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Strategic Management of Tourist Companies

Code: 104955 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Tourism OB 3

Contact

Name:
Jordi Datzira Masip
Email:
jordi.datzira@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The main objective of this course is to provide students with current knowledge and practical skills in strategic management of tourist companies. This is especially important in order to provide up-to-date applied knowledge of fundamental strategic issues, their pitfalls, and how to “read between-the-lines” of strategic management. During the course, we will analyse how external and internal factors shape the company’s strategic approaches, and what tools are available for the companies to define the best strategic options available to succeed in the marketplace.

The course has the following learning objectives:

  • Understand the concept of strategy and the factors that affect strategic decision- making, implementation and evaluation.
  • Understand the relationship between strategic planning and business performance.
  • Conduct in-depth organizational, industrial and environmental analysis within the tourism industry.
  • Understand how the differences in the economic, socio-cultural, political and legal environments among countries affect the decision-making process and strategic paths.
  • Develop strategies for domestic and international operations.
  • Apply the information received during theoretical sessions to current situations involving tourist companies internationally and/or globally active.

Competences

  • Apply the concepts related to tourism products and businesses (economy and finance, human resources, commercial policy, markets, operations and strategy) in the different parts of the sector.
  • Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  • Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the functioning and evolution of different tourism models in order to choose the most suitable one and apply it in the current environment.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Display a customer service orientation.
  • Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  • Plan, organise and coordinate a work team, creating synergies and showing empathy.
  • Propose creative alternative solutions to problems arising in the field of tourism management, planning, businesses and products.
  • Show initiative and an entrepreneurial approach to business creation and management in the tourism sector.
  • Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and diagnose the situation of a tourist destination, resource or space.
  2. Apply the techniques of budgeting and strategic planning.
  3. Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  4. Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  5. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  6. Develop problem-solving skills in business.
  7. Develop skills in leadership and conflict management.
  8. Develop the skills needed to adapt to new business scenarios.
  9. Display a customer service orientation.
  10. Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  11. Identify and evaluate new business opportunities in the sector.
  12. Identify the resources and capacities needed to develop new businesses.
  13. Perform an internal and external analysis to diagnose a business's commercial situation.
  14. Plan, organise and coordinate a work team, creating synergies and showing empathy.
  15. Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  16. Use communication techniques at all levels.
  17. Work in a team.

Content

Introduction to the unit Strategic Management of Tourist Companies

Topic 1: The concept of strategy

Topic 2: The tools of strategic analysis

Topic 3: External analysis

Topic 4: Internal analysis

Topic 5: The five generic competitive strategies

Topic 6: Growth and development strategies

Topic 7: Internationalization strategies

Topic 8: Innovation strategies (Extra topic)


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Public presentation of the Project 4 0.16 2, 4, 7, 6, 8, 5, 16, 14, 15, 9, 17
Resolution of Practical cases 30 1.2 7, 6, 8, 5, 14, 15, 9, 10, 17
Theoretical classes 30 1.2 1, 13, 12, 11, 10
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 24 0.96 5, 10
Type: Autonomous      
Project Development 15 0.6 3, 4, 7, 6, 8, 5, 12, 11, 15, 10
Resolutions of practical cases 15 0.6 2, 3, 4, 7, 6, 8, 5, 13, 12, 11, 16, 14, 15, 17
Study 15 0.6 5

The teaching methodology is based on a continuous evaluation, combining theoretical content, practical in-class activities, research and analysis, presentations, and reports. Assistance and participation in class during the semester will also be assessed. Therefore, classes will be conducted in seminar format promoting student’s participation. It is important to remark that most of the theoretical material is needed to tackle the case studies and presentations. Fundamental theoretical notions and special issues in strategic management will be discussed in class and applied on case studies.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Assistance and participation 15% 0 0 1, 3, 4, 7, 6, 8, 13, 12, 11, 16, 14, 15, 9, 10, 17
End term evaluation 25% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 5, 13, 12, 14, 9, 10
Practical in-class activities 20% 10 0.4 1, 3, 8, 13, 12, 11, 16, 14, 15, 17
Project (group) 40% 5 0.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 5, 13, 12, 11, 16, 14, 15, 9, 10, 17

Continuous evaluation

The continuous evaluation is composed of one evaluation (individual), a project (group), practical in-class activities, and the participation and assistance in class. To pass the continuous evaluation, students need to reach a minimum of 3.5 out of 10 in each of the assessments. Otherwise, students will have to do the final evaluation at the end of the semester.

Unique evaluation

The unique evaluation is composed of three individual assessments to be delivered during the semester, and the final evaluation at the end of the semester.

