| Introduction to Services Management |
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MGT B102
Introduction to Services Management
| Introduction |  |
Welcome to MGT B102 Introduction to Services Management! This ten-credit, one-year foundation-level course introduces you to concepts, principles and theories that will help you understand and analyse various aspects of services management, and designing and managing a service.
Due to rapid technological change, globalization and the economic and financial integration with the mainland, the service sector in Hong Kong has expanded remarkably in the past two decades. Hong Kong has been moving up the value chain and providing a wide range of knowledge-based and value-added services. This course helps you develop management competence in areas such as self-management, service delivery and working with people for managing varied service organizations. The course is particularly relevant for managers and aspiring managers in the service sector.
MGT B102 is delivered using a custom textbook, supplemented by a Study Guide, online multimedia components and face-to-face sessions.
Course aims
The overall aims of MGT B102 Introduction to Services Management are to:
Provide you with the means to define, design, develop and manage services.
Develop your understanding of different leadership approaches that service managers can adapt.
Expand your awareness of the personality, values and emotions that influence manager behavior and organizational culture.
Enhance your understanding of individual and group behavior and enable you to manage relationships and human resources more effectively to achieve the organization's objectives.
Provide you with the opportunity to apply the concepts and principles learned in the course to your own experiences and observations.
Course learning outcomes
Upon the completion of MGT B102 Introduction to Services Management, you should be able to:
Identify the essential features of services and discuss the major concepts of leadership in service organizations.
Discuss the importance of the manager's personality, values and emotions on shaping organizational culture.
Explain the influence of technology on service system design and apply the demand and capacity management models for services.
Define service quality and identify the different dimensions in measuring it.
Explain the planning process and the decision-making process for managers.
Describe individual and group behavior and illustrate how to maintain the service excellence of people.
Discuss the need for strategic human resource development in services.
| Working through this course | |
In this custom textbook approach, different learning modules have been carefully selected by the course team from various textbooks on services management and organized into a single textbook specifically designed for MGT B102 students. By incorporating the latest editions of book chapters, cases, exercises and self-tests from different texts, the custom textbook provides you with coverage of the developments in services management and strategy that underpin business success in the area.
In addition to the customized textbook, you will be working through the course using an OUHK- produced Study Guide. The Study Guide leads you through your study pathway unit by unit, providing commentary on each textbook chapter and supplementary self-assessment opportunities.
The third main learning resource you will refer to during the course is the OUHK's Online Learning Environment (OLE). There, you will have access to a rich array of multimedia materials such as video lectures and online quizzes, and you will be able to discuss topics with other students and your tutor on the course discussion board.
This course is further supported by regular face-to-face meetings for lectures and tutorials.
To start off, you should watch the introductory video for the course that you can find on the OLE. Then turn to the Study Guide for further guidance through the course.
The custom textbook
The title of the custom textbook is 'MGT B102 Introduction to Services Management'. The chapters are selected from the following textbooks.
Textbooks 1. Fitzsimmons, J A, Fitzsimmons, M J and Bordoloi, S K (2014) Service Management: Operations, Strategy, Information Technology, 8th edn, McGraw-Hill Education. 2. Jones, G R and George, J M (2014) Contemporary Management, 8th edn, McGraw- Hill Education. 3. Newstrom, J W (2015) Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior at Work, 14th edn, McGraw-Hill Education. The Study Guide will indicate at which point you should read each chapter of the custom textbook.
The Study Guide
The Study Guide sets out your study pathway through the customized textbook and other course learning resources, and provides supplementary material and additional self-assessment opportunities. You'll therefore need to keep it by your side as you work through the course.
The Study Guide is divided into ten units. The titles of the units and the textbook chapters they will cover are set out in the following table.
Unit Textbook chapters 1. Introduction to services and leadership Module 1: Fitzsimmons et al. (2014) Ch1.
Topic: The service economy
Module 2: Jones and George (2014) Ch14.
Topic: Leadership2. The manager and organizational culture Jones and George (2014) Ch3.
Topic: Values, attitudes, emotions, and culture: the manager as a person3. Service innovation Fitzsimmons et al. (2014) Ch3.
Topic: New service development4. Managing services Fitzsimmons et al. (2014) Ch11.
Topic: Managing capacity and demand5. Service quality Fitzsimmons et al. (2014) Ch6.
