CTH Advanced Diploma

Management Research Report

Description
This module should be studied concurrently with other Advanced Diploma Modules
over the same period. It offers the opportunity for students to carry out a research
report that involves analysing and interpreting data and making recommendations for
future action. It has a secondary aim of developing independent research and study
skills that students will require when following a further period of study or working in
the industry.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module students will be able to;
• Demonstrate the ability to undertake independent research
• Collect relevant data
• Demonstrate the ability to interpret data
• Present the information in an agreed format

Content
Students must submit a research report in order to complete their Advanced Diploma.
A Research Report is an argument. It must start with a question, possibly broken down
into component parts, put forward arguments, present evidence, critically examine
the arguments and the evidence and reach a conclusion and make one or more
recommendations for future action.

The report title must be agreed between the student and the module tutor and should
consider a management aspect of tourism. This report is to be around 5,000 words,
plus or minus 10%, plus references, and must follow an acknowledged report format.

Examples of topics to be considered include;

• The use of brand names
• The introduction of new working practices
• Operational change
• Recruitment policies
• Marketing campaigns
• New technology
• Product changes
• Government policy and their effect on the industry

This list is far from exhaustive and it is expected that students will produce their own
title in an area which they are interested in and where they will be able to carry out
sufficient research.

It is expected that full use will be made of the tourism industry either in the UK or the
student’s home country.

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Stages in the Report

1. Report Outline Summary

Students should complete the document titled ‘MRR Proposal Form’. The proposal
should be submitted to the course tutor for approval and then submitted to CTH
by week 4 of the Advanced Diploma programme for authorisation.

2. Progress Tutorials
Students and their module tutor must arrange a minimum of two progress
tutorials over the period of the Advanced Diploma programme. This is an
opportunity for discussion to take place and advice and guidance to be given.
These tutorials must be documented and copies of these documents must be
included as part of the report. Failure to arrange or attend these tutorials will result
in failure of this module.

3. Presentation of the report

The Font is to be Times New Roman, size 12 with 1.5 line spacing. The report must
follow an accepted style for a report and clearly indicate the sections as shown on
the marking sheet. The front cover of the report must include the student’s full
name, the title of the report and their CTH student number.

Assessment
The deadline for the Management Research Report for the next four examination
sessions follows;

Registration deadline
Deadline for the
for the Management
Management Research Result declared
Research Report
Report to CTH
module
26th April 2010 26th May 2010 6th August 2010
11th August 2010 4th October 2010 30th November 2010
6th December 2010 31st January 2011 30th March 2011
11th April 2011 13th June 2011 5th August 2011
10th August 2011 3rd October 2011 30th November 2011

Management Research Reports will be marked by CTH. All reports must be

accompanied by evidence of two progress tutorials held with the student (appendix 1)
and a checklist (appendix 2), completed by the tutor giving feedback on the students
performance. Reports will be marked according to the criteria detailed below.

Marking and Grading Criteria

1. The choice of subject and suitability of the Management Research Report
subject area: Some subjects make greater demands on the student in terms of
the necessary level of theoretical analysis, the breadth of reading required and
the engagement with available secondary literature; some subjects may be
more difficult as they deal with contemporary issues on which literature is

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 relatively scarce. Such variations in relation to the demands of the task should
be taken into account and comment made where necessary. However all
students are expected to demonstrate a focused approach and address a
specific research question.
2. Level of discussion: This will include aspects such as coverage of material,
depth of analysis, understanding of central issues, relevance, breadth of
reference to the available literature, level of expression and personal
engagement with the problems and the amount of independent thinking.
3. Organisation of material: The logic of the structural division between factual
coverage and analytical parts. There must be clear development of an
argument with introduction and conclusion and some assessment of results.
Also, stylistic aspects such as clear expression and a coherent argument will
figure here.
4. Presentation: Adherence to the guidelines on presentation is expected. General
neatness in typing and use of any illustrations, careful checking for typing
errors and correction, page numbering, chapter heading layout.

Recommended Prior Learning

Students need to have completed their Diploma in Tourism or Travel Agency
Management and have decided on the area of the industry that they wish to study in
more depth to complete a Management Research Report.

Suggested resources
• Allison, B., & Race, P., (2004), The student’s Guide to Preparing Dissertation and
Thesis, Routledge, ISBN 0415334861
• Baum, T., (1998), Economic and Management Methods for Tourism and
Hospitality Research, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0471983926
• Bell, J., (1987), Doing Your Research Project, Open University Press, ISBN
0335190944
• Berry, R., ( ), The Research Project: How to Write It, Routledge, ISBN 0415205204
• Brent Ritchie, J., (1994), Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Research: A Handbook
for Managers and Researchers, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0471582484
• Hunt, A., (2006), Your Research Project, Routledge, ISBN 0415344077
• Jennings, G., (2001), Tourism Research, J. Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0471342556
• Poynter, J., (1993), How to Research and Write a Thesis in Hospitality and
Tourism: A Step by Step Guide for College Students, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN
0471552402
• Rudestam, K., & Newton, R., (1992), Surviving Your Dissertation, Sage
Publications, ISBN 0803945639
• Wilkinson, D., ( ), The Researchers Toolkit: The Complete Guide to Practitioner
Research, Routledge, ISBN 0415215668
• Woods, P., ( ), Successful Writing for Qualitative Researchers, Routledge, ISBN
0415188474

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