HT-MGT 444
Advanced Hotel Management

Course Elements & Grading
Student performance will be evaluated based upon:

Readings Quizzes

00%

Major Firm Presentation

10

A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-

D+
D
F
= 93-100
= 90-92
= 87-89
= 83-86
= 80-82
= 77-79
= 73-76
= 70-72

= 67-69
= 60-66
= Below 60

Case Quizzes (5@3%)

15

Midterm Exam

30

In-Class Participation

10

Simulation Paper & Presentation

30

Simulation Rank

05

Final Exam

00

 

  100%

READINGS QUIZZES
None.

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MAJOR FIRM PRESENTATION
Knowing where a firm has been is often crucial in understanding where it must go next. Therefore, students (in teams of two that you form yourselves) must select one major hotel company and prepare an in-class presentation using
Microsoft PowerPoint that is no more than 10-minutes in length (timed). In addition, a single page executive summary must be prepared for all class members. Part One of this effort should present a general history of the firm's development. Part Two should include a detailed analysis and evaluation of the firm's current strategic actions and future plans. Resources such as annual reports, the business press and industry publications will likely be helpful. Both the presentation and the executive summary are due the date of the in-class presentation (see Presentation Schedule). DO NOT PRIMARILY RELY ON THE INTERNET! Firms post information they want to be seen on the Internet - and it is often not complete. There is typically no editorial review of Internet material. Therefore, less than 50% of your citation sources may come from unedited site on the Internet. Because such knowledge is likely to be useful to anyone pursuing a career in the hotel industry, students will share the information discovered by making a 10 minute presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint. From this effort we should learn the general structure of the hotel industry and backgrounds of the major firms. A list of major hotel firms is provided on the Presentation Schedule. By no later than February 21st students are to select a firm to study by signing up for one of the available time slots. To sign up, send an e-mail to Dr. Roberts listing the names of the team members and the firm the team would like to research (first come, first served!). Click here to review the presentation assessment form. Click here to review a sample presentation. The presentation is worth 90% of the assignment grade and the executive summary is 10%. Combined, this entire assignment is worth 10% of the final course grade.
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CASE QUIZZES
A variety of business cases will be studied during the semester. In order to have stimulating classroom discussions, students are expected to have thoroughly read each case prior to the start of class. To encourage this preparation, quizzes will be given on six (6) cases. The lowest case quiz will be dropped. Each quiz is worth 3% (Total = 15%). There are absolutely no makeup quizzes, so please do not even ask; however, I will negotiate generously with any student who contacts me in advance.
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MIDTERM EXAM
One midterm will be given to test each student's knowledge of the primary aspects of strategic management. The exam will cover all material presented in class to date, including the assigned readings (text and handouts), in-class presentations and HOTS. The midterm exam comprises 30% of the final grade and cannot be made up under any circumstances unless prior arrangements have been negotiated.
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IN-CLASS PARTICIPATION
A business person worth his/her salt does the homework and makes quality contributions to the task at hand. Everyone will be responsible for the assigned material and should expect to be called upon. Oral communication and "thinking on your feet" are vital business skills. A significant proportion of the involvement grade will be determined by the instructor's careful evaluation of performance in this area. If you happen to be a soft-spoken or shy individual, use this class as a laboratory to develop assertiveness and verbal skills. Not only will your grade reflect these efforts but your potential success as a manager will also be enhanced. Of course, you can not be involved if you are not prepared. There will be various opportunities (class exercises, informal presentations, etc.) to demonstrate leadership and collaborative skills. As this is 10% of the grade, make good use of these opportunities and "get recognized" for your contributions.
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SIMULATION PAPER & PRESENTATION
One final group paper and presentation is required. Through participation in the computer simulation in teams of 2 or 3 members, students will be "living" their own case. The final paper is a careful analysis of that experience. The paper is expected to be of the highest business caliber: a professionally packaged document that clearly articulates the business issues; a carefully detailed analysis of those issues, and a full set of recommendations for the future. The presentations are to be no more than 10 minutes in length (timed) using Microsoft PowerPoint and should focus on the key points pertinent to your firm's experience in the simulation. It is likely that the difference between your intended strategy and your realized strategy will be a central issue. These presentations will be made during the final class meetings so that students may continue to learn from one another. See the HOTS final paper and presentation guidelines for details, but note that this list is a minimum and students are expected to present advanced analysis. The paper is due the no later than noon on Friday May 23, 2008. Both the presentation and the paper combined are 30% of the grade.
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SIMULATION RANK
An additional 5% of the final grade is based upon the team's final rank in the simulation as determined by organizational performance (primarily retained earnings). Using this criteria, teams will be graded as follows:

Top Performing Firm
6 out of 5% (Bonus!)
2nd Best Performing Firm
5 out of 5%
3rd Best Performing Firm
4 out of 5%
4th Best Performing Firm
3 out of 5%
5th Best Performing Firm
2 out of 5%
6th Best Performing Firm
1 out of 5%
7h Best Performing Firm
0 out of 5%

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FINAL EXAM
None.

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Updated 01/03/2008