Topic: Service quality6. Planning and decision making Jones and George (2014) Ch8.
Topic: The manager as a planner and strategist7. Motivation and individual performance Jones and George (2014) Ch13.
Topic: Motivation and performance8. Understanding groups and teams Jones and George (2014) Ch15.
Topic: Effective groups and teams9. Managing human resources in services Fitzsimmons et al. (2014) Ch4.
Topic: The service encounter10. Rewards Newstrom (2015) Ch6.
Topic: Appraising and rewarding performance
The Online Learning Environment (OLE)
A dedicated area for MGT B102 students has been set up in the OUHK's OLE. You will need to log on regularly to the OLE to access the course discussion board and online learning components such as online quizzes, PowerPoint slides and video lectures.
Face-to-face support
Students will be supported throughout the course by regular face-to-face meetings in the form of ten three-hour tutorials. Details of the dates and times of these sessions can be found in the Presentation Schedule on the OLE.
Unit No. of weeks Face-to-face support Hrs 1 3 Tutorial 1 3 2 2 Tutorial 2 3 3 3 Tutorial 3 3 4 3 Tutorial 4 3 5 3 Tutorial 5 3 6 2 Tutorial 6 3 7 3 Tutorial 7 3 8 2 Tutorial 8 3 9 2 Tutorial 9 3 10 3 Tutorial 10 3 Total 26 30
Assessment
This course is designed to assist you to move easily from stated objectives, through the study units, readings and materials, to the assignments. You will be expected to apply concepts and techniques acquired during the course when completing your assignments. You will also undertake regular activities and self-tests while working your way through the study units, textbook, and readings.
Formative assessment includes various activities, self-tests and online discussions that you will undertake while working your way through the study units, textbook and readings.
Summative assessment consists of assignments and online quizzes.
Assessment summary
The summative assessment items are outlined in the following table.
Assessment item Weighting Assignment 1 (Essays/Case studies) Covers Units 1–2 25% Assignment 2 (Essays/Case studies) Covers Units 3–5 35% Assignment 3 (Essays/Case studies) Covers Units 6–8 25% Online quizzes 1 to 10
Cover Units 1–10 (one quiz per unit)15% Total 100% Tutor-marked assignments
There are three compulsory assignments for the course.
Assignment 1, worth 25% of the total marks for the course, evaluates material covered in Units 1–2 and is due at the end of Unit 2.
Assignment 2, worth 35%, evaluates material covered in Units 3–5 and is due at the end of Unit 5.
Assignment 3, worth 25%, evaluates material covered in Units 6–8 and is due at the end of Unit 8.
How to submit assignments
You must use word processing software (such as Microsoft Word) to prepare the assignments, and submit the assignments via the Online Learning Environment (OLE). All assignments must be uploaded to the OLE by the due date.
Failure to upload an assignment in the required format to the OLE may result in the score of the assignment being adjusted to zero.
Assignment extension policy
The assignment policy of the University as stated in the Student Handbook should be observed. You are required to submit assignments for this course in accordance with the dates communicated by your course coordinator. You may apply for a submission extension on the grounds of illness, accident, disability, bereavement or other compassionate circumstances.
Applications for extensions of up to seven days should be submitted to the tutor. The tutor shall consider valid and unexpected emergencies on an individual basis. Normally, documented proof of the extenuating circumstances is not required for extensions of up to seven days. The tutor shall decide and advise you of the revised date for submission.
For extensions of over seven days, you should note the following:
If you require an extension of more than seven days on the grounds of illness, accident, disability, bereavement or other compassionate circumstances, you are required to submit your application to the Course Coordinator via the OLE.
Supporting documents must be submitted along with the application for extension of over seven days to justify the claim.
Applications for extension should normally be lodged before or on the due date.
Applications are considered by:
a. the Course Coordinator for extensions of 8 to 21 days; and
b. the Dean for extensions of over 21 days.
After an assignment is submitted via the OLE, it is your responsibility to check that the assignment has been successfully submitted. Extension applications due to any problem with uploading will not be accepted. The University cannot accept any responsibility for assignments that are not received by your tutor due to any problem with submission via the OLE. As a precaution, you are advised to keep a copy of each assignment you submit.
According to the University's policy, no extension of the due date will be allowed for the final assignment. This policy will be strictly enforced. Any late submission of the final assignment will result in the score of the assignment being adjusted to zero.
