECTS CREDITS: 7 SEMESTER: 8 LANGUAGE: English LECTURER/S: Dr. Zaida Rodrigo, Dr. Esther Binkhorst, Mr. Cristian Palazzi, Mr. Jorge Peralta, Mr. Jordi Ficapal, Dr. Emili Valdero 1. Subject objectives: The undergraduate dissertation follows from the writing of the research proposal, which has to be evaluated and approved previously. The main objective of this course is to provide you with the tools to understand the process of a research project, with special emphasis in the methodological challenges, issues about validity and reliability and writing up the final project. All the key aspects from the theoretical framework to methodological considerations are covered throughout the course. 2. Competencies developed Type Name Description Indicators General G2 Orientation towards achievement: perseverance 2,5, to excel and go beyond standards of excellence. Implies motivation for quality G11 Planning and organization: reflects a constant 1,2,3 concern for minimizing uncertainty in the environment and comply with established quality parameters. It supposes an ability to elaborate clearly defined, logical plans for oneself, and for others, prioritizing tasks in accordance with criteria of time, importance and urgency. G7 Team work and collaboration: cooperation and 1,4 team spirit Specific E19 Convert an empirical problem into a research objective and draw conclusions 4,5,,7,8,9 2
Basic B1 Be able to acquire, understand and structure 1,4,5 knowledge B2 Be able to apply knowledge 1,2 Be able to search for and manage information in 1,2,5 B3 order to solve problems, transmit reflective judgments and/or make decisions B5 Be able to learn autonomously and continuously 1,2,3 3. Content Week Block Theme Content I. 1-4 Putting together a literature review 4-8 Conducting the research 8-15 Reporting the research Exam week Defending the research After identifying and defining the research topic, aim and objectives, the students will carefully review the literature concerning the area of research. Going through the research process. Writing the dissertation Defense. Following from the proposal and rationale, the students will develop a theoretical framework based on contemporary readings. Learning to carefully plan and execute the research in order to find answers and solutions to the questions or problems investigated while relating theory and empirical data. The introduction (mainly derived from the research proposal). The literature review: writing a literature review and theoretical framework based on academic references. The research approach and methods for data collection, eventually the pilot study, and a description of data analysis. The research results after collecting, interpreting and analyzing the data. The conclusions, relating the data with the theory. Describing the limitations and recommendations of the research undertaken. List of references, presenting all references according to the HTSI referencing norms. Appendices, including all relevant Annexes. Defense. 3
4. Learning activities and distribution of work load: Week In attendance (Theory and Practice) 1 General introduction to all students and tutors Start Undergraduate dissertation 2 Follow-up with 3 Follow-up with Literature review 4 Follow-up with 5 Follow-up with Data analysis. Research design and planning. Follow-up with 7 Follow-up with analyse data 8 Follow-up with H Supervised H Independent H 3.5 Review research proposal with your team 3.5 Research question. Research objectives, Literature review. 3.5 Finish draft Lit. review 19 th Feb 3.5 Submit first draft with introduction and literature review: theoretical framework 3.5 Prepare and justify fieldwork 3.5 Prepare draft and discuss data analysis 12 th Mar 3.5 Submit draft 3.5 The research findings after collecting, interpreting and analyzing the data. 4.5 Work on aim and objectives and Lit review 4.5 Draft introduction and prepare literature review 4.5 Prepare: intro, lit review 4.5 Prepare methods and plan fieldwork 4.5 Get feedback from literature review Fieldwork 4.5 Fieldwork 4.5 Finish fieldwork and draft 4.5 Draft II intro and literature review 9 Follow-up with 3.5 Draft findings 4.5 Feedback on 4
10 Follow-up with 11 Follow-up with 12 Follow-up with 13 Follow-up with 14 Follow-up with 15 Follow-up with 9 th Apr 3.5 chapter and discuss with supervisor Submit draft on findings and discuss conclusions 3.5 Prepare discussion and conclusions 23th Apr 3.5 Submit final draft chapter Work on overall feedback (from intro to findings) 7 Work on final draft 4.5 Prepare presentation for defence 3.5 Clinic 4.5 Prepare presentation for defence 3.5 Final feedback from supervisors 3.5 Undergraduate dissertation submission 4.5 Work on feedback 4.5 Defence 3. Hours 52.5 70 87.5 % 25 33.3 41.7 5. Assessment activities Regular call Activity type I/G Ext. (words) Delivery date Percentage Assessed competencies Supervision follow-up I Weekly 30 B1,B2, G2,G11 Dissertation G 10,000 W15 ( 14 th May) 50 B1, B2, B3, B5, E19, Defence I 15 min. Exam week 20 E19,G7, G11 5
Assessment comments: Students will have to submit two hard copies of the dissertation and one pdf via Moodle. Please note the undergraduate dissertation is graded by two unbiased lecturers, also present at the defense, whereas the participation and motivation is the element assessed by your own supervisor. The written dissertation must be graded 5.00 or higher to do average with the remaining elements. Those dissertations with a mark lower than 5.00 will have to be resubmitted. Resit examination call Activity type I/G Ext. (words) Dissertation and defence I or G 10,000 15 min. Delivery date Percentage Assessed competencies TBC 100 G2,G11,G7,E19, B1,B2,B3,B5 Assessment comments: Those students having to retake will do so either individually or in pairs (this is at the discretion of the supervisor). Repeating students with no attendance Activity type I/G Ext. (words) Dissertation and defence I or G 10,000 20 min. Delivery date Percentage Assessed competencies TBC 100 G2,G11,G7,E19, B1,B2,B3,B5 Assessment comments: Those students having to retake will do so either individually or in pairs (this is at the discretion of the supervisor).