Title

Weighting

Assessment 1: Strategic position project report

20%

Assessment 2: Case study presentation and video

20%

Assessment 2: Strategic choices and implementation project report

20%

Final evaluation

40%

 

Evaluations (end-term evaluation, final evaluation, and re-evaluation)

The evaluations include the following format in three parts:

  • Part 1: Quiz (15%)
  • Part 2: Short questions (30%)
  • Part 3: Long questions (50%)

Bibliography

Prescribed bibliography:

Evans, N. (2020). Strategic Management of tourism, hospitality and events (3rd Ed.). London: Routledge.

Johnson, G. (2015). Fundamentals of strategy (3rd Ed.) Harlow: Pearson.

Recommended bibliography:

Adner, R. and Zemsky, P. (2006). A demand-based perspective on sustainable competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal, 27, 215-239.

Arend, R. J., Zhao, L., Song, M., and Im, S. (2017). Strategic planning as a complex and enabling managerial tool. Strategic Management Journal, 38, 1741-1752. DOI: 10.1002/smj.2420

Bowman, E. H., and Helfat, C. E. (2001). Does corporate strategy matter? Strategic Management Journal, 22, 1-23.

Campbell, B. A., Coff, R., and Kryscynski, D. (2012) Rethinking sustained competitive advantage from human capital. Academy of Management, 37, 3, 376-395. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2010.0276

Colbert, B. A. (2004). The complex Resource-Based View: implications for theory and practice in strategic human resource management. Academy of Management, 29, 3, 341-358.

Ebben, J. J., and Johnson, A. C. (2005). Efficiency, flexibility, or both? Evidence linking strategy to performance in small firms. Strategic Management Journal, 26, 1249–1259

Elbanna, S.  and Child, J. (2007). Influences on strategic decision effectiveness: development and test of an integrative model. Strategic Management Journal, 28, 431-453. DOI: 10.1002/smj.597

Evans, N., Campbell, D., and Stonehouse. G. (2003). Strategic Management for travel and tourism. Oxford: Elseveier.

Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R. E., and Harrison, J. S. (2023). Strategic Management: competitiveness and globalization. Concepts and cases.Singapore: Cengage learning.

Huang, L., and Knight, A. P. (2017). Resources and relationships in entrepreneurship: and exchange theory of the development and effects of the entrepreneur-investor relationship. Academy of Management, 42, 1, 80-102. DOI: http://dx .doi .or g/10.5465/ami .2014.0397

Hult, T. M., Ketchen, D. J. JR., and Arrfelt, M. (2007) Strategic supply chain management: improving performance through a culture of competitiveness and knowledge development. Strategic Management Journal, 28, 1035-1052. DOI: 10.1002/smj.627

Inkpen, A. C., and Tsang, E. W. K. (2005). Social capital, networks, and knowledge transfer. Academy of Management, 30, 1, 146-165.

Jawahar, I. M., and McLaughlin, G. L. (2001). Toward a descriptive stakeholder theory: an organizational life cycle approach. Academy of Management, 26, 2, 397-414.

Kang, S-C., Morris, S. S., and Snell, S. A. (2007). Relational archetypes, organizational learning, and value creation: extending the human resource architecture. Academy of Management, 32, 1, 236-256.

Kirtley, J., and O'Mahony, S. (2023) What is a pivot? Explaining when and how entrepreneurial firms decide to make strategic change and pivot. Strategic Management Journal, 44, 197-230. DOI: 10.1002/smj.3131

Lieberman, M. B., and Asaba, S. (2006). Why do firms imitate each other? Academy of Management, 31, 2, 366-385.

Priem, R. L. (2007). A consumer perspective on value creation. Academy of Management, 32, 1, 219-235.

Rodriguez, P., Uhlenbruck, K., and Eden, L. (2005). Government corruption and the entry strategies of multinationals. Academy of Management, 30, 2, 383-396.

Schmidt, J., and Keil, T. (2013). What makes a resource valuable? Identifying the drivers of firm-idiosyncratic resource value. Academy of Management, 38, 2, 206-228. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2010.0

Scott, S.G., and Lane, V. R. (2000). A stakeholder approach to organizational identity. Academy of Management, 25, 1, 43-62.

Song, M., Calantone, R. J., and Di Benedetto, A. C. (2002). Competitive forces and strategic choice decisions: an experimental investigation in the United States and Japan. Strategic Management Journal, 23, 969–978. DOI: 10.1002/smj.258

Wunder, T. (2019). Rethinking strategic management: sustainable strategizing for positive impact. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance.

Yin, X., and Shanley, M. (2008). Industry determinants of the "Merger versus Alliance" decision. Academy of Management, 33, 2, 473-491.


Software

  • MS Teams/Zoom
  • MS Office

Groups and Languages

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 English second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 English second semester morning-mixed