Online quizzes
There will be ten assessed online quizzes. These quizzes, worth 15% of the course marks, are designed to measure your progress in this course on an ongoing basis. You will attempt the multiple-choice questions in the Online Learning Environment (OLE) unit by unit. Once you've completed a unit's teaching and learning activities, you should then individually complete the unit's online quiz within the designated period.
You must complete each online quiz according to schedule otherwise you will receive no marks for it. No extension will be granted for all online quizzes. Further details can be found on the course OLE.
| Course overview | |
The following table gives a general overview of the course structure. It suggests the amount of time you should allow for completing units and provides a broad schedule for you to plan your work. This estimation includes time for reading the units and custom textbook, completing activities, self-tests, online quizzes, assignments, online assessment and attending tutorials.
Units Weeks Assessment
(end of unit)1. Introduction to services and leadership 3 Online quiz 1 2. The manager and organizational culture 2 Online quiz 2
Assignment 13. Service innovation 3 Online quiz 3 4. Managing services 3 Online quiz 4 5. Service quality 3 Online quiz 5
Assignment 26. Planning and decision making 2 Online quiz 6 7. Motivation and individual performance 3 Online quiz 7 8. Understanding groups and teams 2 Online quiz 8
Assignment 39. Managing human resources in services 2 Online quiz 9 10. Rewards (and revision) 3 Online quiz 10
| Use of case studies | |
Case studies are a useful and increasingly popular form of learning and assessment in the OUHK's School of Business and Administration. In this section we will look at why case studies are used and then suggest some learning strategies that you can use to approach case studies. We will also briefly discuss some problems that you may encounter as you learn from case studies.
What is a case study approach to learning
One main purpose of a case study is to explore an issue or a number of issues in relation to an organization. The intention is to get you to carefully diagnose an organization; to focus on key problems, and to suggest how these might be resolved. Often the case is a real-life account of an organization which you are required to analyse in order to focus on a problem. Usually, the information that is provided is incomplete and you are often expected to observe developments in the organization over a period of time. The case study approach is an excellent opportunity to actively apply material that you have read and conceptual knowledge to the reality of an organization.
At the OUHK, case studies may be used as part of assignments, exams, study units, or dayschool exercises. You normally are given some information about a company (this could be both text and graphical information, such as figures and tables). You are then asked to think about some problems related to the company and to use concepts and apply theories that you have learned in your course to propose possible solutions for the company.
Let's have a look at two kinds of case study questions that you might be asked to work through in your courses. The first example is quite structured, while the second is much more open-ended.
Two examples of case study questions
1. Read the case study entitled 'ABC Consultants' and consider the following issues:
- Using your understanding of the resource-based model, what measures could be taken to improve ABC's returns?
- Drawing on your broad understanding of the consultancy industry, assess ABC's relative competitiveness and its profit potential.
- To what extent do internal factors account for ABC's financial weaknesses?
- Based on your assessment of ABC's financial weaknesses, formulate a new strategic intent and develop a mission statement for ABC.
2. Read the case study entitled 'XYZ Industries'.
- Identify the key problems that are currently faced by XYZ's management.
- Propose viable solutions to these problems.
Why case studies
As you can see from the examples above, a case study approach to learning requires a great deal of thinking and often will not easily yield a quick 'wrong' or 'right' answer. However, case studies are also good preparation for dealing with real-life business problems. Cases may be short and relatively simple, or longer and complex. The purpose is the same for both types: to give you an opportunity to develop your skills in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the organization under examination, to consider the processes at work within the organization, and to make decisions about future actions.
Case studies are not meant to replace textbooks, but rather to ask you to draw connections between theories and practice and to apply abstract ideas, concepts, and principles to specific concrete situations. Consequently, case analysis develops a number of skills that are crucial in business. In particular, they help you to:
analyse complex, unstructured, sometimes ambiguous situations;
identify critical issues and problems;
question your own and others' assumptions;
improve your problem-solving skills;
develop your ability to find alternatives and make informed decisions;
make decisions with incomplete information and think strategically;
self-educate yourself and draw on a broad range of resources and knowledge; and
present and justify recommendations in writing.
Some guidelines for analysing case studies
The following strategies should help you to successfully analyse case studies:
1 Read the case and become familiar with the facts
First, skim read the case to obtain a general understanding of the main point(s). Highlight or underline the pertinent points as you read.
