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2021/2022  AO-ASTHO1005U  Digitalization in Tourism and Hospitality

English Title
Digitalization in Tourism and Hospitality

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Second Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
AO Study Board for cand.soc.
Course coordinator
  • Kim Normann Andersen - Department of Digitalisation
Main academic disciplines
  • Information technology
  • Experience economy
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 21-06-2021

Relevant links
Learning objectives
This course aims to introduce digitalization in tourism and hospitality. The specific learning objectives of the course are the following:
  • Explore how technology can be harnessed to bolster value creation in tourism and hospitality sectors
  • Exemplify how emergent technologies in the likes of Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data, chatbots, robots, process automation, and social media are employed in tourism and hospitality sectors for value creation
  • Analyze and assess how tourism and hospitality sectors may benefit from the automation and datafication of service delivery processes
  • Comprehend the challenges posed by the deployment of technologies in tourism and hospitality sectors, including fraudulent reviews and the service commoditization trap
  • Deliberate on how technology can be deployed to bring about sustainable tourism and corporate social responsibility in the hospitality industry
  • Demonstrate knowledge of how technology can be harnessed to bolster value creation in tourism and hospitality sectors
Course prerequisites
An undergraduate-level knowledge of the basic principles of management and organisation theory is expected of all students
Examination
Digitalization in Tourism and Hospitality:
Exam ECTS 5
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 5 pages
Assignment type Synopsis
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

In order to participate in the oral exam, the synopsis (max 5 pages) must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance. The oral exam will start with a very short presentation of the synopsis (2-5 minutes) and thereafter a dialogue of relevant themes from the readings. 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course explores the technologies in-use as well as upcoming technologies in the tourism and hospitality sector. The course blends the theoretical and scholarly work and hands-on exercises with concepts and technologies. Also, the course blends the learning format having large part of the lectures and instruction material available online while using hands-on exercises to extend the insights into technology design and exploration.

In the first week of the course, the fundamentals of theoretical elements in the course will be covered and we will then in week two and three focus on experimenting with a set of technologies. Students will learn to set up a chat bot for a tourism company. Also, there will be an exercise on process automation as well as exercises with social media data. In week four we return to the theoretical models and perspectives. 

In week 1 there will be three (3) lectures in two days (a total of six (6) lectures, in week 2 and 3 there will be four workshops days each with three (3) hours (in total 12 hours). In week 4 there will be lectures, course summary, and exam preparation in two days each with two (2) hours, a total of four (4) hours.  The total number of lectures and workshops is 22 hours.  
Description of the teaching methods
Teaching will be a combination of lectures and hands-on workshops
Feedback during the teaching period
Students will receive feedback in various forms during the course: For instance, through discussions in class, obligatory group assignments with oral feedback, and written feedback after the exam.
Feedback will be provided through the weekly consultation hours and feedback on the assignments. The feedback on assignments will be provided in writing through Canvas and in class.
Student workload
Attending class 22 hours
Preparation 67,5 hours
Exam 48 hours
In total 137,5 hours
Expected literature

Barrett, M., Davidson, E., Prabhu, J., & Vargo, S. L. (2015). Service innovation in the digital age: key contributions and future directions. MIS quarterly, 39(1), 135-154.

Bødker, M. & Browning, D. (2013). Tourism Sociabilities and Place: Challenges and Opportunities for Design. International Journal of Design, 7 (2).

Bødker; M. & Munar, A.M. (2014). New Territories in Information Technologies and Tourism Research In: The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Tourism. ed. /Alan A. Lew; C. Michael Hall; Allan M. Williams. Chichester : Wiley 2014, p. 262-274 (Wiley Blackwell Companions to Geography)

Christensen, C.,   Bartman, T., & Bever, D. (2016).   The Hard Truth About Business Model Innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, October 

Fennell, D.A. (2021). Technology and the sustainable tourist in the new age of disruption.
Journal of Sustainable Tourism Volume 29, 2021 - Issue 5: Special Issue on Tourism, ICT and sustainability; Guest Editor: Stefan Gössling

Ivanov, S., Gretzel, U., Berezina, K., Sigala, M., & Webster, C. (2019). Progress on robotics in hospitality and tourism: a review of the literature. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology.

Lusch, R. F., & Nambisan, S. (2015). Service Innovation: A Service-Dominant Logic Perspective. MIS Quarterly, 39(1), 155-175.

Melián-González, S., Gutiérrez-Taño, D., & Bulchand-Gidumal, J. (2021). Predicting the intentions to use chatbots for travel and tourism. Current Issues in Tourism, 24(2), 192-210.

Parker, G. G., Alstyne, M. W., & Choudary, S. P. (2015). Platform Revolution: How Networked Markets are Transforming the Economy and How to Make Them Work for You.  New York: Norton Company. 

Porter, M. & Heppelmann, J. (2014). How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Competition. Harvard Business Review, November.

Porter, M. & Heppelmann, J. (2015). How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Companies. . Harvard Business Review, October

Scherer, A., Wünderlich, N., & von Wangenheim, F. (2015). The Value of Self-Service: Long-Term Effects of Technology-Based Self-Service Usage on Customer Retention. MIS Quarterly, 39(1), 177-200.

Tussyadiah, I. (2020). A review of research into automation in tourism: Launching the Annals of Tourism Research Curated Collection on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 81, 102883.

Tussyadiah, I. P., Wang, D., Jung, T. H., & tom Dieck, M. C. (2018). Virtual reality, presence, and attitude change: Empirical evidence from tourism. Tourism Management, 66, 140-154.

Zeng, Z., Chen, P. J., & Lew, A. A. (2020). From high-touch to high-tech: COVID-19 drives robotics adoption. Tourism Geographies, 22(3), 724-734.
Last updated on 21-06-2021