SIGTUNA Unit 1 – Introduction to Business and Hospitality
SIGTUNA Unit 1 – Introduction to Business and Hospitality
Essential information:
| 1. This unit runs for ten weeks with four hours of learning per week. Each week is referred to as a chapter. 2. Typically this is broken down into two two hour blocks of learning per week. 3. Each lesson is typically resourced with a lesson plan, powerpoint, additional reading material, videos and an online quiz or forums for you to participate in. 4. Every week there will be an opportunitiy for formative feedback through either dialogue in a forum with your teacher and peers OR a quiz. The quiz will help you review your learning and re-direct you to sources which may help you. The quizzes will also give you experience of the types of questions which will be examined in weeks 5 and 10. 5. In weeks 5 and 10 there will be online examinations with a revision quiz available the lesson before. Week 5 is a mid-term and week 10 is an end of unit examination. More details can be found below. 6. This unit is worth 2 credits towards the Certificate in Business and Hospitality; the minimum pass percentage is 70%. Further details can be found in the specification. |
Unit aim
This unit gives learners a general introduction to the hospitality industry. The unit is split into two sections. The first part looks at the global reach and origin of hospitality; this will also look at current future opportunities and threats. The second half of the unit looks at different types of institutions and the internal functions and processes.
Unit introduction
The hospitality industry is large and varied. It is made up of a commercial sector and a catering services sector. The industry offers many different types of employment and career opportunities.
This unit will provide learners with the opportunity to identify the types of hospitality and catering outlets that make up the industry and outline the different services they offer their customers and users.
The unit will enable learners to investigate job roles available at different levels in the industry and the training and career prospects that are available, as well as providing some knowledge of the work patterns that are expected in a service industry that operates 24 hours a day.
Learning outcomes and assessment criteria
In order to pass this unit, learners must achieve an average of 70% as an accumulated average across the four components of the module. Ideally, learners would pass all components at pass level or above but this is not essential.
Assessment Scheme
Formative assessment – weekly quizzes – 100% completion
Summative assessments – as per the table below.
| Assessment type | Assessment outline | Grade percentage toward final grade |
| Mid-term exam | 90 minutes. This is an online examination through the VLE in week 5. | 30% |
| Written research project | Launched in week 3 and submitted week 9. The project word count is recommended to be between 1400 and 1700 words | 20% |
| Oral presentation | Created from the written research project and presented and record in week 9. This is a ten minute presentation with five extra minutes for questions. | 20% |
| Final exam | 105 minutes. This is an online examination through the VLE in week 10. | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Detailed goals and objectives:
| 1. Know, describe and evaluate the scope and dynamic nature of the travel and tourism industry; |
| 2. Identify and discriminate the origins of the European lodging industry contrasted with another example from around the world; |
| 3. Compare and contrast the effects of the industry on franchising, management contracts, referral organisations, independent and chain ownership; |
| 4. Understand and evaluate the organisation of Destination Tourism, the management and impacts of large event; |
| 5. Evaluate the effects of globalisation on the hospitality industry examining recent dynamic world events; |
| 6. Analyse the importance of sustainability; |
| 7. Evaluate other hospitality related industry, trends and opportunities; |
| 8. Outline the organisational structure and functional areas in commercial and institutional food service operations; |
| 9. Identify the general classifications of hotels, comparing and contrasting the most distinctive features of each, noting the divisions or departments of hotels and explaining the responsibilities of each; |
| 10. Describe the primary function of the rooms division; |
| 11. Recognise and evaluate the origins of the food service industry from around the world; |
| 12. Demonstrate knowledge of Food & Beverage controls; |
| 13. Explain and contrast the fundamental differences between products and services; |
| 14. Explain and research marketing terms and the general functional areas of the marketing and sales division; |
| 15. Recognize and examine the importance of Engineering and Maintenance Divisions; |
| 16. Evaluate the function of the Security aspects of an operation; |
| 17. Cite and describe opportunities for education, training and career development in the hospitality and business industry. |
Unit content
This course will enable new students to have a greater knowledge and comprehension of the size and structure of the lodging and tourism industry. It introduces the role and function of the hotel departments along with management principles involved.
The knowledge lists below should provide the basis for students to be able to complete higher order thinking activities in lessons and in their assessments. Students should be able to work with the knowledge to meet the learning goals and objectives outlined above.
Know the main outlets in the hospitality industry
Types of outlets: hotels e.g. one star to five-star, budget hotels, bed and breakfast; self- catering accommodation; restaurants e.g. cafes, coffee shops; pubs and bars; nightclubs; hospitality provision e.g. catering outsourced to a contract food service provider; membership clubs, theme parks, the gaming industry.
Services: food e.g. breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks, fast food, children’s menus; drink e.g. alcoholic/non-alcoholic, hot/cold drinks; room service; accommodation e.g. bedrooms, bar, restaurant, leisure facilities; car hire; foreign currency exchange service; travel agency; car parking; email; broadband; children’s play area; highchairs; baby cots; babysitting service; baby listening devices; special events packages; drinks packages; services for disabled customers; 24-hour opening; events management.
Know the job opportunities within the hospitality industry
Job roles: managers e.g. general manager, food and beverage manager, head chef, front office manager, housekeeping manager; supervisor; craft staff; chef, operative staff; bar staff, waiting staff, housekeeping staff, reception staff.
Career opportunities: type of job contract e.g. part time, full time, temporary, seasonal, live in, permanent, agency staff
Working patterns: e.g. shift systems, weekend working, bank holidays, 24-hour coverage, standard hours, time off in lieu
Know the main departments within the hotel industry
Departments: Front office, Reservations, Bell services, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage, Sales and Marketing, Accounting and Finance, Security
Roles: support department, service department, activities, responsibilities