HMG 6257 – Hospitality and Tourism Industry Research Analysis offers students an opportunity to explore the major emerging issues or problems that impact the domestic and global hospitality and tourism industry.  Students will learn to use content analysis and other methodologies to identify and analyze relevant industry problems and issues facing management and personnel in the global and domestic hospitality and tourism industry.

At the end of this course students will be able to perform each of the following activities with an accuracy of 73 percent or higher:

• Evaluate the meaning and importance of the environment through the use of conceptual frameworks.
• Analyze the environmental dynamics of the U.S. and international hospitality and tourism industry.
• Assess content analysis, survey and think tank methodologies and computer data based systems to develop and analyze trends.
• Analyze and discuss the major trends in categories of the industry environment.

Interpret trends in terms of their likely impact and generate future trends scenarios.

Please review the FIU's Policies webpage. The policies webpage contains essential information regarding guidelines relevant to all courses at FIU, as well as additional information about acceptable netiquette for online courses. For additional information, please visit FIU's Policy and Procedure Library.

 As a member of the FIU community you are expected to be knowledgeable about the behavioral expectations set forth in the FIU Student Conduct and Honor Code.

One of the greatest barriers to taking an online course is a lack of basic computer literacy. By computer literacy, we mean being able to manage and organize computer files efficiently and learning to use your computer's operating system and software quickly and easily. Keep in mind that this is not a computer literacy course, but students enrolled in online courses are expected to have moderate proficiency using a computer. Please go to the What's Required webpage to find out more information on this subject.

Privacy Policy Statements for Partners and Vendors

• Canvas
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Google
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• ProctorU
• HonorLock
• Turnitin
• OpenStax
• Zoom
• Respondus LockDown Browser

Please visit our Technical Requirements webpage for additional information.

The Disability Resource Center collaborates with students, faculty, staff, and community members to create diverse learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable. The DRC provides FIU students with disabilities the necessary support to successfully complete their education and participate in activities available to all students. If you have a diagnosed disability and plan to utilize academic accommodations, please contact the Center at 305-348-3532 or visit them at the Graham Center GC 190.

For additional assistance please contact FIU's Disability Resource Center.

Web Accessibility Statements for Partners and Vendors 

• Canvas
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Google
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• ProctorU
• HonorLock
• Turnitin
• OpenStax
• Zoom
• Respondus LockDown Browser

Please visit our ADA Compliance webpage for additional information about accessibility involving the tools used in this course.

Florida International University is a community dedicated to generating and imparting knowledge through excellent teaching and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and community service. All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic conduct, which demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to understand that if they are found responsible for academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Conduct and Honor Code. Academic Misconduct includes:

Cheating

• The unauthorized use of any materials, information, study aids or assistance from another person on any academic assignment or exercise, unless explicitly authorized by the course Instructor; 
• Assisting another student in the unauthorized use of any materials, information, study aids, unless explicitly authorized by the Instructor; and 
• Having a substitute complete any academic assignment or completing an academic assignment for someone else, either paid or unpaid; and

Plagiarism

• The deliberate use and appropriation of another are work without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the Student's own.
• Assisting another student in the deliberate use and appropriation of another’s work without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the student’s own. 

Learn more about the academic integrity policies and procedures as well as student resources that can help you prepare for a successful semester.

If you are looking for help for yourself or a fellow classmate, Panthers Care encourages you to express any concerns you may come across as it relates to any personal behavior concerns or worries you have, for the classmate’s well-being or yours; you are encouraged to share your concerns with FIU’s Panthers Care website.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free and confidential help for anxiety, depression, stress, and other concerns that life brings. Professional counselors are available for same-day appointments. Don’t wait to call (305) 348-2277 to set up a time to talk or visit the online self-help portal.

This course will serve to embrace the diversity and inclusivity found within Florida International University. We appreciate and respect diversity, equality, equity, cooperativeness, community, and sustainability within our online courses. We are committed to the ongoing education of our students and their participation within the course regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, geographical location, religion, and disability. We strive in encouraging collaboration by preparing our students to value the differences in others. At the core of our intentions is the encouragement of acceptance and appreciation of differences within our student population and community.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course is developed to acquaint the student with the major trends occurring in the global and domestic hospitality and tourism industry and to develop the analytical skills required to interpret them. This interpretation consists of:

• the identification of trends;
• their timing;
• the causal effects they have on organizations; and
• the actual probability of their occurrence.

To accomplish this objective, two major themes will be explored:

• the concept of the environment and environmental scanning and, major qualitative trends affecting the general, task, industry segment and functional environments of hospitality and tourism organizations.

Students are expected to check emails regularly for course-related messages or announcements.  Any email communication sent to the professor should be professional in nature, and include the student’s name, the course in which they are enrolled, a salutation and closing, and clear and concise message content.  More information on writing professional emails, including examples, can be found here: http://syntaxis.com/files/bk-excerpt-email.pdf  Students should expect a reply response from the professor within 24 hours, unless a situation arises that prevents this opportunity.  