Read the case again, and this time note down critical facts (such as names, time sequences, and where events occurred). Try to understand how events have influenced decisions. Identify the important individuals or stakeholders, and try to assess the importance of supporting information in the case. How reliable is this supporting information? Are there any gaps in the information that is given?
Make a note of any questions that you have as you read the case.
2 Assess the context of the case
Try to understand the environment of the organization and the wider context of the case.
Ask yourself questions about:
The state of the organization: What is the state of this organization: good, bad or in-between? Usually this involves thinking about interpersonal relationships, and assessing production or financial problems.
Key players and systems: How do systems and people operate in this organization? Why do they operate like this? Are the systems undergoing change? How successful are the changes? Is there someone who could sabotage any future strategy? Is there someone who can ensure the success of a future strategy?
Significant trends: How does this industry operate? What are the main or unique characteristics of the industry? What were they five or ten years ago, and what are they likely to be in the future? What impact are trends likely to have on the organization under investigation? How does this organization's performance compare with that of competitors?
- Constraints: Clearly identify all constraints in the case. A constraint may be viewed as anything (usually beyond the control of the organization) that may prevent an otherwise feasible course of action from becoming a success. What is outside the control of individuals in the case study? For example, it is unlikely that any company or individual in Hong Kong could prevent a foreign government from imposing tariff barriers on imports.
A SWOT analysis is a good way to get a better understanding of the organization and the context or environment in which it is operating.A SWOT analysis considers the Strengths and Weaknesses of the organization, and the Opportunities and Threats which the organization faces in the external environment.
3 Recognize the case's symptoms
Read the case again and as you read, try listing all the symptoms of the case. The symptoms of a case are not the problems, but they may help you to identify the problems. Symptoms are all the things that are undesirable or that are not as expected. For example, falling sales could be a symptom of several problems such as poor market segmentation, poor product quality, or problems in a supply chain. At this stage of your analysis, you should just try to observe all the symptoms, and avoid prematurely identifying problems or suggesting solutions. Like a doctor who consults a patient, you first need to observe and note all the symptoms before you can give a definite diagnosis of the problem. Think about how the symptoms may be interrelated. Relationship diagrams, like the one below, may help you to see the relationships between symptoms.
4 Diagnose the case's problems
After you have a good sense of the symptoms, you're ready to determine key issues that need to be analysed more closely. You are now diagnosing the situation, like a doctor diagnosing a patient's symptoms. Ask yourself 'what seems to be the trouble in this organization?' and make a list of what you now perceive to be the key problem(s). You will probably need to go back to the details of the case and as you do this, you may add to or refine your list of potential problems.
If there are several problems, you need to order and prioritize them. You might want to number problems according to how you perceive their importance, or make a matrix, like the one below, which shows relationships between various criteria and each problem.
Criteria Problem #1 Problem #2 Problem #3 Importance: what will happen if the problem is not addressed? Urgency: how quickly must this problem be solved? Centrality: To what extent does this problem cause others? Solvability: Can this problem actually be solved? Also try to establish if there are relationships or themes in common among the various problems. Perhaps different problems in your list are actually variations of a broader central problem.
Ask yourself what assumptions you have made about the case. Are these assumptions reasonable, and are they supported by the facts? Would other people objectively suggest the same problems, based on the facts that you have? Are you suggesting problems that are not supported by the facts of the case?
After you have considered and put into order the possible problems and questioned your assumptions relating to these problems, you should write a statement of the problems as you perceive them. Avoid suggesting solutions at this stage.
Once you have a problem statement, you need to find evidence in the case to support your problem diagnosis. Also, try to identify ideas, concepts and theories from your textbook and course units which help to explain what is happening in the case.
5 Formulate criteria for a 'good' solution and identify possible constraints to solutions
Before you propose a solution, you need to consider the characteristics of a 'good' solution. Obviously, your solution should bring benefits such as improved productivity, reduced costs or greater profits. However, it also needs to be viable and to accommodate the constraints that you have already identified, i.e. Is the solution legal? Is there a budget for this solution? Does it conflict with the organization's culture?
Try to brainstorm alternative solutions. Aim to generate a broad and creative range of options and then try to rate each according to various criteria.
The following matrix demonstrates how this can be done.
Cost Ease of implementation Impact on organization culture Impact on profits Option 1 *** * * ** Option 2 * *** *** ** Option 3 ** * * *** Also refer to ideas, concepts and theories from your course materials as you consider and assess each possible solution.
