Vol 11 Issue 2, September 2011 - School of Hotel & Tourism ...

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16Undergraduate ProgrammesPlacements can be completed in one or more organisations,under the guidance of a coaching supervisor in theworkplace and an SHTM mentor. Students have the optionof taking them full time across the summer semester of YearTwo and the first semester of Year Three, or the second andsummer semesters of Year Three. Part-time placements canbe undertaken between the second semester of Year Twoand the summer semester of Year Three.The Che-woo Lui Hotel and Tourism Resource CentreManagement students able to choose from HotelGeneral Management, Restaurant and Hotel FoodserviceManagement, and Hotel Administration. TourismManagement students have two choices: Private Sector andPublic Sector. In the final year of their studies, students inboth programmes will complete either an honours thesis ora capstone project.The career track options, in particular, set the School’sprogrammes apart from others offered in their fields.Another area in which the SHTM excels is in theprovision of opportunities for Work-Integrated Education.According to Dr Tony Tse, Assistant Professor and theSHTM’s Programme Director (Industry Partnerships),“upon successful completion of their placements, studentshave hands-on experience, professional skills and genericskills in relevant industry sectors for their future careergrowth. This is an important part of theeducation at the SHTM, and is highlyvalued by the hospitality industry”.As university education in Hong Kong adapts to meetthe needs of a changing world, SHTM students are at theforefront of initiatives to move well beyond traditionallisten-and-learn techniques. The School is committed tocontinually enhancing the value of its programmes, bothfor students and their potential employers.SHTM student interns at The Market,Hotel ICONWith all SHTM students expected tocomplete 960 hours of internships andthe compulsory subject Professional andLeadership Development, the Schoolwill continue to enhance its networkwith industry partners to open up evermore placement opportunities.SHTM student working atMacau Government TouristOffice, Hong KongAll students in the two SHTM programmes will undertakepaid internships in Hong Kong or overseas with industrypartners. Those who choose to do so locally will have theopportunity to apply for placements at Hotel ICON, theSchool’s teaching and research hotel.SHTM student working at Walt Disney World, Florida, USAHORIZONS
Research HorizonsHightlights of Recent Research by the SHTMVolume 6. Issue 2. September 2011Experience Drives Effective Tourism LeadershipEffective tourism leadership is developed over time andinvolves learning from a range of experiences and people,argue the SHTM’s Karin Weber and a co-author in arecently published research article. Drawing on in-depthinterviews with ten Hong Kong tourism leaders, theresearchers explore how leadership skills are developed,delineate their characteristics and relay advice for aspiringleaders. Ultimately, the development of effective leadershipin the tourism industry requires “giving passionateindividuals the room to learn by experience”.Tourism Leadership in Hong KongThe tourism industry is dominated by the provision ofservices and the creation of experiences. Yet there is littleunderstanding of how tourism leaders develop the skills tospearhead these efforts, and insufficient attention is paidto the role of cultural environments in determining whichleadership skills are necessary. The researchers set out torectify this situation by investigating tourism leaders inHong Kong.With its long-established tourism industry, Hong Kongfeatures a unique convergence of Asian and Westerninfluences that shape thought patterns and industrypractices. The city also continually attracts, educates andtrains people in tourism. This, note the researchers, createsthe need to determine what leadership characteristics andskills the local industry needs.Leaders InterviewedTo gain a detailed understanding of Hong Kong’s tourismleadership, the researchers interviewed ten senior figuresin the industry. They asked questions covering theinterviewees’ perceptions of their roles as managers andleaders, how they balanced leadership and management,how they had gained their skills, what makes an effectiveleader, leadership issues specific to the tourism industryand industry changes that require new leadership skills.All of the leaders held senior positions, with three servingas managing directors, three as executive directors, two aschairpeople, one as CEO and one as general manager. Theyrepresented hotel chains and associations, travel agenciesand the conference and exhibition sector. Having beeninvolved in tourism both in Hong Kong and internationallyfor periods ranging from 19 to 43 years, the nine men andone woman had considerable industry experience.Skill DevelopmentThe leaders indicated that they learned from personalexperience, with exposure to a variety of jobs and a widerange of situations helping them to develop managementand leadership skills. They also conceded the importanceof building knowledge through books and training courses,which the researchers suggest points to the necessity ofuniversity postgraduate courses closely linking theory andpractice.Skills could also be acquired informally and indirectlywhen engaging with others. One interviewee observedthat “I always try to listen to other people irrespective ofwhether they are high ranking, even minor business, minorissues, even ordinary people.” Other leaders noted moreformal learning, particularly from mentors, which leadsthe researchers to recommend that existing mentorshipprogrammes be enhanced to more effectively developleadership talent.School of Hotel and Tourism Management 1
Page 3 and 4: Celebrating Hotel ICON’s soft ope
Page 5 and 6: Hotel ICON Update3Hotel ICONLate Ap
Page 7 and 8: Samsung Digital Lab for Hospitality
Page 9: UNWTO Ulysses Prize7Dean ChonAwarde
Page 12 and 13: 10APacCHRIESHTM Students Provetheir
Page 14 and 15: 12Banyan Tree MOUsWin-Win Agreement
Page 16 and 17: 14Leading Alumni in a Global Societ
Page 20 and 21: Volume 6. Issue 2. Sep 2011Research
Page 22 and 23: Volume 6. Issue 2. Sep 2011Research
Page 25 and 26: Research Horizons Volume 6. Issue 2
Page 32 and 33: 18 Mainland ProgrammesUnity on Show
Page 34 and 35: 20SHTM NewsIn BriefArticle of the Y
Page 36 and 37: 22SHTM Newswith an innovative mobil
Page 38 and 39: 24Student ActivitiesBriefings, site
Page 40 and 41: 26Student Achievement AwardstudentS
Page 42 and 43: 28SHTM Mentorship ProgrammeCONKLIN
Page 44 and 45: 30 Alumni Association NewsAlum-note
Page 46 and 47: 32Professor-for-a-Day ProgrammeSpea

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