Class Participation and Discussion   
 Attendance and quality class participation is required.  A quality discussion contribution (both live and online) consists of thoughtful feedback, versus a simple, superficial remark such as “I agree” or “I like this”.  A quality discussion contribution will explain WHY you agree or WHY you like something.  Students who arrive more than 15 minutes after class begins may not be admitted to the class, and will receive participation point deductions similar to that of an absence.  Unexcused absences will result in decreased participation points proportionate to number of class meetings per semester.  Participation credit requires participation in class activities and discussions each class session.

Industry Interview Assignments  
 Students should research contemporary issues in the global and/or domestic hospitality industry by reaching out to industry leaders to consult them regarding their perspectives on what contemporary issues/trends they are seeing in their own work experiences.  This will take the form of an informal interview, and may be conducted via phone, email, LinkedIn, in-person, or other channel.  Students should post a summary of the interview to the allocated Canvas assignment area by the due date listed in the course schedule.  The summary should NOT identify the individual interviewed, but should indicate their position/title, industry facet, and geographic location (ex. General Manager, full-service restaurant industry, Miami, FL).    

Industry “Issue / Trends” Online Discussions
 Students should research contemporary issues in the global and/or domestic hospitality industry by searching the internet, newspapers, trade journals, news broadcasts, and social media.  Students should post a summary of one issue to the allocated Canvas discussion board prior to class on the day of Individual “Issue” Reports (the goal being to share your finding with the class).  In this post, students should include links to media/articles if appropriate.  Students are expected to engage in discussion with classmates by replying to any comments on their own original posts, as well as to the posts of at least 5 classmates.      

Group Presentation 
 Students will be assigned to one of several groups.  Each group will select one trend or issue in the global or domestic hospitality industry, and attempt to understand how this trend or issue occurred, how it is or will impact the industry, and what measures should be taken in response to the trend or issue.  Each group will present their research and conclusions to the class on their assigned presentation day.  

Presentations will be assessed by both the professor and the class (see grading standards below).   Each student is responsible for bringing a copy of the Presentation Evaluation Sheet to complete and submit after viewing the presentations of other groups.  This sheet is available for download on Canvas.  Failure to submit an evaluation after viewing another group's presentation will result in a loss of participation points for that class session.

Presentations guidelines are as follows:

• Presentation length should be no longer than 30 minutes, and should take the form of a peer-lead discussion, with opportunity for interaction with the class.
• Presentations should use visual aids (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.), and include a title slide with group member names, the group number, the course information, and the title/topic.
• Presentations should clearly describe the issue or trend to be addressed.
• Presentations should attempt to identify the cause of the issue or trend. 
• Presentations should provide predictions and practical implications as to how the trend/issue will impact the industry in the future.
• Presentations should provide recommendations as to what actions should be taken by industry in response to this trend/issue. 
• Information in presentations must be supported by the conduction of unbiased research (review of academic literature, trade publications, industry professional interviews, data based systems, content analysis, etc.).  Presentation slides should include APA-style citations on each slide containing material obtained from an original source. 
• Presentations should include an opportunity for discussion and feedback. 
• Presentation visuals (PowerPoint file/Prezi link) should be posted to the “Group Presentation” discussion board prior to the execution of the presentation. 

Failure to contribute equally to the success of the group presentation may result in receiving a zero for one or both of the assignments.  Should there be a conflict within the group students should exhaust EVERY effort to remedy the conflict within the group using professional, appropriate, prompt, and regular communication.  Students should notify the professor ONLY AFTER every effort has been made to resolve the conflict within the group so that mediation may take place.  Failure to notify the professor of a group conflict prior to the end of the semester will be taken as an indication that group members accept equal reward for unequal contribution.   Please note that peer feedback will also factor into the presentation grade via the Peer Evaluation Sheet found on Canvas; each group member is responsible for bringing a copy to complete on their presentation day.

Zoom is a video conference tool that you can use to interact with your professor and fellow students by sharing screens, chatting, broadcasting live video/audio, and taking part in other interactive online activities. We will be utilizing this tool as needed.

Zoom meetings can be accessed via the Zoom link in the course navigation menu. Once you click on the Zoom link, it will route you to join the meeting for the respective class session. You will also be able to view upcoming meetings, previous meetings that you have already joined, and meeting recordings. Before joining an actual class session:

• Reference the Zoom Student Tutorials to learn about the tool, how to access your meeting room, and share your screen.
• Access the Zoom Test Meeting Room to test out the software before joining an actual session.

If you encounter any technical difficulties, please contact the FIU Canvas Help Team. Please ensure you contact support immediately upon the issue occurring.