05 Dec This unit will be assessed by assignment only which has two parts.

This unit will be assessed by assignment only which has two parts.

You are strongly advised to read “Pearson-set Assignment Guidance for Unit 18” before start working on your assignment. Also, you should follow the agreed work plan as in the

‘Project proposal form’ submitted at the early stage in semester

3. The work plan includes your declaration to follow ethical guideline when conducting research.

This coursework assignment consists of two parts spread over semester 3 and semester 4 and successful completion of the unit provides 30 credits toward the HND. Although the students are expected to focus on a research related issue or problem in the management of travel and tourism or hospitality sector organisations, this being a Pearson-set assignment, your project should be related to a specific topic within the given theme of Sustainability in your chosen sector. Part 1 of your assignment relates to meeting the learning outcome 1 and partly learning outcome 2. Part 2 is related to meeting the learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4 (see below for guidance)

Assignment Theme, Context and Scenario:

As a responsible management trainee employed in the travel and tourism or hospitality industry and wanted to investigate the effectiveness of sustainable management practices in your chosen destination or organisation, you are expected to undertake a thorough research under this theme. Your Research Proposal, therefore, should be based on a realistic research topic under the theme of Sustainability in tourism development or management. Your investigation will consist of both primary and secondary research.

The concept of sustainability is not simply about managing the resources effectively in an organisation but it is much wider in perspectives. The UNWTO (2020) states that sustainable tourism is that it takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. As for hospitality management, as Stottler (2018) states, hoteliers over the past several decades, have turned their focus to the importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry as it relates to hotel development and operations, including the environmental, economic and social impact.

For the learners of this unit, research questions may emerge under such topics as: sustainable tourism for preservation of heritage sites, sustainable development in different types of destinations, monitoring and evaluation of sustainable tourism initiatives, promoting sustainable tourism development, the role of ecotourism in sustainable development, or the sustainable practices in the management of travel and tourism operations.

For the research project to be valid and strong, you would need to identify a specific issue or research problem and clearly define the objectives to be investigated. It is very important that you discuss your chosen topic and research title leading to setting specific and clear research objectives with your tutor before you undertake your research project.

Part 1: Semester 3 (research questions/hypothesis, rational, methodology and the process, conduct research, analyse the findings)

i. Produce a research proposal which clearly identifies a research question or hypothesis which is supported by a literature review

ii. Examines appropriate research methods and approaches

iii. Evaluates different research approaches and research methods to primary and secondary research, with justifications for your choice of methods based on philosophical/theoretical frameworks

Based on the satisfactory research proposal:

i. Conduct primary and se