78367 - Principle of Management and Organizational Behavior

Learning outcomes

This course provides an overview of the basic principles of management and organization. More specifically it illustrates the challenges that managers and entrepreneurs face in the current fast changing economic environment and the tools that they can use to improve the performance of their businesses and gain a sustainable competitive advantage. By adopting a triple bottom line perspective (financial,social and environmental) it elucidates the basics of strategic planning and decision making. It also provides a synthetic overview of organizational design principles. All of the aforementioned topics are discussed leveraging business cases within the travel, tourism, entertainment and hospitality industries.

Course contents

Module I - Management and Marketing principles for tourism (Giorgio Ribaudo – 30 hours):

1. Introduction to management and management principles
2. The meaning of value in management and in recent years
3. The competitive environment
4. The competitive advantage
5. The role of strategy
6. Management and marketing tools applied to the tourism industry
7. Strategic planning for tourism
8. Designing and managing products, the value chain
9. Brand, image and positioning for tourism
10. An introduction to destination management

Module II - Organizational Design and Behavior (Daniele Mascia - 30 hours):

1. Management, Organizations and Organization Design
2. Organizational Theories: scientific management, classical school of administration, human relations school, contingency theories, resource-dependence theory, institution theory, organizational ecology, decision making.
3. Organization Models: functional, multidivisional and matrix structures; hybrid models
4. Relational coordination and social network perspective
5. Managing M&A and Strategic Alliances
6. Organization Behavior: historical foundations of management and OB theories; Managing individuals: ability versus aptitude; perceptions and attributions.
7. Managing motivation: classical and contemporary theories and their limitations
8. Managing groups and teams: functions; models, structures and norms
9. Managing cultures: the impact of organizational culture at work; the functions of organizational culture
10. Managing leading and coaching: leaders vs managers; theories of leadership

Readings/Bibliography

Module I:

Kotler, P.T., Bowen, J.T., Makens, J., Baloglu, S. “Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, Ed. Pearson. 7th Edition, 2017 (selected chapters).

Selected articles and book chapters covering principle of management, as presented in class.

Module II:

Daft, R.L Organization Theory and Design. 11th Edition. Cengage Learning, 2010 (selected chapters).

Kinicki, A. and Kreitner, R. 2009. Organization Behavior: key concepts, skills & best practices. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc (selected chapters).

Additional readings and case study material will be provided in class.

Teaching methods

Module I:

There will be 30 contat hours per week (30 hours in 10 sessions) with the key concepts, methods and techniques being introduced via lectures. In addition to formal lectures, we will use group discussion, cases, and video materials in order to combine conceptual and experiential approaches.

Module 2:

There will be 30 contat hours per week (30 hours in 10 sessions) with the key concepts, methods and techniques being introduced via lectures. In addition to formal lectures, we will use group discussion, cases, and video materials in order to combine conceptual and experiential approaches.

Assessment methods

Module I:

Participation in classes: 10%

Group Assignments: 30%

Written Exam: 60%

Module 2:

Participation in classes: 10%

Group Assignments: 30%

Written Exam: 60%

Office hours

See the website of Daniele Mascia

See the website of Giorgio Ribaudo