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Strategic Management

Code: 43408
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Hotel Management OB 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Víctor Gimenez Garcia
Email :
victor.gimenez@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Daniel Blabia Girau
Sebastián Aparicio Rincon
Joan Freixanet Solervicens

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

Pilar Malagarriga
Albert Grau
Federico Holzman

Group languages

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

Prerequisites

There are no previous prerequisites to take this subject.

Objectives

The implementation of business strategies is a key element for an organization to achieve optimal results. The development and implementation of strategic plans has become a key element of success for the management of hotel companies, especially after the increase in globalization and the increase in competition that has originated. This module addresses the complexity of this process and provides the necessary tools to design strategic hotel plans and achieve proper instrumentation. Likewise, the capacity of organizations to create a sustainable competitive advantage is examined. The objective is to optimize the ability of students to think strategically and to diagnose situations from a strategic perspective. Special attention is given to the practical formulation of strategies in hotel chains.

The objectives are:

  • To understand the importance of strategic formulation
  • To know the current environment of the international hotel sector and perform an analysis of it

  • To analyze the viability of a hotel project

  • To identify the strategies of hotel groups

  • To understand the key elements of the expansion and asset management strategy

  • To formulate and present a strategic plan

  • To develop the capacity of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship

  • To analyze and formulate Corporate Social Responsibility strategies

 

Learning outcomes

  1. Integrate knowledge and use it to make judgements in complex situations, with incomplete information, while keeping in mind social and ethical responsibilities.
  2. Communicate and justify conclusions clearly and unambiguously to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  3. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  4. Distinguish the elements of strategic management in the hotel sector.
  5. Identify the key elements of the principal hotel-management strategies.
  6. Recognise the factors involved in hotel positioning.
  7. Identify and formulate the different hotel-management strategies.
  8. Show expertise in expansion strategies for a hotel chain.
  9. Distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of each of the strategies for expansion in the hotel business.
  10. Measure the impact of local legislation on the formulation of expansion strategies.
  11. Manage multicultural impact on hotel management.
  12. Display in-depth knowledge of the international hotel sector.
  13. Perform a rigorous external analysis.
  14. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan for a complex hotel organisation.
  15. Master the tools for implementing strategies effectively.
  16. Value quality as an important differentiation strategy.
  17. Acknowledge the importance of corporate social responsibility in hotel companies.
  18. Know and apply tools to implement corporate social responsibility.
  19. Identify the most recent world-class success stories in the hotel sector and the key factors behind this success.
  20. Develop management and leadership skills.
  21. Identify and combine indicators with which to prepare reports for decision-making.
  22. Work in interdisciplinary teams.
  23. Generate innovative, competitive ideas and solutions.

Contents

1. Entrepreneurship and intra-entrepreneurship in the hotel sector


2. The process of formulating and implementing a strategic plan for an hotel company


3. Hotel environment and tourism policy. Analysis of strategic hotel alternatives. Wolrd class cases study in the hotel industry.


4. Feasibility analysis of new projects


5. Design of organizational structures for different hotel concepts


6. Strategies for expansion, outsourcing and asset management in the hotel sector


7. Family firms in the hospitality sector


8. The management of corporate social responsibility (CSR)

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Theory classes 45 1.8
Study, case studies and exam preparation 75 3
Case studies 26 1.04

Teaching language: Spanish

The teaching methodology is based on different activities:

  • Master classes where the professors will present the general topics, cases / exercises will be solved / discussed and debates will be held among students on topics exposed and previously read or explained
  • Written tests (exam)
  • Oral presentation of cases and requested works
  • Personalized tutorials with the teacher, both individual and group

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not allowed in any of its phases. Any assignment containing AI-generated content will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in partial or full penalization of the activity's grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.

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

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Project 1 presentation 45% 1 0.04 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
Exam 45% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Project CSR 10% 1 0.04 11, 17, 18

This subject/module does not offer the option for comprehensive evaluation


The commission of any irregularity in an assessment activity (academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of AI, unless such use is expressly authorized in the course guide) that could lead to a significant variation in the grade will result in that activity being graded with a 0. If the course guide stipulates that passing the subject requires obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity, or if several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same subject, the final grade for that subject will be 0. Independently of this, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.


Attendance to the sessions is compulsory with a minimum of 80% required. If the module is not passed, students can take a recovery exam provided that the grade obtained has been at least 3.5.

Bibliography

  • DRUCKER, P. F. (2002). La Gerencia en la Sociedad Futura. Colombia. Editorial Norma.
  • GHEMAWAT, P. (2000). La Estrategia en el Panorama del Negocio. Textos y Casos. México, Pearson Educación.GRANT, R.M. (2014). Dirección estratégica. Civitas Thomson Reuters, 5ª ed. Madrid.
  • GRANT, R.M. (2014). Dirección estratégica. Civitas Thomson Reuters, 5ª ed. Madrid.
  • GUERRAS, L.A. y NAVAS, J.E. (2015). La dirección estratégica de la empresa. Teoría y aplicaciones. Civitas Thomson Reuters, 5ª ed. Madrid.
  • HILL CHARLES W.L. (2001). Negocios Internacionales. Competencia en un Mercado Global. 3ra Edición. México, Editorial McGraw-Hill.
  • JOHNSON, G. y SCHOLES, K. (2001). Dirección Estratégica. Madrid. Prentice Hall, 2001
  • KALAKOTA, R. y ROBINSON, M. (2001). Del E-Commerce al E-Business. El Siguiente Paso. México, Pearson Educación.
  • KAPLAN, R. S. y NORTON, D.P. (2001). Cómo Utilizar el Cuadro de Mando Integral para Implementar y Gestionar su Estrategia. Barcelona, Editorial Gestión 2000.

Software

Microsoft Excel

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Spanish first semester afternoon
(TEm) Theory (master) 2 Spanish first semester afternoon