Professor David Solnet
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
This course explores service management theory and its practical application in Tourism, Hospitality and Event management. It covers a range of management fundamentals integrating service mindedness across a range of management areas essential for effective leadership in service organisations. This course will also enhance student employability by providing opportunities to think critically, as well as creatively problem solve while working in teams to negotiate real world practice. These are capabilities sought after by the Tourism, Hospitality and Events Industry.
WELCOME & OVERVIEW
Welcome to TOUR3008 – Service Management in Tourism. This is a third-year course, designed to enhance and broaden your understanding of management principles - with the focus on service and service organisations. This course will help you to bring together your understanding of operations management, human resource management, marketing and management from the perspective of a service organisation.
COURSE FOCUS
This course addresses management from a 'service' perspective, based on the premise that organisations in the tourism arena offer and provide service for the fulfilment of customer needs, rather than merely selling accommodation, food, beverage, entertainment and the like.
Since service plays a significant role in the 'result' expected by customers and promised by management, it is wholly appropriate that tourism sector managers understand organisational functions from a 'service' perspective. Although service management principles have been practiced for years by the world’s best organisations, research and study of service management has enabled a clear and comprehensive understanding of the key managerial issues relevant to the effective delivery and management of service. This course reviews the history and current thinking regarding service management and uses tourism as a context to better understand principles, theory and best practice. Almost all businesses are in fact in the business of offering service in one form or another, hence the importance of a comprehensive understanding of the management of service.
Sustainable Development Goals - UQ Business School is a proud supporter and Advanced Signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME). As part of the largest global collaboration between business schools and the UN, the school emphasises its role in empowering students to drive societal transformation through the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs highlight that a thriving economy relies on a healthy environment, aiming to balance economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection for a sustainable future.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course should be undertaken in your final year of study. As this a third-year course, there is an assumption thatﾠyou already have a broad ranging knowledge and understanding of the tourism/hospitality/event industry, as well as a solid grasp of management and business principles.ﾠIt would also be highly beneficial to have prior understanding of hospitality/tourism/event management issues as well as some relevant work experience in service-related organisations.
Note: Before attempting this course, students are advised that it is important to complete any prerequisite course(s) listed in this course profile. No responsibility will be accepted by the School, the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law or the University of Queensland for poor student performance occurring in courses where the appropriate prerequisite(s) has/have not been completed, for any reason whatsoever.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
16 units of previous study or 8 units HOSP courses
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
HOSP3002 or TOUR2005
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please email business.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full Name
- Student ID
- Course Code
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students (future managers) with an intellectual understanding of the key management issues from a service perspective within hospitality and tourism industry organisations, in an international setting. This course will also enhance student employability by providing opportunities to think critically, as well as creatively problem solve while working in teams to negotiate real world practice. These are capabilities sought after by the Tourism, Hospitality and Events Industry.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate an understanding of hospitality/tourism management from a service management perspective.
LO2.
Analyse the inter-relationship between operations, general management, human resources and marketing within an organisation as an integrated whole.
LO3.
Consider and reflect upon current best practice in relation to measuring business performance for service-related businesses.
LO4.
Analyse and discuss the key management issues in a tourism context, within an international setting.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflection | Service Experience Transcript | 20% |
28/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Service Experience Report
|
30% |
12/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Examination |
Final Examination - Written (Problem solving using service management principles)
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Service Experience Transcript
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
28/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
This assignment requires you to reflect upon your own service experiences from a customer perspective, and link one of these experiences to a service management concept. Each student will be given a service management topic and will match this topic to a real service experience. Students will submit a 700 word transcript and one photo of that experience and its connection to service management. The main emphasis should be on a clear connection of what happened and the relevant service concept.
This will then form the basis for each student's Service Experience Report.
Criteria sheet will be posted to Blackboard.
AI Statement
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Via Turnitin
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Service Experience Report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
12/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Longitudinal.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
You are required to reflect upon your own service experiences from a real customer perspective. Then link one of these experiences based on your first assessment (Service Experience Transcript) to a relevant service concept. You will write a 'literature review' on your service concept which links theory to practice. Finally, providing a specific guide to managers about how to use this service concept in practice.
There are two parts to this assessment task:
- Identify a service experience based on your allocated topic (given in tutorials). (NOTE: this is from the viewpoint of the customer).
- Then, you will write a 2000 word report which includes an introduction to your service experience, why it connects to your allocated service concept, a literature review and finally management recommendations.
Topics will be allocated in Tutorials.
Criteria sheet will be posted to Blackboard.
AI Statement
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission through Turnitin located in the Blackboard Assessment link.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Examination - Written (Problem solving using service management principles)
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This is a problem-based assessment whereby students will have to apply service management principles, theories and approaches to address real-world situations and challenges facing all service industries - with a focus on the tourism, hospitality and events sectors. The assessment will assess your understanding of the content we have covered this semester.
The format is made up of a series of short answer questions.
More details will be provided in class, as well as preparation advice.
AI Statement
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | Two A4 sheets of handwritten notes, double sided, are permitted The notes may be handwritten or typed. |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
INTRODUCTION: COURSE, TEACHING TEAM & ASSESSMENT A detailed overview of the course, where it sits in the context of the program and expectation from the teaching team Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
FOUNDATIONS OF SERVICE MANAGEMENT Like the 'periodic table of elements' this week is dedicated to the principles of service management and how the field developed over the past 30+ years Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Orientation to Tutorials Orientation & assessment information Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 3 |
Lecture |
EVALUATING QUALITY IN SERVICE Quality has taken on a whole new meaning in the context of 'intangible offerings' - this lecture goes to the heard of understanding how customers 'perceive' quality of service. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Lecture reflections and Gronroos article Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
CUSTOMER ORIENTATION (part 1) What is 'customer orientation' and how and why is it so difficult to master? Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Lecture Reflections & Parasuraman article Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 5 |
Lecture |
CUSTOMER ORIENTATION (part 2) How do we 'listen' to customers in a digital world? Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Lecture Reflections & Shah article Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 6 |
Lecture |
SERVICE ENCOUNTER & CUSTOMER JOURNEY Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Work on Transcripts Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
|
Week 7 |
Lecture |
SUPPLY, DEMAND & PSYCHOLOGY OF WAITING Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities: Lecture Reflections and CJM Application Exercises Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
|
Week 8 |
Lecture |
SERVICE VALUES & VISION Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Checkpoint Quiz (attendance not required) Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
|
Mid-sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Semester Break No Classes this week. |
Week 9 |
Lecture |
SERVICE PROFIT CHAIN / SERVICE CULTURE Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Report Writing Session Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
|
Week 10 |
Lecture |
SERVICE GUARANTEES Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Lecture Reflections and Danny Meyer Case Study Labour Day Public Holiday - Monday 5 May 2025 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 11 |
Lecture |
SERVICE FAILURE/RECOVERY Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Activities Take home Assign preparation Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 12 |
Lecture |
CATCH UP AND REVIEW KEY CONTENT Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Practice Exam Workshop and DIscussion We will run through exam conditions and expectations and work in teams to answer practice questions, critique answers and provide insights on expectations Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Informal Drop-in Session (office hours TBA) Professor Solnet will have extended office hours this week to enable students to meet and discus any elements of the course, assessment, upcoming exam or general career guidance. |
Tutorial |
Informal Drop-In Session (in tutorial times) This will be a continuation of Week 12's practice session for those students seeking additional support prior to the final exam |
Additional learning activity information
Sustainable Development Goals
This course integrates the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout course design, learning activities and / or assessment.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.