. Compulsory readings Reading 1 Reading 2 Altinay, L. and Paraskevas, A. (2008). Planning Research in Hospitality and Tourism (241). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Nº pages 154-240 Hours 22 (8) Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2008) Research Methods for Business Students. (4th ed.) (504) Financial Times. Harlow: Prentice Hall. Nº pages 472-09 Hours 34 (137) Nº pages 223 Total hours 5 Recommended readings Please note the students will have to critically review literatures on subject specific areas. 7. Lecturer/s Zaida Rodrigo graduated with a BA (Hons) in Tourism Business Management from the University of Birmingham after graduating in tourism studies in Spain (Sant Ignasi). She undertook postgraduate marketing studies and is a Chartered Marketer. Beginning lecturing at University College Birmingham in 2003, she specialised in Marketing and Tourism related subjects. Zaida has completed her MPhil in Destination Branding and her Ph.D. thesis in Branding Post- Mature Destinations and Stakeholder Management. As well as lecturing, Zaida is involved in European projects such as Imagine with the Copenhagen Business School and is part of a Euro region funded academic network, presenting and researching with other Universities. Zaida has previous industry experience as an operations consultant for a luxury tour operator (Abercrombie and Kent) and as a European marketing manager for manufacturing goods. Esther Binkhorst received her Ph.D. in 2002 from Tilburg University, The Netherlands, investigating the tourism experience and holds a Master Degree in Consumer Sciences from Wageningen University, The Netherlands, with specialisation in research and tourism. She was tourism project manager at Stenden University in Leeuwarden and research consultant at the Centre for Research and Statistics in Rotterdam The Netherlands. Since 2004 she is lecturer and researcher at TSI, University of Ramon Llul in Barcelona for the areas Research Skills, Innovation Management and Events Management. Furthermore, she is the founder of Co-creations, a Spanish and Dutch based facilitator of tourism, hospitality and events initiatives based on co-creation. 7
Jordi Ficapal holds a Bachelor degree in Anthropology from the University of Barcelona as well as a Master degree in International Cooperation for Development and postgraduate diplomas in Anthropology of Family and Welfare and in Anthropology and problems of the contemporary society. Doctorate courses in Social and Cultural Anthropology. Lecturer and researcher at TSI- Turismo Sant Ignasi (ESADE Universitat Ramon Llull). Member of the Academic board of UNESCO Chair on Education, Technology and Development of Universitat Ramon Llull. Member of the Academic board of ETHOS Chair on ethics, Universitat Ramon Llull. Leader researcher of the Research group on Ethics of Tourism and Hospitality (GRETHOS) URL. Member of COODTUR, International Network of Researchers in Tourism, Cooperation and Development. Cristian Palazzi holds a Bachelor degree in Philosophy from the Ramon Llull University as well as a Master degree in Ethics and Aesthetics in Contemporary Thought from University of Barcelona. Member of consolidated research group Pedagogy, Society and innovation with the support of information and communication technologies PSITIC of the Ramon Llull University. He has been invited as visiting professor by ESAN University (Lima, Perú) to teach Professional Ethics in Project Management and since 2009 is the editor of Diàlegs, a socio-political academic journal published by INEHCA. Jorge Peralta has a bachelor s degree both in Tourism at E.O.T. and in Advertising and Public Relations at U.O.C. and a postgraduate degree in Marketing Management at ESADE. Upon receiving a postgraduate managerial grant from Guitart Hotels, he experienced his first total immersion in the hotel business. He has acquired a well-rounded professional experience in the tourism sector in the booking department of tour operator, in marketing and training in both urban and costal hotel chains, in restaurant chains as a sales representative for corporate events, in F&B for an independent hotel and as the operations supervisor of a catering company. He has worked the last 15 years in the field of education, occupying the position of Head of Vocational Education in the catering division and Coordinator of the internship program at the Escola d Hostaleria Sant Ignasi. He has taught classes in the areas of Tourism Marketing and Hotel Administration since 1988. Emili Valdero holds a Bachelor degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Barcelona in 1989, Graduate in Applied Statistics at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London University, in 1994, Bachelor degree in Statistics from the University of Barcelona in 1995, PhD in Economics from the University of Barcelona in 1998. He is Associate Professor of the Department of Mathematical Economics and Finance from the University of Barcelona since the year 2001. In HTSI, he is the teacher responsible of the subjects related to resources and tourism products and markets in the Bachelor Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management. He worked in the Economic Research Service of La Caixa from 1990 to 1991. He has published several books and articles about the Catalan economy. From 200 to 2008 he was Secretary of Commerce and Tourism of the Generalitat of Catalonia. 8. Observations Plagiarism is a term used in academia for passing off other people s work as your own. Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is a serious academic offence. It arises where work submitted by a student has been taken from another source. Plagiarism is academic fraud. Please ensure you refer to the HTSI rules and orientations for academic work and avoid plagiarism. 8