It's often wise to propose a solution that allows for plausible alternatives if it should fail. Managers use the term satisfice when they are considering acceptable alternative solutions, that is, the solution is able to satisfy the situation while also making some realistic sacrifices to existing constraints. Therefore, it is a satisficing rather than a maximizing solution.
Finally, don't forget to consider the possibility of taking no action. What will actually happen if no action is taken? Are any (or all) of the solutions less viable than taking no action at all?
6 Recommend a viable solution
After you have assessed the merits and pitfalls of each alternative solution, select the best solution for the situation.
Remember that the solution needs to be viable. Can the recommended solution be introduced? Are there the resources and the willingness to implement it? Be realistic about what may work. Explain why it is the best solution within the constraints of the existing context and explain how it can be applied to the organization. Suggest a time-frame for the solution's implementation.
Outline possible strategies for implementing your solution, either partially or completely. As many feasible courses of action as possible should be considered before you choose the one that seems the most likely to succeed. The more ideas you have, the greater your chance will be of finding a solution that will work well. The complexity of most organizational problems means that it is highly unlikely that one idea alone will correct the situation. Usually a combination of actions is required, and these need to be funded differently, timed carefully and staffed as necessary.
7 Present your solution as a written recommendation
Review your final solutions and then prepare a set of written recommendations. These should clearly outline your proposed solution in relation to the problems that you have identified. Your recommendations should also include details of why these solutions are the most appropriate given the circumstances and constraints of the case. Finally, you need to clearly state how and when your proposals will be implemented.
Your tutor and your course Assignment File can provide some guidelines on how to present your recommendations.
Some mistakes to avoid as you analyse cases
When you first tackle case studies, you should be careful to guard against the following mistakes:
One of the most common mistakes made in case analysis is repeating or simply summarizing the facts of the case. Your tutor is already very familiar with the case details, so you do not have to restate them. You are required to use and analyse the facts, not repeat them. Your analysis should contain only enough case material to support your arguments. Therefore, be analytical!
You may often be tempted to just deal with symptoms and ignore the causes of the problem. It is very important to analyse the background of the case (and the climate in which the events of the case unfold).
Avoid discussing problems in isolation and do not overlook their interrelatedness. If you try to think in terms of 'systems' rather than in terms of individual problems, you are more likely to avoid this pitfall.
Students often fail to state the assumptions underlying their analysis. If any important assumptions have been made, have you questioned them and are they reasonable and appropriate? Avoid selectively using and interpreting case material in order to justify a preconceived solution.
Practical limitations and constraints may sometimes be overlooked. For example, a recommendation that a whole team be fired is probably unrealistic.
A very common mistake is poor integration of the facts in the case with the concepts, principles, and theories in the textbook. Such integration is vital. Ask yourself if relevant theories from your course have been fully and constructively applied.
- Finally, recommendations are too often not spelled out in detail or are unrealistic. A timetable for implementing them is also often not given.
Analysing cases poses many challenges, and this is one reason the case study method is so rewarding. It is a very active form of learning. It offers you a risk-free opportunity to gain managerial and organizational experience and should greatly increase your confidence to make informed decisions in the real world.
Good luck and we hope you enjoy working through the cases that you encounter!
| Summary | |
MGT B102 Introduction to Services Management equips you to develop an aptitude towards the different leadership approaches that service managers can adopt. You will learn about how to design, develop and manage services; and how to influence staff by understanding people's personalities, values and emotions. Good management of individual and team relationships and human resources can enable organizational objectives to be achieved more effectively and improve the service quality offered to customers. Eventually, you should be able to apply the concepts and principles learned in the course to your own experiences and observations.
| Deferment of studies | |
If you wish to defer your studies of this course until a later date, you should apply for deferment of studies. For the regulations governing deferment of studies, please refer to Section 14, 'Regulations for Admission, Registration and Maintenance of Status', in your Student Handbook. If you have applied for deferment of studies you should continue with your studies of this course and submit the required assignments until formal approval is given by the University. Should you have difficulty in submitting an assignment, you are advised to liaise with your Course Coordinator and apply for an assignment extension. Students who have been granted deferment of studies will not be allowed to submit assignments due before the date that their application for deferment of studies is received by Registry.
| About the School of Business and Administration | |
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